Last week I covered the issue of Facebook privacy in my article Facebook Privacy? What’s that?  While Facebook raises many privacy issues, your online footprint as a job seeker extends far beyond your Facebook profile. Even if you have avoided Facebook altogether, chances are you have not completely avoided the internet; and this means that you have an online reputation that can be explored—and exploited—by potential employers.

The Harvard Business Review published an article on April 3, 2012 by Michael Fertik entitled, “Your Future Employer is Watching You Online. You Should be Too.”  Before I read this article, I had not fully considered all the different ways employers might be researching candidates. I had seen statistics, which  Fertik also shares, that more than 75% of employers actively research candidates online (note this was a December 2009 statistic from Microsoft and is probably higher now), and that more than 70% of employers have decided not to hire a candidate based on what they have found online. I assumed that recruiters were looking at major social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn; but according to this HBS article, recruiters dig much more deeply, looking through “shopping profiles, online gaming sites, classifieds and auction sites (think eBay and craigslist) – and even in virtual worlds like SecondLife!”

You are always a shopper – and you are always the shopped

Are you as amazed as I am at the extent of targeted advertising on the web? I get Facebook ads put in front of me for services relating to yoga, healthy diet and personal growth, probably because of the yoga videos, green drinks and books I search for and/or purchase on Amazon. Google has made it spookily easy for advertisers to discover my personal preferences. Clearly, if advertisers can do it, employers can too. There is basically nothing to stop employers from profiling their ideal candidate based on qualities like political inclinations, preferred leisure activities, diet, languages, etc. Of course job history and skills are still the primary considerations, but to narrow down the field, screening for other traits seems a natural extension of what advertisers do every day.

Employers can search for you almost like they would for a pair of shoes. What Fertik drives home is that in today’s world, you are really always a job seeker whether you want to be or not. You *are* being researched. Whether you are found is another story. But if you are, you’ll want to look good when the right company finds you.

Steps to take

In addition to shopping only for items that do not cast doubt on your character, and of course ensuring that your Facebook and LinkedIn profile are professionally presented, there are additional steps you can take to manage your online reputation. Here are three important ones mentioned by Fertik:

1. Check your own Google results. The first five results should make you look good. If they don’t, it’s time for an overhaul of your online reputation. Maybe it’s even time to create a website with the URL firstnamelastname.com or as close as you can get. Does an unsavory character share your first and last name? In that case, address it up front with employers whenever possible so they know to look beyond those initial results.
2. Establish yourself as a skilled professional online. Participate in reputable forums, LinkedIn groups, and anywhere else where you can establish thought leadership online.
3. Don’t assume anything is private. There is always a chance that emails, e-photos, etc. will somehow be discovered or appropriated by a spammer. Privacy settings do not protect you the way you might like.

Have you Googled yourself lately? What did you find? Are you active in online forums? Do you think you would be chosen by an employer for the job you want? Please share your thoughts below.

“I can’t even see it.”

In a Facebook chat with a friend of mine, we were discussing his college-aged daughter’s posts to her Facebook profile. I won’t share the details, but let’s say what she was writing could easily prevent her from being hired if a prospective employer were to see it. I commented to my friend that if his daughter ever wanted to look for a job, she had better delete all those postings. “But her profile is private,” he replied. “I can’t even see it.”

As many people are aware, it has become common practice for hiring companies to view candidates’ LinkedIn and Facebook pages if they are available. This fact causes little concern for most people, since they believe they can keep their profiles, especially on Facebook, private. A private profile is safe from public scrutiny, right?

Wrong. According to a Mesh Report article entitled Job Seekers Getting Asked for Facebook Passwords, nothing could be farther from the truth. In actuality, if you are a job seeker you have essentially given up your right to privacy.

How employers mess with your privacy

First of all, a company might use a third party application such as BeKnown that can often gain access to your profile. You would be surprised how often companies use this tactic. And job seekers might not be aware that when they log in to a company’s website using their Facebook profile, they are likely giving that company full permission to snoop.

Additionally, not long ago both private companies and government agencies began requesting Facebook login information from candidates. Receiving quite a bit of pushback, some of these organizations have modified their requirement, now demanding during interviews that candidates log in to their own Facebook accounts in order to reveal what they contain. Other organizations require candidates to “friend” the hiring manager or other company figurehead so that their profile can be viewed.

One job seeker interviewed by Mesh withdrew his application when asked for his login information. But as requests for social media access become more and more common, many candidates feel that they can’t afford to refuse.

