Vicki Tillman Coaching

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Life transitions

5 Times in Life You Need Life Transition Coaching

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There are clearly 5 times in life you need life transition coaching.

5 Times in Life You Need Life Transition Coaching VickiTillmanCoaching.com

5 Times in Life You Need Life Transition Coaching

I am often asked: What is Life Transition Coaching and when do I need it?

Here is what I tell folks: Life transition coaches like me are wise guides who help you navigate meaningfully and successfully through the positive changes or trying changes of life.

The truth is: Life is change. If you aren’t growing and changing, you aren’t alive! Here are 5 times you need a coach.

*You need coaching when you feel restless, unsatisfied or uncomfortable where you are in life

  • Knowing there’s more to life than this
  • Longing for meaning and purpose
  • Desiring to clarify your life causes
  • Re-inventing your identity

*You need coaching when you are leaving one phase of life to enter another

  • Graduating high school and headed to career or college
  • Graduating college and heading into career
  • Beginning empty nesting
  • Starting second half of life
  • Retiring

*You need coaching when you are experiencing changing relationships

  • Getting married
  • Raising toddlers, tweens or teens
  • Empty nesting

*You need coaching when you are launching into longed-for life benchmarks

  • Earning a big promotion
  • Moving to a new city
  • Clarifying whether to start a business

*You need coaching when you are dealing with unexpected, unwanted change

  • Managing life with chronic illness
  • Re-inventing well-being after life-changing injury
  • Re-creating life because of divorce

Contact me for encouraging, wise, experienced coaching by phone, Skype or in person. Or contact my office at Pike Creek Psychological Center 302-738-6859.

5 Times in Life You Need Life Transition Coaching

3 Most Dangerous Years That Can Risk Your Marriage

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What are the 3 most dangerous years that can risk your marriage?

3 Most Dangerous Years That Can Risk Your Marriage VickiTillmanCoaching.com

3 Most Dangerous Years That Can Risk Your Marriage

When I do SYMBIS pre-marital coaching, I always warn the soon-to-be newlyweds that they should plan ahead for the 3 most dangerous years of marriage.

These are 3 years, that if the marriage survives, it will be a strong and love-filled marriage. But these 3 years must be survived.

What are the 3 most dangerous years that can risk your marriage?

  • Year 2
  • Year 7
  • Year 16

Why are they so dangerous?

Year 2: The adjustment to committed marriage is way harder than you thought it would be. Your spouse is way stubborner than you ever knew. AND what ever happened to: *you get married and it’s happily ever after*?

Year 7: Couples without children are in the throws of professional development in their individual careers, they are so busy creating success that couple-ship is back-burnered. Couples with children have young ones underfoot that require long, long hours and little time for couple-ship. AND after 7 years, some things your spouse does just get too annoying!

Year 16: This is mid-life crisis of a marriage. Couples often wake up one morning and ask themselves: “Is this what I signed up for? Who is this person I’m married to? (I don’t think it is the same one I married 16 years ago.) For that matter, who am I?”

So how do I tell my SYMBIS pre-marital clients to plan to handle those years well? The same way I tell couples that I coach. Follow these 10 necessary steps:

3 Most Dangerous Years That Can Risk Your Marriage VickiTillmanCoaching.com

*Own your own shit. (I don’t cuss, it’s a psychology term…) Face it: You have your own garbage. After 2, 7 or 16 years, it is becoming destructive to your marriage. Whether it is socks on the floor, interrupting your spouse, never saying “I’m sorry”, never being willing to yield… Whatever it is, your shit is your shit: fix it. Coaching helps with this. Contact me, let’s work on you becoming your best you.

*Ask yourself: What’s my part in it? It’s already quite clear to you what your spouse’s part in the stress of this time is. Face it, you have a part in it, too. Time to fix that! A marriage is only as healthy as the two people in it.

