There is A LOT of information available online on how to write a resume. But, have you noticed most of it is the same stuff you’ve already heard a hundred times over?

The other day I got an email from someone who purchased my on-demand video course, Resumes That Get You the Interview: Surprising Secrets to Getting Your Resume Noticed. Her name is Michelle Noel, and she wasn’t shy about providing me some feedback on my video course.

Here’s what she had to say:

“As your video got into the meat of the topic, I was thinking, ‘Oh, this is a waste of money! These are things I already know.'”

She explained to me she already understands the basics of how to write a resume.

She went on to say:

“But then you started sharing some things I never considered before that made the money worthwhile.”

New tricks for writing your resume

In her feedback email, she listed seven specific new things she learned from the on-demand video course. Seven!

One of those things which she found most helpful was something she’d desperately been looking for elsewhere but couldn’t find. It was a sample of a “hybrid” resume format.

Michelle is in the process of changing careers. She said she’d been struggling to figure out how she should re-vamp her resume. She said the sample hybrid resume “hit the nail on the head” for what she needed to help her better organize her new resume.

Also, some of the other new things she said she learned included:

• Why you shouldn’t always put your highest degree on your resume and when you should leave it off.
• Why your resume isn’t about you and how you should focus it more on the company’s needs.
• How to catch spelling and grammatical errors spell check often misses.
• How to make your results stand out and pop off the page.
• Where certain information should appear on your resume.
• How a master resume can help you create a targeted resume and save you time on your job search.

The video course also includes more tips and tricks Michelle didn’t mention but are guaranteed to help you get your resume noticed by the right people. For instance, it includes how to ensure your resume makes it through the resume filtering software and ends up in the hands of a human. And, how to get that human to read your resume and give it full consideration.

Does this sound like something you need but haven’t found anywhere else online?

Write a resume you can feel confident about

If you’ve been sending out resume after resume but you’re not getting as many interviews as you’d like, perhaps there’s something you’re doing wrong. Wouldn’t you want to know what it is?

This video course can reveal some of the blind spots you may have regarding your resume and teach you how to correct those blind spots, resulting in more interviews. In addition, it includes several downloadable resume samples and a free e-book entitled Get Your Resume Read!

“In the end, this program was worth every dollar I paid!” said Michelle

Michelle’s only regret is she didn’t watch the on-demand video sooner. She told me she wishes she’d watched it before sending out her resume because now she doubts she’ll get any response to her original resume. But she now feels more confident with her newly updated resume since it includes the tips from the on-demand video course.

You can also feel more confident about the resume you’re sending to employers. Click here to learn more about the on-demand video course, Resumes That Get You the Interview: Surprising Secrets to Getting Your Resume Noticed. You can see an episode guide, the names of all the downloadable handouts, what you’ll gain from the course, and more testimonials.

From this you can decide if the on-demand video course is something you want to invest in. If you do, you’ll also receive with purchase a complimentary copy of my e-book Get Your Resume Read!

Don’t wait to get started!

Related Posts:

• How to Write a Resume: Make It About THEM, Not You
• How to Know What Resume Format You Should Use

Let me preface this post with the fact that there are some people who have made a good living out of direct sales/multi-level marketing (MLMs). But they’re typically the exception and not the rule.

This post is not a judgement of those who work as independent sales reps in direct sales. Instead, it’s a concern over the MLM companies’ questionable structure and unethical practices. It also serves as a warning to those who are in a vulnerable place financially and career-wise and therefore are considering joining an MLM before knowing the facts and risks involved. As a career coach I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t provide the following words of caution.

What are MLMs?

Direct sales is also known as multi-level marketing (MLM). This is where people pay a buy-in fee and purchase inventory to sell a product directly to a customer, while also recruiting others to do the same, earning some money from sales, but mostly from their recruitment and their downline’s sales.

You’ve probably had a “friend” or acquaintance you haven’t heard from in ages hit you up on Facebook wanting to meet for coffee. You agree because you’re so curious as to why they want to meet with you after so long. When you do meet with them, you realize there’s more of an agenda than just coffee and catching up. They want to talk with you about “an amazing career opportunity” guaranteed to “change your life.”

This opportunity will let you be your own boss, work from home, make your own hours, and earn as much money as you’d like. Plus, they say, it provides independence, empowers you, and uplifts you.

This might sound great to some people. Especially those who are at a low point in their lives or careers and need lifting up. Or those who have just lost their jobs or want to spend more time at home with their children.

But are MLMs a viable career option? Can you really make money in an MLM? To answer this question, let’s first look at the statistics.

