Times are tough. Applying for jobs is not.

If you want an awesome, career-building job, then you need to write an awesome, career-building resume and cover letter. If you want a mediocre job, then copy and paste a resume template directly from the Internet, but why would you ever do that? You're going to spend a good chunk of your life working, make it worthwhile.

I'm no expert when it comes to writing resumes and cover letters, but the Internet is full of articles and related sites about what to avoid on your resume and cover letter. Fortunately for me, I've read too many horribly-written resumes and cover letters, that I didn't need to turn to the Internet for advice. If I may, here are a few examples of what not to do or write:

1. An application is not a good representation of you. It should never be submitted without a cover letter and resume.

2. Cover letters and resumes go hand in hand. You can't have ying without yang, so what makes you think it's okay to have a resume without a cover letter?

3. NoThInG oN yOuR rEsUmE sHoUlD bE tYpEd LiKe ThIs.

4. You should triple check your attachments before submitting. Otherwise you might end up with two cover letters, one of which has three different fonts and is for an entirely separate application.

5. Never include your salary on your resume. Besides the fact that it's irrelevant, you just shot yourself in the foot. Now your future employer knows how little they can pay you.

6. Since when does a resume only disclose an employment history? If you don't have any skills, or are a robot, this may apply.

7. "Sushi Ninja" is not a job title. Creativity does not set you above the rest when applying for a data management position. Clearly, they are seeking someone who can keep accurate records, not someone who will make up information.

8. You probably shouldn't list Brew Thru as a former employer, if you're going to follow with "Aided customer satisfaction through developing customer service skills and knowledge of merchandise." For a one-time summer job, that just screams 'party animal.'

9. There are two ways to capitalize letters on your keyboard. Show your future employers you know where they are by capitalizing the proper letters in your name, especially when a skill like that is critical to the position you are applying for.

10. An e-mail address that says anything but your name should not be used. You should also use one e-mail address on every document. This is not hide-and-seek - your future employer shouldn't have to guess where to find you.

11. I'm sure you're a pleasant little peach, but there are more applicable words to describe your work ethic than "patient and sincere."

12. If you're applying to a university, you probably shouldn't start your cover letter with, "It is widely recognized that your company is one of the most recognized and prestigious firms in its industry." There is nothing wrong with buttering up your future employer, but make sure it properly describes the company/organization/employer you are applying to.

13. Make sure your resume and cover letter sound like a person is applying for the job, not a website. Business school did not teach you to copy and paste.

14. It goes without saying that you list your current or most recent employer first.

15. Your friends and godmothers aren't good references. Unless you're in need of new friends and godparents.

16. A driver's license is almost never a qualification.

17. I can see from your address that you live in what most would call the ghetto. I have no judgments until I'm reading ebonics.

18. If your resume is three pages long, you'd better be a doctor, published writer, lawyer, etc. And almost 80 years old.

19. Purple and blue are not acceptable font colors.

20. Make sure your skills listed are relevant to the position for which you are applying. For example, if you are not applying to a position in the medical field, "knowledge of medical terminology" is most likely to waste valuable space on the page.

Again, I'm not an expert writer as it applies to resumes and cover letters, but I do have common sense. Hate to break it to you, but EEO doesn't cover ignorance.

What about you? Do you have anything you'd like to add to my growing list of mistakes?

Inevitable

There comes a point in time for everyone when you realize what truly matters to you, what life is all about. This week has been a very rough week for me emotionally. My mom's doctors have decided that there is nothing else they can do, that we can only make her comfortable. Everyone keeps telling me to enjoy the time that I have left with her. Maybe it's my one track mind, but how can I enjoy it when I already know the inevitable?

Life can change so quickly and so immensely, it will keep your head spinning. We always wonder why things happen the way they do and most of us will never know why, yet we are forced to accept it and move on. How are you supposed to find peace if you have so many unanswered questions? How do you move on from something you can't comprehend?

Stuck...on what?

Are you ever running late for work, hair frazzled, outfit half wrinkled, rushing because you're late, and you somehow manage to get your shirt stuck on the doorknob, as if it's trying to tell you not to go?

That's a slightly more dramatic metaphor for how I'm feeling about life in Richmond. I was born and raised here and have only lived elsewhere for two months out of my 25 years. I'm not someone who craves routine, so it almost feels torturous to have not tried living anywhere else.

I have always wanted to just pick up and start fresh but always felt as though something is holding me back. This past year has put a lot of things into perspective and I've learned that life really is too short to settle for anything less than what you've dreamed of. Everything you know and everything that is comfortable can be changed in an instant, which just reinforces the ideal that we should never take anything - or anyone - for granted.

I refuse to be that person who wakes up one day and realizes that I haven't done any of the things I've wanted to. Which brings me to my next thought: what do I want to do with my life?

I want to live my life. I want to live in another city. I want to get a job doing what I love. It's time to accomplish something.