Privacy rights anyone?

One George Washington University law professor says this practice is “an egregious privacy violation.” I tend to agree, and I am encouraged that Illinois and Maryland have legislation in the works that would make it illegal for public agencies to demand access to candidate’s social media profiles. (Police departments are some of the most active seekers of Facebook login information.)

Whether or not this practice is made illegal for public agencies, it seems private companies will be able to invade candidates’ privacy all they want. If you feel strongly enough that this practice violates your rights, and if you can afford to refuse the request, go ahead. But as the practice becomes more widespread, it might become impractical to do so.

Interestingly, it is against the terms of service at Facebook to share login information. But according to the Mesh Report, the Department of Justice will not be prosecuting any employers for their practices despite the fact that it is a federal crime to enter a social networking site in violation of the terms of service.

What will you do about it?

Perhaps the best thing job seekers can do for now is to make sure to rid their profile of any risqué, drunken or other unprofessional pictures; keep their posts clean and sane; and refrain from making disparaging online remarks about anyone, especially past employers.

It seems the practice of coercing job applicants to reveal their social media profiles, albeit masquerading as encouraging them to “volunteer” this information, is not going away without a fight. If you are a job seeker, prepare to be asked to share—or if you can afford it, perhaps you can fight back!

How do you plan to respond if a prospective employer asks you for access to your social media profiles? I’d love to hear your comments below.

Last week I introduced you to Loft Resumes, a service that provides custom-designed resumes to job seekers in a variety of industries. I also provided sample formats from some of The Essay Expert’s successful resumes. I then asked you to vote on which you preferred.
Here’s what the survey looked like for those of you who missed it…  I’d still love your input!

Thank you to the 25 people who responded to my survey! Here’s the tally:

“Do you prefer the designs of Loft’s designs or The Essay Expert’s?”

1 person preferred Loft Resume’s designs. [This person was in the insurance industry]

17 people (68%) preferred The Essay Expert’s designs.

1 person liked both equally. [This person was in the IT industry. Note that The Essay Expert has some  other formats you might like better!]

1 person did not like either one. [This response came from an attorney. I agree none of the formats presented would be appropriate for an attorney. For attorneys we use much more straightforward designs.]

5 people chose “Other” and provided the following feedback:

ATS Concerns - Essay Expert’s designs are better, but I fear the inserted box and other graphics might skew an Applicant Tracking System preventing the information from being read and stored, costing an applicant the job by not registering properly within its system. If physically scanned, the Essay Expert is more professional and provides information employers want. [from a career professional/resume writer]

My response: It is true that text boxes and graphics can skew an ATS system. Please rest assured that before a client submits a resume through an online system, we test the resume to make sure it is being parsed correctly by the ATS systems. We do this using Preptel, an online program that mimics the three major ATS programs widely used by large companies to screen resumes.

After posting my article, I was contacted by a representative of Loft Resumes who stated that their resumes do well in Applicant Tracking Systems as well. I would have to test a resume myself to know if that is an accurate statement (Loft does not advertise that their resumes are ATS-friendly).

Keep in mind that every job seeker must have TWO resumes: one for the computer robots and one for humans. Hiring managers, in my experience, really love The Essay Expert’s resumes. I do not have any information on their response to Loft’s designs.

Too Dense - I don’t like either one, they are both too dense with info, the eye doesn’t know where to go to quickly pick up the pertinent details. [from someone in the High Tech industry]

My response: Thanks for your feedback. Thankfully the hiring managers who looked at The Essay Expert’s resumes appreciated something in the resumes, since both of these candidates got job offers for their targeted positions! Neither was in High Tech, and we would certainly use a different format for a high-tech position.

Industry-Dependent Design - It greatly depends on the industry/position. If in creative industry would prefer LOFT.  AND…
- I think Loft’s resumes are a little too designy — the design has more impact than the information contained within it. But Loft’s could be very good for people in the arts, film production, etc.

My response: In fields like marketing and sales, you might be right that LOFT resumes could be viewed more favorably. In a field like graphic design, of course, it would be preferable for the candidate him or herself to design the resume!

- It’s position AND audience specific.

My response: I couldn’t agree more. We use different looks and feels for every industry we work with.

As stated above, if the audience is a hiring manager a highly formatted resume is generally viewed favorably; recruiters hate them.

Even The Essay Expert’s samples here might be too “fancy” for an accountant, although two responders in Accounting and Finance stated they were very likely to purchase an Essay Expert resume and very unlikely to purchase a LOFT resume.