*Stop being critical. The glass ceiling for a wonderful marriage is its level of criticism. A couple’s growth and love-level stops where the criticism starts. This counts for spoken criticism and each person’s own internal dialogue: *He’s SO… She’s SO…*. Whether spoken or not it takes 5 positive statements to undo 1 criticism! So get busy with the positive!

*Recognize this time of life is SUPPOSED to feel different. *I just don’t feel the same way I used to!* *Things aren’t like they used to be!* Of course not! This is a law of nature the God placed into the earth to force people to continue to grow. We call it The Second Law of Thermodynamics or The Law of Entropy (for real, check your science textbooks). It says: All things fall apart. (Which they do: Eventually plants, animals, planets, stars fall apart…relationships do, too.) However, we humans were given the gift from God to be able to break this law; but it takes constant motion. For couples, to break the Law of Entropy we must recognize that each phase of life has its beauty, lean into the joys of each stage. If you are wise, the conversation, emotions and sex life of each phase is different but deeper and more satisfying.

*Engage in spiritual practices together. This is the number 1 way to fight the Law of Entropy. Not kidding. When you come down to it, the only thing we truly have 100% in common with another person is the Holy Spirit’s presence. So if we want to be united, we need to do things with the Holy Spirit: pray together, read Scripture together.

*Do new things together. You CANNOT escape this one. It is a powerful way to fight the Law of Entropy. When you do something new with your spouse, your bodies create oxytocin, which is a bonding hormone. It doesn’t matter what the new thing is; it doesn’t even need to be interesting. It just needs to be new. This is a practice that must happen at least monthly to keep a marriage healthy.

*Find a united cause. A healthy couple must have a *couple identity*. A *this-is-what-we-are-about*. Explore until you find something: church activities, service organizations, hiking groups, social justice causes. It just needs to be *something larger than yourself*.

*Forgive. This sounds trite, but really. Forgiveness is another glass ceiling. Ask yourself this question: Does it have eternal value? If whatever you need to forgive has eternal value, talk it out with your spouse or get marriage counseling. If it doesn’t have eternal value, then why the heck are you hanging on to it?

*Look toward each other. Literally. Look at each other when you talk. Stop what you’re doing (phone, tablet, computer, game) and look right at your spouse until he/she is through talking. ALSO, metaphorically look at each other: Make a point to think about your spouse while you’re at work. Pray for him/her daily. Do something kind daily.

*Laugh together. Couples who laugh together, bond together. Watch something funny on YouTube or a funny movie. Read jokes to each other. Tell funny stories about your work day or childhood. Do not go more than 2 days without a laugh!

Newlyweds who plan for success by following these steps have an easier time through the phases of life. Couples who did not know ahead of time how to plan, it isn’t too late! Don’t worry, just start taking this advice:

Follow the 10 steps! You’ll be glad you did. Contact me for great coaching through life’s phases.

3 Most Dangerous Years That Can Risk Your Marriage

3 Steps for Getting Life Right All the Time

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Been wondering how to always be right? Here are 3 steps for getting life right all the time.

3 Steps for Getting Life Right All the Time VickiTillmanCoaching.com

3 Steps for Getting Life Right All the Time

“I just want to get it right!”

“If I can’t do it with excellence, I will wait until I can.”

“If I can’t figure out the RIGHT thing to do, I must be all wrong.”

I often hear statements like this from my clients. Like many people, they are sincere and just want to get life (career, relationships, stuff) right.

I love to share my 3 steps for getting life right!

Step 1

Beware of “Perfection Paralysis” (as one of my perfectionistic friends calls it)

While you shouldn’t make a life goal of doing a lousy job at everything, you become excellent at whatever you do by much practice. If you wait until you’re perfect, you won’t ever get started, much less arrive. Getting life right happens as you intentionally gain experience on journey.

Guiding principle: Anything worth doing is worth doing badly. GK Chesterton

Step 2

Beware of “The Arrival Myth”

You don’t arrive. I can remember being a young mother who was deluded by the thought that when I reached the ripe old age of 30, I will have arrived. I would have my stuff together, my family will be perfect, and I would be living a comfortable, steady-as-she-goes lifestyle.