Third Time's the Charm

What am I thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Well, first I'm thankful for my family. Second, science. Third, my culinary skills.

My mom was recently diagnosed with cancer for the third time - the second time this year. We have 100% confidence that she will pull through and beat melanoma for the third time. Third time's a charm, right? Unfortunately this means we will all be spending this Thanksgiving at the Massey Cancer Center at MCV. Regardless, I am thankful that we can all spend the holiday together, hospital or not.

This also means I am stepping up to make Thanksgiving dinner this year. I'm not sure if I am more nervous or excited. I love to cook but this is my first time making a turkey. Even if I burn it or leave an important ingredient out, my family will still forgive me and tell me it's the best turkey they've ever had. Being the perfectionist that I am, I want this to smell and taste just like my mom's Thanksgiving dinner that we know and love.

So where does science fit in? I'm thankful for the tremendous developments in science and technology that allow for treatment and remission. While we're all hoping never to have to set foot in Massey Cancer Center again, I'm just thankful science has bought us all more time, and optimistic that this will be the final surgery.

I hear that life never throws more at you than you can handle, which is why I'm ready to make a Thanksgiving dinner we'll always remember.

The Importance of a Handshake

Everyone knows actions speak louder than words, so when we're meeting someone for the first time, it's important to make sure your actions are reinforcing your words; i.e., the handshake.

I know too many people my age who give the wimpiest, bones-fall-apart-in-your-hand handshake. If you want to convey insecurity and uncertainty, then you know what to do. Think about it, is this how you really want to portray yourself to others? You never know who's hand you're shaking. This person could be your next boss.

With that said, I always give a good, firm, structured handshake. It screams confidence and a firm handshake from a female will always be remembered. If you want to further analyze, it shows that you're not afraid to put yourself out there and take initiative. A handshake can mean a lot of things but should never exude your insecurities.

I recently shook a guy's hand and he said, "Wow that's quite a firm handshake." I get this comment often from males. Don't worry, guys, I'm not crushing your bones, I'm just making sure my hand holds its structure. Anyways, this guy follows his comment with, "It just means you're making up for something." Insult me if you will, but if a firm handshake means I'm making up for something, what does it say about you?

Knack for Writing

I started my college career working on a degree in Mechanical Engineering and after the first semester in the program, I knew immediately this was not a career for me. Since I am not the type of person who just gives up, I continued my studies for a few more semesters. After two and a half years, I had finally had enough and then realized that I was back at square one: what was I going to do now?

I spent the spring semester at community college taking general classes and some that interested me, one of which was Electronic Graphic Design. Having taken a graphic design class in high school, I decided this could be fun. My professor assigned us several projects, a few of which were advertisements. By the end of the semester, I realized that this was the career for me.

I enrolled in the Mass Communications program back at VCU and started the program that summer. I worked my way through the two year pre-major courses in two semesters and finally started on the courses that dealt with the rest of my life. I studied design, copywriting and media planning.

With various options available to one seeking a degree in Creative Advertising, I was almost positive I wanted to pursue a career as an Art Director. Then I took copywriting. I always had a knack for writing, though I had never enjoyed writing papers and essays because they were so formal and complex. I like to believe that I think and speak in a simple way, and when I discovered copywriting, I finally understood my place in the world.

Having graduated about two months ago, I have yet to submit my résumé, cover letter and samples to potential employers, but I'm enthusiastic about the job search.

Every Job has its Challenges

I believe one of the worst jobs in the world is waitressing, mostly for the fact that someone else is determining your pay. On the other hand, waitressing can be a very rewarding job, but not so much for your feet.

There are times when I believe that people are too harsh on their servers for reasons beyond their control, i.e. when the cooks screw up your order. In our defense, we cannot monitor everything that goes out to the tables, but we do try. We try to take care of everything, but that's also the upside to good teamwork.

I have been waiting tables for almost three years, give or take some time. While I enjoy the social aspect of the job and the never-ending work helps the time pass, I really am starting to develop a negative relationship with my evening job. I realize that most people have never worked in a restaurant and fail to realize the dynamics of a restaurant. They often seem to forget who is preparing their food. Of course there are times when servers screw up and put the order in wrong, but if something is overcooked or undercooked, it is clearly not the server's fault. While servers have to deal with the customer and practically lay at their feet and beg them for forgiveness, why can't they get a little leniency at the end of the night?

To make your dining experience more pleasant, here are a few tips for the tipper:
- Servers, like the rest of the working world, have bad days too.
- Verbal tips do not help pay the bills.
- It is not necessary to yell at your server. We are perfectly capable of understanding your indoor voice and are more willing to fix the problem when you cooperate.
- We don't ignore you, so we would appreciate acknowledgment in return when we greet you and those you are with.
- You are not our only table, so plan ahead and try to avoid asking for something different every time we approach you.