One responder whose industry is aerospace/defense wrote, “The Loft’s [formats] would never work in my industry.”

And I received one response from a person in “consulting” who stated he or she would be very likely to purchase from The Essay Expert and very unlikely to purchase from Loft.

- I like LOFT designs for their uniqueness. They are probably appropriate for someone in more in a creative field versus an executive position. I like Essay Expert’s designs for their clean, uncluttered appearance. They are easy to read and probably more scannable than the LOFT design.

My response: Thank you! I believe I addressed this comment above.

“How likely would you be to purchase a resume design by Loft Resumes, The Essay Expert, or Another Service?”

Overall, my readers (who I admit might be predisposed toward resumes by The Essay Expert) are much more likely to purchase a resume designed by The Essay Expert than they are to purchase a resume from Loft or another service. It was also striking to me that 50% were very likely or somewhat likely to purchase a resume from The Essay Expert.

A gift to you!

Thank you for your support, and if you responded to this survey and are considering purchasing a resume package from The Essay Expert, I will be happy to offer you a 20% discount on any package (maximum discount $100), offer good through April 30, 2012. Note you must complete the survey to qualify for this offer! This is your reward for being a loyal reader and participant in my interactive media opportunities – and for reading to the end of this lengthy article!

“I’m boooorrrrrrrrrrred!”

Early on a Saturday evening, I admitted to a friend that I had watched a Netflix movie the night before and was likely going to watch another one that night. For many people, watching videos two nights in a row would not be a remarkable occurrence. But for me, it was an anomaly—a rare sign of boredom. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say that before,” said my friend.

Indeed, it is not unusual for me to go a month without finding a single 2-hour block of time to sit and watch a video. What did it mean that I had two such blocks of time to fill in one weekend? Had I failed in some way by not scheduling something more “important”?

In fact, I think my unexpectedly empty time meant that I had gotten enough done and was sufficiently on top of my schedule that I felt unpressured to fill that time with productive activities. A success, not a failure! Yet my inner voice was saying, “Brenda, you’re bored. You had better do something to occupy your brain.”

I considered my options. Should I watch my Netflix video, The Blind Side? Or find something on my business task list to tackle on this Saturday night? Surely there must be something for me to write or edit! I let the wheels in my brain spin for a while. And, after a few minutes of “boredom,” I settled on a new idea: a blog article about this very topic. I wondered if other people had identified boredom as a positive emotion or event, and if so, what factors were at work in our bored brains?

The Value of Boredom

Not long ago, I heard someone complain of being bored and explained to him that I celebrate boredom despite the discomfort it may entail. I see boredom as an opportunity to rest my brain—an empty place that is necessary for the spark of creativity to take hold.

I discovered quite a bit of interesting material that supported my opinion. First was a TED talk by Genevieve Bell.

Ms. Bell explained that the experience of boredom is a moment when, neurochemically, the brain lights up. The bored brain is almost as active as the engaged brain! Boredom is an opportunity for the brain to reset itself, and this reset is apparently a very active process.

Ms. Bell also referenced Heidegger, who argued in 1929 that being bored is a fundamental state of being human—and that we should spend less time putting it at bay and more time embracing it.

The Quest for Boredom

Nowadays, it’s hard to be bored. A text message or facebook update awaits us at every moment. If we don’t like one thing, we move on to the next. We are more likely to be overloaded than bored. For me, this overload shows up as the inability during most months to find time to watch the Netflix video sitting on my desk. Yet those times of disconnection, when the brain gets a rest, are often the most pleasurable times in life. As Peter Bregman stated in his Harvard Business School blog article, Why I Returned My iPad:

Being bored is a precious thing, a state of mind we should pursue. Once boredom sets in, our minds begin to wander, looking for something exciting, something interesting to land on. And that’s where creativity arises.

My best ideas come to me when I am unproductive. When I am running but not listening to my iPod. When I am sitting, doing nothing, waiting for someone. When I am lying in bed as my mind wanders before falling to sleep. These “wasted” moments, moments not filled with anything in particular, are vital.

They are the moments in which we, often unconsciously, organize our minds, make sense of our lives, and connect the dots. They’re the moments in which we talk to ourselves. And listen.

To lose those moments, to replace them with tasks and efficiency, is a mistake. What’s worse is that we don’t just lose them. We actively throw them away.

An Astonishing Feat!!