In the 21st century, most people don’t get one career, one house, one set of interests and the settle down into comfortable mediocrity. Instead, the staples of life like career, living location, even church often shift many times.

Guiding Principle: Today, life isn’t a destination. As long as you are this side of heaven, you never arrive. If you surrender the Arrival Myth and make up your mind to enjoy the adventure that you are on, you won’t miss what God is doing in and through you.

Step 3

Live life “good enough”

So, really, you can’t get it right, right now and expect it to stick. You can’t do life perfectly but you can keep at it. You must simply do life “good enough”and learn to enjoy the process.

That doesn’t mean living lazily or sloppily, it just means that you can live life (career, relationships, stuff) remembering you are on the journey: there isn’t ONE place that you will land and then be “okay”, you must be “okay” where you are.

Guiding Principle: How do you do life “good enough”?

  • Be thankful for what you have.
  • Daily find moments of awe.
  • Take care of what you have gratefully (your body, your soul, your relationships, your stuff).
  • Handle your career faithfully and wisely, understanding that things will change. (Keep your LinkedIn updated and your resume sharp.)
  • Always keep learning.
  • Remember that service to others is foundational for success.

Okay, so there aren’t 3 steps for getting life right all the time. There are simply steps for living your journey well.

When you’re ready for coaching with a wise guide, contact me. We can talk in person, by phone or Skype and help you understand yourself/others and enjoy the fulfilling next steps in your life!

3 Steps for Getting Life Right All the Time

3 Ways to Stop Wasting Your Life

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There are so many more ways but here are at least 3 ways to stop wasting your life.

3 Ways to Stop Wasting Your Life VickiTillmanCoaching.com

3 Ways to Stop Wasting Your Life

As a life coach and as a counselor, I get 3 kinds of clients who wake up one morning in despair that they’ve been wasting their lives:

  • Millennials, when they turn 30 they realize their young adulthood has gone…and what have they got to show for it?
  • Gen X’ers, when they turn 45…and realize that many opportunities they’d hoped for are lost, so what is left?
  • Boomers, when they hit 60 or retirement…and realize that their satisfaction with life is SO much less than they had expected, what happens now?

Those pivotal moments include most of us at one time or another. These are moments of fear, despair or regret. What can be done?

Here are 3 ways to stop wasting your life.

* Do good deeds. Daily. As a lifestyle. Try:

  • Joining an organization and volunteering frequently
  • Holding doors open for people
  • Smiling at cashiers and wishing them a good day
  • Giving affirmations to family members
  • Including newcomers in conversations and activities

Doing good deeds makes you a better person- and you’ll feel better, too. Volunteer work and acts of kindness help lower anxiety (even social anxiety).

*Find beauty. Habitually. As a lifestyle. Try:

  • Noticing cloud formations
  • Stoping and watching sunrises or sunsets
  • Learning some constellations
  • Looking for flowers, trees and birds
  • Paying attention to artwork and music
  • Going to a play or concert

When we stop to experience beauty, we often feel a sense of awe. Research shows that when people feel awe, they shift from ego-centrism to a feeling of loving-kindness and helpful behaviors. This is good for us and for others.

*Practice gratitude. Daily. As a lifestyle. Try:

  • Keeping a written journal listing things and people you are grateful for
  • Saying thank you often
  • Setting a timer for 3 moments each day. When the timer goes off, state out loud the things you are grateful for

These practices may seem simple, but they are life-changing. These are ways to stop wasting your life and truly making your life matter.

Recently a friend passed away after years of several chronic illnesses. This wonderful woman had lived for years tethered to oxygen tanks and other health problems. Despite her limits she raised her 5 sons (and homeschooled them K-12) and was an active member in her homeschool community.

She also volunteered frequently at her favorite (and my favorite) charity: Urban Promise. When she was healthy she helped on campus, after that she developed summer curriculum, had the staff for dinners and parties at her house, prayed for them constantly.