Consider the truth and understand the risks.

MLM companies are making a fortune, but the participants are NOT. From my research (see sources below), only one percent of people who join MLM companies earn money. The other 99% actually lose money. Some as much as five-figures.

Many MLMs require steep buy-ins, as much as up to $5,000 for some. And depending on the product and the structure of the MLM, these costs continue on a monthly basis due to monthly inventory purchase requirements to stay active and earn rewards. But typically, commissions on inventory sold are very small. Usually there is more emphasis instead on recruiting a downline.

This might sound a lot like a pyramid scheme. Because by definition, it is when the emphasis is on recruitment of a downline.

“One of the hallmarks of an illegal pyramid scheme is a promise that sellers will make money from recruiting others rather than selling the product,” says the Federal Trade Commission.

So if an MLM is pushing you to recruit more than they are pushing you to sell, BEWARE!

And, even if an MLM is legal by the above definition, it’s practices my still be unethical.

MLMs cannot turn you into an entrepreneur!

MLMs promise a “safe” way to become an entrepreneur. News flash: becoming an independent sales consultant for an MLM does not make you an entrepreneur! The only entrepreneur in this game is the one(s) who created the product and created the company itself.

And just because the opportunity lets you make your own hours this also does not make you entrepreneur. So don’t fall for this sales pitch.

There’s not much that’s financially safe about joining an MLM. As stated above, most people who join MLMs lose money. Those who do make a profit average only about a $1,500 profit per year.

You’re likely to be more successful by being a true entrepreneur and starting your own business. The amount of hard work required in MLMs just to stay afloat could be better used to build something more profitable and something you’re truly passionate about.

And you’re likely to be more successful. Statistics show about 39% of small businesses earn a profit over their lifetime versus 1% of MLM reps.

My guess is, there’s probably something you’re more passionate about than just being a glorified distributor for lipstick, leggings, or “nutritional” juices. Why not pursue those passions with the time, energy, and money you’d spend on something you’re not passionate about? At least you’d likely have more to show for it than a garage full of unsold inventory.

MLMs prey on women

Seventy-five percent of people currently signed with an MLM are women. This number is due not only to the type of products, but also to the increased cost of child care forcing women to stay home with their children. There’s no wonder MLMs prey on this predicament.

They use the appeal of working from home, making your own hours, becoming a “mommypreneur” and being a “girl boss” to lure women who are in this financial predicament.

However, instead of seeing their income grow, women who’ve been involved in MLMs have seen their debt grow.

“MLMs are the most despicable form of corporate feminism. They use their ‘you go girl’ branding to trap capable, ambitious women in a worsening cycle of debt. If MLM founders actually believed in empowering women they wouldn’t scam them out of their life savings,” says one journalist.

Ladies, don’t settle for being a “girl boss”. Aspire to be a “woman boss” and take control of your career! You shouldn’t have to pay for your job!

Viable career option, or risky gamble?

If you already have a proven track record as a leader, salesperson, and someone who can REALLY hustle, then joining an MLM could be a viable career option for you. But you need to understand the risks. One journalist has said, “The risk with MLMs is so high you’d be more successful at making money gambling than you would at joining an MLM.”

So before you sign up and pay your buy-in fee, do your research! This includes talking to former reps and participants, finding out why they left, and learning about the products outside of what the company says about the products.

Most of all, find out if the commission on your personal sales is higher than the commission on the sales of your downline. If it is, then it’s likely more reputable than most other MLMs.

I also suggest having another source of income when you first start, whether it’s a full-time or part-time job, and/or a spouse who’s also bringing in an income (with benefits).

Finally, be realistic about how much you can ultimately invest in the opportunity before you risk unmanageable debt. Make sure someone outside of the MLM (a friend or family member) holds you accountable to this amount. So many people get caught up in the recognition and awards that come from the amount of inventory purchased (NOT the amount sold!) they overspend just to reach those recognition goals.

If you already have too much personal debt, it’s not worth the risk at all. Besides, if you have to pay for a job or a paycheck, it’s probably only going to benefit the person receiving your buy-in money, not you!

Sources: http://abcn.ws/1PUpW8I, https://www.finance-guy.net/mlm-reviews, http://www.pinktruth.com/, https://bettingonzero.com/, https://youtu.be/lLBmElR0Luw, https://youtu.be/s6MwGeOm8iI, https://medium.com/@antionetterparker/why-creative-memories-just-couldnt-compete-review-4860f97dcf86

Welcome to “Sunday Inspiration,” a bi-weekly devotional for those seeking spiritual encouragement in the pursuit of their passions. Each post comes from an outside resource (as referenced). I hope these posts will inspire and motivate you in your life and career in addition to our weekly original blog posts. Enjoy!