Finally, I discovered a June 13, 2011  “On Point” episode with Tom Ashbrook, featuring guest Peter To0hey who wrote an entire book about boredom (Boredom: A Lively History). Callers largely agreed that boredom is the key to creativity. And neuroscientist Jonah Lehrer jumped on to share that boredom is the precursor to daydreaming, an “astonishing mental feat” wherein, he confirmed, just as much brain activity occurs as when we are focused on something. I suppose the daydreaming phenomenon occurs whether boredom comes from having “nothing” to do or from disinterest in whatever we are doing.

From my cursory research, I found that there is a clear connection between boredom and the birth of new ideas. Reportedly, many of the best ideas arise when we can untether ourselves from the constant stream of information that bombards us in every minute.

I’m glad I chose not to put that DVD in my computer. It’s still there when I want it, and I found a friend who asked to watch it with me. In the end, by allowing boredom to set in for just a few short minutes, I created a fascinating, brain-lit-up Saturday evening.

My e-book, LinkedIn Power Tune-Up, has been very popular for a long time in its current pdf format.  It has now been renamed and repackaged as How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile…  and 18 Common Mistakes to Avoid — now available in Kindle format from Amazon.com!

I would be thrilled if you would purchase the book and encourage your friends to do so as well!  And I have an even more pressing request.  Many of you have already read my book. I would be most appreciative if you would take five minutes to write a review and post it on Amazon.  Post a Review Here.

In exchange for writing a review by March 15, 2012, you will be entered into a drawing for a $10 Amazon Gift Card!  There will be 3 lucky winners!!

You might be thinking, “But I haven’t read the new book, only the old LinkedIn Power Tune-Up Book.” Not to worry.  The book is almost exactly the same, except it has a cool new cover and an interactive table of contents.  If you write a review of the book you already read, it will be completely appropriate for the Amazon version.

My publishers tell me that good reviews are the key to success when it comes to selling e-books on Amazon.  So I’m hoping you will jump in and add your voice to the community of people who have found value in what I offer.  I want as many people as possible to have access to the essential information in How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile so that they, like you, can find success in their LinkedIn networking efforts.

If you haven’t read my book yet, please consider purchasing it on Amazon…  or just sign up for my e-list to get the pdf version for FREE!

Questions or comments on my book?  Please post in the comments!  And thanks in advance for spreading the word about the value of How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile.

On January 25, 2012, someone on the College Confidential discussion group posted this thread:

Did you ever dump a college from your list because of the type (or number) of essays?

Responses flooded in, mostly from parents of students who had indeed given up on an application because they were intimidated by the essay questions, and many from the students themselves.  One woman’s daughter dropped three applications and added one that had easier essay requirements. One aunt reported that her nephews applied to one school only – Iowa State – because the school did not require essays. And another self-proclaimed lazy procrastinator chose her colleges based on the ease of their essay requirements.

Colleges dropped by students ran the gambit and were headed up by Wake Forest and U Chicago:  Barnard, Brown (2x), BU, Bryn Mawr, Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, University of Chicago (8x), Claremont McKenna (3x), Columbia University (3x), CMC (2x), Cornell, University of Delaware, Duke, Elon, Georgetown, Grinnell (2x), Marquette Honors Program, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, MIT (2x), UNC (3x), Northwestern, Notre Dame (2x), NYU (2x), U Penn (3x), Princeton, Puget Sound, Rice (3x), Rutgers, Tufts (2x), Stanford (2x), Syracuse, UVA, Wake Forest (8x), and Yale (2x).

Why the aversion to unique essay topics?

I could rant about how students are lazy or haven’t received sufficient training in thinking for themselves or thinking creatively.  I could suggest that if our educational system did a better job on these fronts, and with teaching writing in general, students would not avoid writing essays that challenged them to invest time and thought.  I could also suggest that students don’t start their application process far enough ahead of time to ensure they have the time and attention for some uncommon essay questions.

All of those things might be true, but I am more interested in the schools’ logic behind asking unusual question such as “What does Play-Doh have to do with Plato?” (U Chicago), “What is your favorite ride at the amusement park?  How does this reflect your approach to life?” (Emory University), “Imagine you have to wear a costume for a year of your life.  What would you pick and why?” (Brandeis University), and “What would you do with a free afternoon tomorrow?” (Yale).

Why the inclination toward unique essay topics?