Rather than seclude herself because of her illness, she shook her fist at the physical onslaughts and made a difference in the world. At her memorial service the church was overflowing with grateful family, friends, and volunteer colleagues. She did not waste her life.

One thing my friend, Lisa, did was pray. She shared her prayers in a journal for those with chronic illness. The downloadable prayer journal is only $2.99. Her publisher is now giving the entire proceeds from God Meets Me Here to Urban Promise. Will you download a copy today?

Stop wasting your life. The more you give in service, beauty and gratitude, the more your life will be truly good.

3 Ways to Stop Wasting Your Life

7 Productive Things to do Immediately After Losing a Job

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7 Productive Things to do Immediately After Losing a Job

7 Productive Things to Do Immediately After Losing a Job VickiTIllmanCoaching.com

7 Productive Things to do Immediately After Losing a Job

Losing a job sucks. You feel rotten. But the days immediately after losing a job are not the days to sit around watching old YouTube channels or playing solitaire.

The best idea for those days right after being downsized, outsourced, job eliminated, whatever… is to keep some momentum going. That way depression and discouragement doing set in and get you stuck in the job-hunt-procrastination mire.

So, here are 7 productive things to do immediately after losing a job:

*Make a resource list that you can email, phone or visit.

  • Professional contacts and colleagues
  • Family and friends
  • Pastor and other community leaders you know

*Update resume and create a cover letter template. You will probably need several versions of each but if you have a master copy edited and ready to adapt, you will be ready to pounce on opportunities when they arise.

*Update your LinkedIn profile. This is a must.

*Update or upgrade any certifications you hold. You know it…you’ve been putting off dealing with this. Updated and upgraded certifications help open doors. Even if you’re not behind on anything, find a course or two to take.

*Do an internet brainstorm session. Explore:

  • US Department of Labor’s onetonline.org
  • Job sites like Indeed, Monster, etc
  • Lots of posts on this website. Here’s one.

*Start volunteering. Volunteering is good for many reasons:

  • Meet new people/networking
  • Adding to your skill set
  • Keeps you from stagnating in front of a computer screen
  • Fends off some of your anxiety and increases happiness levels

    Trail Guide to Career Exploration for Adults VickiTillmanCoaching.com

    Get started on your journey with the Trail Guide to Career Exploration for Adults.

*Get some Career Coaching. Contact me. I can help you with each of the above, as well as exploring new careers if you are ready for that adventure. Don’t lose time when you’ve lost a job. Email me today to set up an in-person, Skype or phone appointment.

You can also download this inspiring Career Exploration Guide to get started.

7 Productive Things to do Immediately After Losing a Job

How to Prepare for a Big Interview

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Here is how to prepare for a big interview.

How to Prepare for a Big Interview VickiTillmanCoaching.com

How to Prepare for a Big Interview

Finally got that big interview you’ve been hoping for?

You don’t want to mess around with this one! Here’s how to prepare for a big interview.

*Research the company ahead of time. Know:

  • A basic history of the company
  • Company mission and values
  • If possible, find out who will interview you and read their Linked in profile(s).

*Rehearse answers to basic interview questions. Give examples from your life where possible:

  • Tell us about yourself. (How much can you fit in 1 or 2 sentences- make it an elevator pitch/squeeze your resume into 2 or 3 sentences.)
  • Why do you want to work for us?
  • What is your greatest strength/weakness?
  • Give examples of how you deal with conflict with colleagues/bosses?
  • What are your salary expectations?
  • How have you overcome challenges on your previous job?
  • Tell about a failure you’ve had at work and how you handled it.
  • How do you deal with unexpected events?
  • Give an example of your innovative thinking.
  • Of which accomplishments in your life are you most proud?
  • What have you learned about yourself during your career?
  • Who has mentored you? What made them good mentors?
  • How has your day been?
  • Why should we hire you?
  • Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
  • Be prepared for a couple of goofy questions (not all ask questions like this but when they do, they are looking for creative thinking and the ability to problem-solve…thus, there are no right/wrong answers)
    • What did you make for supper last night?
    • How many beachballs fit in a minivan?
    • What would you do if you won the lottery?
    • Describe yourself in 2 words.
  • Do you have any questions for us? Yes, you do. Here are some:
    • What are some goals you have for new hires?
    • What is a typical day for my job title?
    • What is the training process for this job?
    • What do you like best about this company?
    • What are some challenges the company faces in the next few years?
    • What is the corporate culture here?
    • Where will the company be in 5 years?
    • How soon should I follow up?