“Because you say so, I will.” 
Lk 5:5 NIV

The Bible says: “When he [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will’…When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break… When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees…For he and all his companions were astonished…Then Jesus said…‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.’ So they …left everything and followed him” (vv. 4-11 NIV).

The real test of your faith comes when nothing you’ve tried has worked, and God tells you to do something that stretches your faith to its limit. At that point you have two choices: Give in to your doubts, or say with Peter, “Because You say so, I will.”

This story teaches us God works in three ways:

(1) He uses the common to do the uncommon. In their workplace where nothing special ever seemed to happen, Jesus showed up, called them, and changed their lives. So look for God in your daily routine, and don’t be surprised when He surprises you.

(2) He moves you out from the security of the shallow to the risks of the deep. The great catches and the great storms are both in the same sea. If you want one, you have to contend with the other. No risk, no reward.

(3) He involves you in one thing to teach you another. Christ’s plan for these men was to involve them in an even greater miracle: fishing for souls.

Today that’s His plan for you too. And it begins when you say, “Lord, because You say so, I will.”

Source: https://www.jentezenfranklin.org/daily-devotions/understanding-how-god-works

For the past week and a half, the words “rest” and “burnout” keep coming up. Every conversation I’ve had this week has included the discussion of burnout and the need for rest from it. And just about every article I’ve read has mentioned the importance of rest and avoiding burnout.

Perhaps this theme is circulating because it’s now summer time (my favorite season!). Summer is typically thought of as a season of down time and rest.

But perhaps it’s circulating because so many of us have been working so hard we’re starting to experience the effects of burnout.

I have several new clients coming to me because they’re experiencing burnout in their current jobs and recognize a need for a change. I also can easily experience burnout if I don’t take time to rest.

And just last month, the World Health Organization redefined burnout as an actual syndrome linked to unmanageable chronic workplace stress. There’s been a lot of buzz about this new medical classification of burnout since it was announced. Perhaps this is also the reason the topic of rest keeps coming up.

Hidden Signs of Burnout You Shouldn’t Ignore

The syndrome for burnout includes several physical, emotional, and cognitive warning signs:

• Inability to concentrate
• Feeling like you’re constantly failing
• Making careless mistakes
• Re-upping a bad habit (i.e. if you previously quit smoking but started up again due to the stress from your job)
• Dizziness and headaches

Do any of these things describe how you’ve been feeling lately? If so, first, do what you can to find the time needed to get some rest! Second, you might need to consult a physician. Then, you might want to consult a career coach to help you make some changes either in your current job or to a new job.

Quote: “If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness.” Unknown

Burnout is Toxic

In fact, if you want to live longer, a recent article says one of the 30 things you can do to live longer is to establish more balanced work hours.

The article criticizes the fact that our current work culture has made it acceptable to work over 40 hours a week, to work through lunch and breaks, and to come in early and leave late.

Another article states if management has little or no concern for work-life balance on a daily basis, this is one of  eight signs your workplace is extremely toxic.

This means you feel like you have to sacrifice your personal life and family for your job on a regular basis. Which is evidenced by more hours per week, little to no vacation time, and 24/7 availability for work communication.

How to Reduce Burnout by Making Good Decisions

This lack of balance has become our “new normal,” and it needs to return to the “old normal” if we want to be productive both in our jobs and our personal lives.

Of course this is easier said than done. It will require a culture shift in the world of work. While the shift has begun, it still has a long way to go before the pendulum will swing back to what’s considered realistic.

But there are things you can do as an individual to start making this shift in your own personal and professional life.

This includes learning how to negotiate win-win scenarios with your current supervisor when asked to take on additional responsibilities. This is something I help several of my clients with. In fact, I’m currently working with a client on this very thing.

It also includes learning to make good decisions when seeking new opportunities. Always choose those opportunities that support your personal mission statement and turn down those that don’t.

Think about what you value above a just the monetary return on an opportunity.

Quote: “There are four types of wealth:

1. Financial wealth (money)
2. Social wealth (status)
3. Time wealth (freedom)
4. Physical wealth (health)

Be wary of jobs that lure you in with 1 and 2, but rob you of 3 and 4.” @entrepreneursquote

It’s Okay to Rest and Do Nothing

It’s okay and necessary to do what it takes to recover from your burnout. This means getting the rest you need, and also spending some time just doing nothing.