Colleges may be showing themselves to be current with the times, as suggested in The new college-admission essay: Short and tweet(ish).  Some applications ask for short essay answers of 25 words, such as “My favorite thing about last Tuesday” (University of Maryland), perhaps catering to the Twitter generation.  Tufts, George Mason and the University of Dayton allow prospective students to submit a video essay instead of a written one.  Students might jump at the chance to communicate in ways that are spreading like wildfire in the world of social media.

The right fit

In the College Confidential discussion, most students reported that they dropped schools not simply because of the essay requirements but because there was an additional reason the school was not a good fit.  Some were not excited about their on-campus visit.  Some realized when they were asked why they wanted to attend a particular school that they had no good reason.  Conversely, some students reported taking on writing difficult essays because a school was their clear first choice.  Some loved writing the very same essays that sent other students away (Wake Forest and Chicago essays included).  And one student actually rejected a school (Wash U in St. Louis) because they did not ask a supplemental essay question!  He thought the school was trying to increase its U.S. News rankings by encouraging applications.  Not surprisingly, two other students applied to Wash U (as well as to many other schools – Dartmouth, Harvard, and William & Mary to name a few) because of the simplicity of their essay requirements.

Perhaps colleges like Wake Forest and U Chicago are shooting themselves in the foot.  Several anecdotes appeared in the College Confidential discussion about students who got accepted into one school with a simple application (Harvard, for instance) while they were still working on essays for another school.  Schools with longer or more complex essay requirements might be losing some qualified and motivated students in addition to the ones who just don’t care enough to jump through the hoops.

Yet for most schools, it appears that they are doing a good job of weeding out applicants.  If an Honors application intimidates you, that’s a very good sign that you are not meant to be in that program.  If an essay challenge makes you realize that you’re not up for that challenge, regardless of the reason, then that school has done you and itself a favor.  What a great strategy for winnowing down the number of applications to a pool of students who will face an extra challenge or two because they want so much to go to a particular school.

As one member of College Confidential, stated, “Frankly, there are too many well-rounded, excellent students applying to the best universities to distinguish a select few without asking stranger, creative questions. It’s there that you begin to see a student’s personality and that’s what gets you in.”

Are essay questions scaring you away from a school?  Maybe it’s time to get some help.  If you want to brainstorm with a professional about what you could write in response to some of these wacky questions, contact The Essay Expert.  We’ll be happy to help.

Many people are flummoxed when it comes to choosing a LinkedIn profile headline.  What keywords should they include?  How do you get that up and down symbol ( | )?  (Hit shift and the backslash key.) Is it more important to have keywords or a Tagline / Unique Selling Proposition (USP)?

This article will mainly address the last question:  Keywords or USP?  The answer to the question depends on your main goal with your LinkedIn profile.

Below you will find several situations you might be in.  Find yourself as closely as possible and handle your headline in the most appropriate way for your situation.  If you don’t find yourself exactly, find the nearest match and adjust from there.

1.  You are a job seeker and you want to be found in searches.*

If you are a job seeker, your main goal is probably to be found and contacted by recruiters and hiring managers.  If so, you need to focus on keywords in your headline.  Keywords are the terms a recruiter would be searching for if looking for someone like you.

The prevailing wisdom is to choose 4-5 words as keywords and leave it at that.  Adding extra words or extra characters like your email address may serve to dilute the effectiveness of your headline.

Examples of good headlines are:

Manufacturing & Supply Chain Executive | Asia

Procurement & Contract Specialist | Treasury Manager

Account Executive | OEM Sales | Field Sales | Territory Manager

Director Communications | Branding | Online Marketing | Social Media

Note these headlines zero in on the most essential keywords and do not add any fluff to dilute their impact.

Some job seekers write “Open to New Opportunities” in their headline.  Some recruiters actually search on the term “opportunities” and might find you that way.  Other recruiters will skip over you if you put that phrase in your headline.  My advice is to try it one way, and if you’re not getting the attention you want, try it another way.  That’s the beauty of social media …  nothing is ever engraved in stone.

2.  You are a job seeker and your main goal is to look good when people find you.

Perhaps you are currently employed and doing a very selective and confidential job search.  Or perhaps you want people to look for you primarily after you have contacted them.  If so, you may not particularly be looking to be found in searches.  In this situation, you have more flexibility when crafting your headline.  I recommend that you write your job title and a catchy phrase, tagline, or Unique Selling Proposition.

Examples:

High-Powered Financial and Analytical Trainer | Propelling International Business Teams to the Top

Program, Process and Project Manager | Creating and Implementing Innovative Technological Solutions

Managed Care Professional | Building relationships with attention and integrity

For more ideas on catchy headlines, see my article, Your LinkedIn Profile *HEADLINE* – What Would Draw You In?