Be ready, be sharp:

  • Know where you are going ahead of time
  • Make sure clothes are clean, pressed and shoes shined ahead of time
  • Dress professionally (If possible, find out what people wear in the office and mimic that, otherwise go full professional.)
  • Bring several extra copies of resume
  • Arrive 10-15 minutes early

*Before you enter the building, do this:

  • Make sure buttons are buttoned and zippers zipped
  • Turn off cell phone
  • Put your hands on hips (arms akimbo) and count to 15 (gives a confidence-inducing dose of testosterone)
  • Put your shoulders back, chin up and Mona-Lisa smile (Keep it that way as much as possible the rest of the time at the company.)

*Upon entering the building:

  • Be warm and friendly to everyone you meet
  • Use a firm handshake

*During the interview:

  • Keep those shoulders back, chin up and smile where appropriate
  • Keep hands on legs, sit straight, don’t fidget BUT
  • Subtly match non-verbals of interviewers, if possible
  • When leaving the room at the end of the interview, walk confidently (shoulders back, chin up, smiling)

*After the interview:

  • Send a thank you note

Contact me for Career Coaching and help for the job search process.

You go! You’re going to do a great job at that big interview!

How to Prepare for a Big Interview

A Ring for Christmas? What Should You Do Next?

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A Ring for Christmas? What Should You Do Next?

A Ring for Christmas? What Should You Do Next? VickiTillmanCoaching.com

A Ring for Christmas? What Should You Do Next?

An engagement ring… A wedding in the upcoming year…So much to do…What should you do next?

Before you get too deep in:

  • dresses
  • venues
  • officiants
  • flowers
  • in-laws
  • wedding party
  • reception

you should get involved with THE best thing you and your fiance could do for yourselves:

Pre-Marital Coaching!

I highly recommend pre-marital coaching based on the SYMBIS Assessment with a certified SYMBIS facilitator. SYMBIS is the well-known and respected program: Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts.

Did you know that couples who get pre-marital training of some sort are 31% less likely to divorce? You will feel confident in your pre-marital training when you join the 1,000,000 couples have strengthened their future marriage through SYMBIS guidance!

Your SYMBIS Assessment includes:

  • Personality styles (How are you and your fiance alike- and different?)
  • Communication skills (How well do you two handle good times and bad?)
  • Financial styles (Who is a spender? Who is a saver? How do you make it work?)
  • Practical skills (Who does what chores and when?)
  • Interests (What will be your couple identity?)
  • Expectations (What do you expect from your spouse- especially for intimacy?)
  • And MORE!

After you and your fiance complete your SYMBIS Assessment, the SYMBIS people will compile a beautiful, in-depth report. You two along with your SYMBIS coach will work through your results, empowering you and your fiance to:

  • Enhance your individual strengths and become a synergistic couple
  • Be aware of your weaknesses and develop healthy plans to overcome them

I am a trained SYMBIS facilitator. I am excited to serve you as your SYMBIS pre-marital coach!

Getting a ring for Christmas? Here’s what to do next:

  • Contact me today! I’ll send you an invitation to take your SYMBIS Assessment. Then we’ll get busy (via Skype or in person) saving your marriage before it starts!

A Ring for Christmas? What Should You Do Next?

The Healing Power of Thankfulness

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It’s true! The healing power of thankfulness!

