$99 Banners and Skyscrapers: Want to promote your business? For NAFE members, a banner or skyscraper ad in one issue of the NAFE E-Newsletter will cost you just $99.00. (Regular rate is $150.00.) Contact newsletter editor Paula Damiano to place your ad: paula.damiano@nafe.com. [Note: you must be an active NAFE member to receive this special rate.]

DEADLINE APPROACHING - Nominate an Outstanding NAFE Woman! It’s that time again… time to nominate an outstanding female executive (a friend, colleague or yourself) for the 2009 awards program. Click here for more information. There’s a link on the page to download the application form. Deadline is February 28, 2009.

Submissions will be accepted via US Mail or by fax. As always, nominations will be accepted in five categories:

Fair Pay Act. The very first piece of legislation signed by our 44th President was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Ms. Ledbetter lost her legal action to correct a gender-based pay discrepancy, due to the short statute of limitations in older legislation. The new act effectively expands the time plaintiffs can file for redress.

Adult Education Grant Monies. Discount retailer Dollar General offers a number of funding programs in the areas of Adult Literacy, Family Literacy and Library Relief grants, among others. Go to their grant page for further information on this philanthropic endeavor.

Spruce Up Your Resume. JobSeekers.com offers a number of articles on improving your CV (curriculum vitae). Topics include: Common Resume Mistakes, Effective Cover Letters, and What Does Your CV Say About You? [Editor’s note: Also see this issue’s 5 Tips article!]

NAFE Discount on Whirlpool Products. Through a special arrangement with Whirlpool, NAFE members can reap big savings on Whirlpool appliances, accessories and other Whirlpool items. You and your family can purchase up to 12 products a year under the VIPLINK program and get substantial savings on everyday retail pricing. Go to the NAFE website to sign up for the discount program – just click on the Whirlpool banner at the top of the NAFE home page.

Dianne Wesley, a recording artist with Gossip Records, has released her second single: “Ecstasy.” Dianne reports that “Ecstasy” is climbing the charts and will soon be available “on www.Itunes.com and www.Beatport.com  and all other sites.”

5 Tips for a Competitive Resume

These five tips can help you gain a competitive edge in today’s job market. They were provided by Geraldine Garner, a former associate dean in Northwestern University’s School of Engineering, and President of STCS, Inc. a company that works with organizations concerned with retaining key talent.

Have you sent out lots of resumes, with minimal results? Your resume might not be representing you effectively to potential employers. For example, you’ve been a line manager for 4 – 5 years and are ready for a higher-level management; however, your resume only reinforces the image of a line manager. It doesn’t speak to your abilities to assume larger scopes of work. Your next employer not only wants to know how you manage people and projects, but how you get things done beyond your unit. Therefore, you need to describe more than duties – you need to describe the scope and impact of your work. Here are five tips for doing that.

1. Quantify the impact of work whenever possible. Never exaggerate qualifications but do put them in context. If your project goal was to increase revenue, state how you achieved the goal. A potential statement might be: “Reconfigured product line to increase market share by over 15%.” Phrases such as “approximately,” “ranging from…,” and “estimated decrease/increase of x%” keep data honest, when exact numbers aren’t available.
2. Give examples of how skill sets have been utilized on the job. Don’t assume people “know” your skill set because of your job title. Show how you use a skill on the job. You might have project management certification but it’s important to describe how you use these skills. A potential statement might be: “Scoped, scheduled and budgeted 6 construction projects ranging in value from $500,000 to $10M. All completed on time and within budget.”
3. Remove words like “assist” and “help.” Replace them with descriptions of precisely how you assist or help. A potential statement might be: “Researched, recommended and implemented supply chain improvements for the Vice President of Manufacturing.”
4. Select nouns and verbs carefully but write concise and impactful statements. Today, employers search resume database for qualified candidates. Nouns and verbs need to be accurately aligned with job descriptions and your experience. Also, edit long sentences (more than 16 words) to short clear statements that convey as much information as possible. Make sure they’re still understandable to both professional colleagues and reviewers outside your profession.
5. When applying online, follow all directions. Many job applicants are disqualified because they e-mailed resumes directly, instead of submitting them online or they left off requested information, without explanation. Show that you can follow directions.