3.  You are a business owner or professional and you want people to find you.*

If you are a business owner or professional wanting to attract clients, stack your headline with the keywords your clients would be searching on.  My headline says:

Essay & Resume Writer | Executive Resumes | Personal Statements | LinkedIn Profiles | Web Copy

The result of having these keywords in my headline (and also in my summary, specialties and job titles) is that many people find me when they are seeking the services I provide.

During admission season I change my keywords to emphasize college essays and MBA Admissions consulting.

Change your keywords as much as you want until you get the number of visitors to your site each day that you’re looking for.

4.  You are a business owner or professional and you just want to build a close network of solid business connections.

If you are laying low on LinkedIn and selectively building a network, really all you need is your job title and organization.  LinkedIn will take care of that for you.

*NOTE TO THOSE IN CATEGORIES 1 & 3:  Remember that the number of hits you get on your LinkedIn profile will always increase when you increase your number of connections.  For more on that topic please view my signature webinar, How to Write a Killer LinkedIn Profile.

BEWARE of the LinkedIn Default! 

If you update your current job position, LinkedIn automatically changes your headline unless you catch the box that lets you opt out.  If this happens, take control and change your headline if you want it to say something different!

Like so many things, there is no “one size fits all” answer to the LinkedIn Headline question.  If you’re not sure what the best way is to approach yours, comment below or contact The Essay Expert for assistance in crafting a KILLER LinkedIn Profile!

Last year at about this time, I wrote a list of six New Year’s Ressaylutions for 2011.

Do you ever go back to your list from last year and check on whether you followed through on your resolutions, or whether you forgot about them the moment you put your pen down?

I realized that with all my talk about New Year’s resolutions, I hadn’t gone back to check last year’s list.  I got brave and dug it up this week; the following is a report on how I did at keeping my promises!  I also make new resolutions for 2012.

2011 Ressaylutions                      

1.  Convert my website to WordPress.

DONE!  Not only is my site fully converted to WordPress, but I also have a funky cool new slider on my home page. I also created many new forms and downloadable documents that make it easier for clients to submit information and get the materials they need.

2.  Make it easier for my readers to choose the topic they want to read about.

DONE!  I now have six separate e-lists:

a) Job Search (Resumes & Cover Letters)

b) College Admissions

c) LinkedIn & Professional Writing

d) Grammar Tips

e) Newsletter only

e) Everything.

Choose the one that’s “write” for you!

3.  Create autoresponders.

DONE!  And there is still so much more to do.  See Ressaylution #3.

4.  Guest blog.

DONE!  My articles have appeared on CareerCast.com, Careerealism.com, CareerCenterToolbox.com and ilostmyjob.com, and I was quoted in Forbes.  Recently I wrote two articles for an American Bar Association publication about resumes and personal statements for applying to law school which will be published this summer.

5.  Start an Artist’s Way group.

NOT DONE.  This one took a back seat to the business.  But I DID write my morning pages every day for three months like I said I would.  And I told everyone I was leading something, which made me act like a leader.  Perhaps that’s what inspired my article, Top 10 Ways to Be a Leader.  I’m content that this item did not come to fruition.

6.  Continue to write and share about writing issues, job search issues, and sometimes life issues that strike my fancy each week and that my readers care about.

DONE.  I faithfully published either a blog article or a newsletter EVERY week in 2011, without fail.  Now THAT’s something to celebrate!

Here are The Essay Expert’s Ressaylutions for 2012:

1.  Create a new template for my website that brings me more into the technology of 2012.

Despite my successful WordPress conversion, there’s much work still to be done before I have the ability to edit my pages without “breaking” the existing code.  Look out for a new, more user-friendly interface in 2012 too!

2.  Create new e-lists for past clients, and survey past clients.

I want to follow up better with The Essay Expert’s past clients and find out how they are faring with the documents we helped them prepare.  Did they get jobs?  Did they get into school?  Do they need more assistance?  My hope is that better e-lists will allow me to start providing concrete numbers about the results of the work that we do.  In service of this goal (as well as Ressaylution #3), I will be hiring a virtual assistant (VA)!  No more interns – The Essay Expert is getting down to business.

3.  Revise autoresponders from 2011.

Right now most of my autoresponders are set up as summaries of my articles with links to the full article. It turns out that people don’t like to have to click on a link to read a full article!  So I will be putting complete articles into my autoresponders for your reading convenience and pleasure.  Thank you to my future VA for helping to make this happen!