The Healing Power of Thankfulness VickiTillmanCoaching.com

The Healing Power of Thankfulness

One of the healthiest things you can do for yourself is to be thankful. This isn’t surprising since we humans have been told to be thankful for thousands of years. The Bible is full of mandates for thankfulness. Here are just 2 of them:

  • It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord. Psalm 92:1 (KJV)
  • Enter his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise, be thankful unto him and bless his name. Psalm 100:4 (NKJV)

How is thankfulness healing for us?

Studies usually define gratitude as thankfulness. Sometimes it is easier for my coachees to describe thankfulness than gratitude. So we will discuss thankfulness in light of the gratitude research being done by the Greater Good Center at University of California Berkeley.

Researchers there have found that people who daily write what they are thankful for to experience:

  • Stronger immune systems and lowered blood pressure
  • Higher levels of positive emotions
  • More joy, optimism and happiness
  • More generosity and helpful behavior toward others
  • Feeling less lonely and isolated

That sounds like a win-win! God says to be thankful and when we do, look at all the benefits!

Here are some thankfulness activities to try:

You can come up with lots of ways to practice thankfulness.Vicki Tillman Coaching

When you are ready to increase the goodness and thankfulness in your life, life coaching is a good first step. Contact me for life-changing coaching via Skype, phone or in person.

The Healing Power of Thankfulness

How to be Content with Your Life and Still Reach for Your Dreams

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Dreams out of reach? Here’s how to be content with your life and still reach for your dreams.

How to be Content with Your Life and Still Reach for Your Dreams VickiTillmanCoaching.com

How to be Content with Your Life and Still Reach for Your Dreams

Disappointment is part of life. (If I could give God advice about this, I’d tell Him that we should skip this part- but He seems to think otherwise.) We can have dreams, we can feel like we’re on the right track and then everything stops…falls apart…whatever. Then it seems like our dreams are ripped away from us.

Disappointment. It’s real. But life goes on. How do we allow life to be good even when it has been “wrong”?

Practice contentment. (Notice I said, “practice”? It takes a LOT of practice. It is a life-long, ongoing PROCESS.) BUT don’t give up on your dreams. Here’s how to be content with your life and still reach for your dreams.

How to be content with the life you have now.

*Keep daily gratitude lists. This isn’t cheesy, really. We know that Scripture tells us to give thanks and to have a grateful spirit (Psalms 100, 138, 139 and more). Now there’s research about the power of gratitude. University of California has done great work on gratefulness. They’ve found that written gratitude lists help

  • promote healthy immune systems and blood pressure
  • decrease depression levels
  • and more!Progressive Relaxation VickiTillmanCoaching.com

*Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of “calm, non-judgmental awareness”. The American Psychological Association shares some benefits of mindfulness:

  • stress reduction
  • improved working memory
  • better focus
  • more stable moods
  • enhanced relationships

There are many mindfulness practices. Download the freebie instructions for two of my favorites mindfulness practices: Progressive Relaxation and Ignatian Examen.

*Notice the good stuff that is here now. No matter how much “stuff” we have, we need something else- but that kind of thinking makes us sick. When you notice what you DO have (and are grateful for it), the pressure to accumulate things reduces.Ignatian Examen How-to VickiTillmanCoaching.com

*Notice the good people that are here now. Your friends and family are what they are- none are perfect but hopefully most are good. Concentrate on the good people and the good things they do. If you need to download some toxic people, go for it.

*Notice the good events that are here now. Every day, something good happens. What is it?

*Self-care. You can’t be content and then respect your body and soul. It works the other way around. Treat your body and soul well and you will more easily find contentment.

*Find 5 good friends. I always tell my clients, “You become like the 5 people you hang around with, so get 5 good friends.”

How to be content with your life and still reach for your dreams:

Don’t forget your dreams. They are gifts from God.

*Remember that there is always something ahead and that you already have a dream about it inside you. It’s there, trust me.

Trail Guide to Career Exploration for Adults VickiTillmanCoaching.com

*If you’ve forgotten about your dreams, start over.