If you’re like me, it’s hard to just do nothing. But The New York Times published an article by Bonnie Tsui which assures us we’re doing something important when we aren’t doing anything at all. Tsui says,

“We need to rest, read, and reconnect. It is the invisible labor that makes creative life possible.”

I had the opportunity to do so a week and a half ago. Every summer I take a weekend to myself to drive up to Kentucky to the Abbey of Gethsemani for a silent retreat. I spend a weekend in silence reflecting on the first half of the year, reading, and thinking about how to be more intentional in the remaining half of the year.

It is so tranquil and renewing to my mind and soul. I always come back rested and refreshed. (Click here to read more about what a silent retreat looks like and how to sign up for one yourself).

Since tomorrow is a holiday (and not a stressful one like the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays), I encourage you to spend this holiday and this weekend getting some quiet time and some rest, both alone and with your family.

Doing so will give you the clarity and energy you need to make some necessary changes moving forward in your career. Whether it’s learning to manage your manager, carving out some work-life balance, or making a career change to something healthier. Let me know how I can help!

Related Posts:

• Sunday Inspiration: Get Some Rest
• How to Avoid Common Mistakes That Could Ruin Your Career
• How to Have a Good Life: Do These 7 Small Things
• When is the Right Time to Leave Your Job?
• Get Unstuck! How to Know When It’s Time to Invest in a Career Coach

It’s finally summer! Last Friday marked the official first day of summer. I spent this past weekend getting a jump start on my summer reading list. Do you have your summer reading list yet?

Reading is fundamental in growing your passions and improving your career. Without it you may never discover your true passions. There may be a passion in your future you’ve never heard of and never will until you read about it. Reading also helps you grow your career by keeping you abreast of the ever-changing world of work.

Therefore, I’ve listed below a recommended summer reading list. It includes my own books I’ve had published over the years and most recently. It also includes summer reading recommendations of some awesome books by other authors.

This selection is designed to help you pursue work you love and grow in a career that satisfies your passions. Enjoy and happy summer reading!

Lori’s Books

Get Your Resume Read! (*NEW*)

This small book is a collection of my blog posts I’ve written over the past three years specifically on the topic of resumes. It serves as both a stand-alone resource and a supplement to my on-demand program “Resumes That Get You the Interview: Surprising Secrets To Getting Your Resume Noticed”.

Though the book is small, it’s packed full of resume tips and advice to help you know how to make your resume marketable and competitive in today’s job market. Implementing these tips will dramatically increase the number of people opening your resume and reading it. This book also includes links to a variety of additional resources designed to help you create the best resume possible.

2 Ways to Get It (click on your preferred option):

• Complimentary PDF download with purchase of on-demand video course or on-demand course bundle.
• Kindle from Amazon (retail $4.99, no charge with Kindle Unlimited)

Personal Branding: Why You Need to Know What Makes You YOUnique and AWEthentic

Do you know what makes you unique? Everyone has to be able to answer this question, whether in an interview (“Why should we hire you?”) or in a pitch meeting (“Why should we sign you?” or “Why should we fund your idea?”).

No matter what you’re trying to accomplish, you have to be able to explain why you should be the one to accomplish it. This is why personal branding is so important. Are you comfortable talking about yourself in this way?

In this book you’ll learn:

• The importance and purpose of personal branding.
• How to develop your authentic brand.
• Self-reflection exercises designed to help you see how your passions and abilities fit into your personal philosophy and career.
• How others perceive you (I promise this isn’t as scary as it sounds!).
• How valuable your unique skillset is and where it fits into the world around you.
• Who can benefit from your skills and interests.
• How to effectively and clearly communicate your value (to family, friends, and potential employers or clients).
• A method for making the best decisions for your life and career.

As a result you’ll get:

• Your very own personal mission and vision statements.
• The ability to know which big decisions are the right decisions for you.
• A better understanding of how you add value to the world.
• Better knowledge of who your audience is and how you can best impact them.
• The ability to think “big picture.”
• Confidence in being yourself.
• Feeling comfortable in your own skin and your own abilities.

4 Ways to Get It (click on your preferred option):

• Paperback from Amazon (retail $12.99)
• Kindle from Amazon (retail $9.99; no charge with Kindle Unlimited)
• PDF download ($9.99)
• Complimentary PDF download with purchase of on-demand video course or on-demand course bundle.