4.  Publish my e-book on Kindle

This one is in the works.  It will have a cool new cover and a clickable index for easy reference.  Let’s make it a best-seller!

5.  Report on and count success stories in 2012.

My goal is to report 212 success stories in 2012.  My resolution is to keep doing great work and to keep marketing The Essay Expert’s offerings so we can create 212 positive results for job seekers, school applicants and businesses in the next year.  See 212 Success Stories for 2012.

6.  Continue to write and share about writing issues, job search issues, and sometimes life issues that strike my fancy each week and that my readers care about.

No change here.  I’ll see you every week in 2012.

How did you do on your New Year’s resolutions from 2011?  Do you dare to find out?

A good friend of mine recently sent me his New Year’s resolutions:

#1 -  Be here now.

#2 -  Keep it real.

#3 -  Try to answer e-mail promptly.

I was taken aback by #3.  First, it was the only one that required specific action, and I wondered why he would choose returning e-mails above all the other important actions to take in this world, and over a more general commitment to “Keep in close and regular contact with people important to me” or “Take action quickly on items of importance.”

Even more than that, however, I was struck by the insertion of the word “Try.”

Is Trying Lying?

I have spent the last 10 years or so reducing the incidence of the word “try” in my spoken and written communications.  In a women’s empowerment program I was taught, “Trying is lying.” In a completely different seminar, the instructor had someone hold a tissue box in the air and said, “Try to drop the tissue box.” The person dropped the tissue box, and was met with, “No, you just dropped the tissue box. I told you to try to drop the tissue box.”  In another seminar, a different instructor did the same exercise, asking a participant to “Try to pick up that chair.”  Trying to pick it up looked like holding on to the chair and pretending to pick it up but not actually doing it.

“Trying” to do something, as illustrated in these examples, is as good as not doing the thing at all.  You’re not doing it, and you’re not not doing it.  Trying leaves you in an in-between place that, in my understanding, is ultimately powerless and ineffective.

Excuses, Excuses

We as human beings often use trying as an excuse.  Have you gotten that project done?  “No… but I tried!  I just kept getting distracted.”  Have you lost the weight you said you would?  “No…  but I tried.”  Why isn’t your relationship going the way you want it to?  “I don’t know…  I’m trying so hard to make it work.”  We say things like “I’ll try to be there on time” so that if we’re not on time we haven’t broken a promise.  We human beings are so sneaky!

Ultimately, a choice is required.  Either you do it or you don’t.  If you don’t do it, I believe the most powerful stance is to take responsibility that you didn’t do it.  If you’re still committed to a result, then do something else that works to get that result.  As another wise person pointed out, the way to attain any goal in life is to keep taking action until you achieve it.  Sounds so simple doesn’t it?

Compassion is Key

My New Year’s resolution friend disagreed with my take on trying.  He wrote, “I affirm the importance of stating, ‘I will try.’  It’s like saying, ‘I intend….’  It sends a message — to myself and others — about how I am organizing my spiritual energies.”  When I asked why he didn’t write “Try” for his other resolutions, he responded, “… It’s the only one of the three that doesn’t come to me naturally.  So I must try harder.  ”  (He also mentioned that if following #3 were to contradict #1 and/or #2, he would choose not to follow #3.  We have all seen the negative consequences of impulsive or compulsive e-mailing!)

I understand the value of compassion, and I understand that we sometimes go through stages in our level of commitment to a goal.  Perhaps a gentle entry (like a promise to “try”) can be useful for taking on promises we don’t know if we will keep.  Certainly, if we don’t meet one of our promises, it doesn’t help to beat ourselves up about it.  Using the word “try” lets us succeed even when we fail.  But can’t we have compassion even if we frame our promises as absolute?  If I resolve to “answer e-mail promptly” instead of to “try” to do so, and then I don’t answer promptly, I might be empowered by acknowledging that I didn’t do it, looking at why I didn’t do it, and, if appropriate, making a new promise or doing it a different way next time.  To me, that’s “keeping it real.”

Honesty — The Best Policy

New Year’s resolutions are notoriously not kept, and I wonder if the reason is that people put a silent, implied “Try” before every one of them.  If we truly resolve to do something, rather than to try to do it, we live a more powerful life and one where results will show up with more reliability.