*Rediscover yourself. Who are you? If you’ve forgotten, some Career Exploration (which is simply self-knowledge development) helps. Have some fun:

*Create a vision board

*Set aside a few minutes each week to develop a skill that will help you in your dreamTrail Guide to Writing Your Personal Mission Statement VickiTillmanCoaching.com

You can have both: contentment with the present and dreams about the future. Hold onto both! Contact me when you are ready to recalibrate your life through coaching.

How to be Content with Your Life and Still Reach for Your Dreams

32 Easy Do’s and Don’ts to Power-up Your Resume

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Time to re-do that old resume? Here are 32 easy do’s and don’ts to power-up your resume.

32 Easy Do's and Don'ts to Power-up Your Resume VickiTillmanCoaching.com

32 Easy Do’s and Don’ts to Power-up Your Resume

My clients who are in job transitions often feel nervous about their resumes. Usually it’s not because they have nothing meaningful to put on the resume. Nope! They are stressed about the format, wording and details.

Here are 32 easy do’s and don’ts that I share with them:

Do:

  • Read the job description and adapt the resume to it, if possible. Use keywords that help the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) identify your resume as relevant for the job (job titles, skills related to the job, leadership qualities and other “soft skills”)
  • Proofread and then have someone else proofread
  • Glance over your finished resume and ask yourself, “Will it catch the hiring personnel’s attention within 6 seconds?”
  • Keep it to 1 page (adjust font size and spacing- but don’t make the font too small)
  • Use a simple, clean font (no fancy or goofy stuff)
  • Use single spacing
  • 1-inch margins
  • Send as PDF if emailing the resume
  • Include
    • Name
    • Contact Information- email, phone, snail mail address, website
    • Profile (This is your one-sentence elevator speech or branding statement.)
    • Skills/Areas of Expertise- include professional, technical and networking/soft skills
    • Experience- jobs and internships (If you don’t have much job history, include significant experiences such as missions trips, significant travel, or significant charitable work.)
          • Describe your jobs in terms of accomplishments, leadership, problems solved, challenges overcome, results and positive impact for the organization
          • Include numbers, if possible, such as “Increased sales by 50%” or “Reduced error rate by 20%”
          • Explain if there is significant time between jobs
          • Watch your grammar- keep verb tenses same
    • Awards
    • Education (and Professional Development, if applicable)

Don’t:

  • Create a fancier format of resume than the position warrants- an artist or graphic designer should present a wildly creative resume look, a lawyer should not
  • Use photos or icons if the job is not a creative position
  • Give an email address that is silly or difficult to copy or remember
  • Include Objectives (they went out of style)
  • Include Date of Birth (unless you want to)
  • Include high school name if you already have a college degree (unless you REALLY want to)
  • If you use bullet points, try not to include more than 5 bullets in a section
  • Use slang, contractions or abbreviations
  • Use the word “I”
  • Exaggerate

Try:

  • 2-column format (You can buy templates on Etsy if you need help.)

Power Vocabulary for Resume

Accomplished  

Trail Guide to Career Exploration for Adults VickiTillmanCoaching.com

Get started on your career-change journey with the Trail Guide to Career Exploration for Adults.

Achieved

Analyzed

Arranged

Assisted

Collaborated

Communicated

Completed

Composed

Conducted

Contributed

Coordinated

Created

Directed

Demonstrated

Determined

Developed

Enhanced

Evaluated

Executed

Explored

Facilitated

Founded

Generated

Guided

Identified

Implemented

Improved

Increased

Influenced

Initiated

Leadership

Led

Maintained

Managed

Mentored

Networked

Obtained

Organized

Overhauled

Performance enhancement

Pioneered

Planned

Problem solving

Processed

Productivity enhancement

Programmed

Promoted

Reduced

Reformed

Repaired

Represented

Resolved

Spearheaded

Stimulated

Strengthened

Team building

Trained

Won

Now it is your turn! Get busy with your career change and your resume. Contact me for wise guidance on your adventure!

32 Easy Do’s and Don’ts to Power-up Your Resume