Additional Books by Lori

You can also purchase my other two books on Amazon:

• Advance Your Image (Amazon #1 bestseller; published by Hilliard Press 2011; available in paperback and Kindle)
• SUP: Spiritual Understanding & Prayer on a Stand Up Paddleboard (published by Hilliard Press 2017; available in paperback and Kindle)

Additional Recommended Summer Reading

Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life

Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans provides step-by-step instructions allowing you to experiment with different possible careers and roles for your life. These experiments lead to ways to design and build your life the way you want it to look at various life and career stages.

I’ve personally gone through the book myself, reading it twice and doing each exercise at least once. I choose which exercises I think would best suit my clients at their particular stage of career exploration and help guide them through those exercises. I’m also a member of the authors’ Facebook group for coaches and mentors. So, I use this book quite a bit when coaching my clients and therefore highly recommend it!

Body of Work: Finding the Thread That Ties Your Story Together

Body of Work by Pamela Slim shows you how to make sense of all your diverse work experiences and the skills gained from them, and how to tie them all together to create a career portfolio and professional brand. This includes not just your “official” full-time job, but also your side jobs, passion projects, volunteer work, artistic creations, etc. All of those experiences can add up to future opportunities you may have never previously considered.

Do Over: Make Today the First Day of Your New Career

This book by Jon Acuff was actually recommended to me by one of my first clients to recommend to my other clients. It’s perfect for someone who is facing a major transition in their career, whether it be an unexpected lay-off, hitting a career ceiling, a change in role or job function, or an unexpected offer in another industry.

Do Over teaches you how to develop the four necessary elements of a successful career:  relationships, skills, character, and hustle.

Will It Fly? How to Test Your Next Business Idea So You Don’t Waste Your Time or Money

I have several clients considering starting their own business. This is a great book for them or anyone else thinking of starting their own business or side hustle. It guides readers through several litmus tests to help determine if their business idea is viable, prior to diving in with a huge time or money investment.

The author Pat Flynn (who’s known for teaching people how to create passive income streams) spends a big chunk of the book discussing the importance of having a personal mission statement and personal brand (see 2nd book listed above) prior to starting any kind of business idea. It truly is the first step to starting anything new in your life or career.

Will It Fly? helps you determine both the right reasons and the wrong reasons for starting your own business. Because it is so important to know these reasons, I did an entire group coaching call on this very topic with this book as the basis for the discussion.

Rise of the Youpreneur: The Definitive Guide to Becoming the Go-To Leader in Your Industry and Building a Future-Proof Business

I read The Rise of the Youpreneur on the heels of Will It Fly? It’s a good follow-up after you’ve done all the exercises from Will It Fly? and determined which of your business ideas are most viable and best support your personal mission.

Like Flynn’s book, The Rise of the Youpreneur is chock-full of exercises and online resources to help you get your business off the ground.

While I’d already been doing a lot of what the author Chris Ducker recommends to become a successful brand in my own coaching business, I hadn’t been doing all of it because it just seemed so overwhelming. Ducker’s book helped me to organize and prioritize all those things into manageable phases and steps.

Breaking Money Silence: How to Shatter Money Taboos, Talk More Openly About Finances, and Live a Richer Life

I got a copy of Breaking Money Silence from the author Kathleen Burns Kingsbury herself when I heard her speak here in Nashville. It is BY FAR the best book on finances I’ve ever read.

Kingsbury delves into the emotional side of money. She talks about the various mindsets people have about money, explaining why money often creates unnecessary conflict between people. It dispels myths both men and women have about money. And it reveals the hidden costs of staying quiet about an often uncomfortable topic.

What I love most about this book is it provides tangible ways to have uncomfortable but necessary conversations about money between couples, children and aging parents, siblings, and more. It also helps readers see their worth and the importance of negotiating a fair salary with their employer, something I often teach my clients how to do.

Not only is this a great book for anyone who feels insecure about their knowledge of finances (or thinks they already know everything about finances), it’s also recommended for financial advisers so they can learn how to address the emotional side of money when working with their clients. There are exercises at the end of each chapter for both the interested reader and their financial advisers.

Of all the books on this list, this is the one I’d buy a copy for everyone if I could. I plan to keep my copy because I know I’ll refer back to it every time I need to.

Secrets of Six-Figure Women: Surprising Strategies to Up Your Earnings and Change Your Life

Barbara Stanny’s book includes strategies to not just help women earn more money, but to also help them overcome their fears, limiting beliefs and self-imposed boundaries in their finances and other areas of their lives.

Biggest take away: Success isn’t if you go on to achieve your dream. It’s having the chance to find out if you can achieve your dream or not, so you won’t wonder all your life.

What career books do you recommend for some great summer reading?