At least my friend put “try” where it could be seen, instead of pretending something was true that was not.  A straightforward acknowledgement of one’s tendency toward fallibility might be more powerful than having “trying” live in the unsaid.  At least with an honest promise, there’s room to grow.  In the end, we must each choose the language and intention that work for us, in service of living up to our greatest promises and resolutions.

In December 2010 I posted the Top 10 Grammar and Spelling Errors from 2010 and got a record number of hits on my blog and “likes” on facebook.

In the past year as The Essay Expert, I’ve collected a new batch of errors.  I did repeat a couple of things from 2010 that were so persistent I just had to repeat myself!

I write these lists in the hope that people will implement what they learn and produce better essays, better resumes, and overall better written materials.  Improved writing gets results when it comes to obtaining jobs, getting into school, landing new clients and keeping the customers you’ve got.  So read up!

10.  Advice vs. Advise

Here’s a note from one of my loyal readers, Christine, who requested that I mention this common mix-up:

“Advice is a noun. An example would be: ‘Brenda provided very useful advice regarding spelling errors.’

Advise is a verb. An example would be: ‘Brenda can you please advise your readers about similarly misused words?’”

Thank you Christine for your contribution to my yearly list!

9.  Your vs. You’re

You’re is a contraction for “you are.”  If you’re using the word to mean “you are” (2 words), write it as a contraction.  E.g., Do you know that you’re about to miss the 5:00 train?

Your is a possessive pronoun.  E.g., Your train is leaving in 2 minutes.

8.  Tenet vs. Tenant

Even our president messed this one up.  A tenet is a belief or ideal of faith.  Tenants rent from landlords.  See The President Makes Grammatical Errors Too.

7.  Sign up vs. sign-up

I see this one on the web all the time and it drives me a bit batty.  Sign up is a verb.  Sign-up is an adjective that modifies a noun like “form” or “sheet.”  Correct:  “Sign up here for news and updates” or “Go to our sign-up page to register.”  Incorrect: “Sign-up here for news and updates” or “Go to our sign up page to register.”  For similar examples of proper (and improper) use of phrasal verbs, read my article, Check out this Phrasal Verb Breakdown.

6.  Everyday vs. Every day

I wrote a whole article about this one too: Common Grammatical Errors:  Everyday vs. Every Day.  Everyday is an adjective meaning “common” or “day-to-day.”  As I’m sure you know, people make everyday grammatical errors every day.

5. “This” without a referent

Make sure that if you use the word This to start a sentence, you help your reader understand what you’re referring to!  The best practice is to use a referent after the word This.  Incorrect:  This will ensure your sentences are understood.  Correct:  This practice will ensure your sentences are understood.

4.  Verbage

Verbage does NOT mean “words”!  Although the OED does have an entry for “verbage” as a “rare alternate spelling of verbiage,” Merriam-Webster does not even acknowledge the existence of the word. Verbiage, often misused as well, means excess language. The jury is out as to whether the phrase “excess verbiage” is redundant—but I’m sticking to it.

3.  Apostrophes (that’s not apostrophe’s!) to make plural nouns

With some exceptions which I won’t go into here, plural nouns are formed by adding an s or es to the singular form of the noun–NOT by adding an apostrophe!  The plural of parent is parents; the plural of computer is computers; and the plural of Wednesday is Wednesdays.  No apostrophe needed!  Conversely, possessives ARE formed by adding an apostrophe s.  To speak about an author’s intent, for instance, use the apostrophe s.

2.  Myself

Think for a few seconds before you use the word myself in place of me at the end of a sentence.  A sentence like “George was speaking to my friend Lucy and myself” is grammatically incorrect.  Replacing me with myself has become common, perhaps as an attempt to avoid using the word me.  Think about it.  You would say “George was speaking to me” so just say “George was speaking to my friend Lucy and me” — NOT  “George was speaking to my friend Lucy and myself.”  The parts of speech don’t change just because another person was added to the sentence!

1. Comma splice

I can’t tell you how often my clients string two full, complete sentences together with a comma.  This error is called a comma splice.  (See Writing Tips:  How to Use Commas and Semicolons Part 2.)  Here’s an example:  “Simply observing my surroundings was not enough for me, I needed to know how things worked and why they worked in that specific way.” The correct way to punctuate this sentence is “Simply observing my surroundings was not enough for me; I needed to know how things worked and why they worked in that specific way.” Two full sentences should most often get separated by a period or a semicolon; do NOT use a comma!

I look forward to your comments and “likes.” Best wishes for a grammatically correct 2012!

-          Brenda