Blue Star Voices

The Blue Star Families Blog has Moved!

stephhn — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:52:45 +0000

We’ve rolled out the new website for Blue Star Families! We’ve created a new site with a place for every active duty, reserve or national guard military family member to Support, Connect and Empower.

The new site features a new Blue Star Voices blog and posts on a wide variety of topics. If you’re new to the military life or a seasoned pro, struggling to balance military life and a career or military life and children, a veteran or a military parent, we have a blog for you!

Check out the new site and JOIN.

If you’ve already registered with BSF, no need to join again. Just click on the LOG IN button on the top of the page and click request a password. Enter the email you used when you first joined BSF and we’ll send you a password out to you right away.

Once you’ve joined or registered on the new site, find a BSF Chapter near you and join. We’ll make sure you find out about BSF and other military family events in your area. Group Forums for each chapter are also on the new website and you won’t want to miss out all the fun!

Click here to JOIN now!

Sheila Casey on Finding Balance in the Military

stephhn — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:51:03 +0000

Please welcome guest blogger, veteran military spouse and BSF Advisory Board member, Sheila Casey.

I have been a military spouse for 39 years. During that time I have experienced all the same things each one of you have…raising a family, moving, deployments, reintegration, children changing schools, volunteering and making lifelong friendships. It has not always been easy but I would not change a moment of it. I say that now although there were days when I thought differently. When military life became difficult it was easy to think “enough” but then I would figure my way through it and get on with life.

What I realized is that I needed something that was mine. I could not live my life through my husband and I needed something in addition to the Army. I knew that one day my husband would retire and that the military part of my life would end. I needed something that would continue. The big question was what.

I stayed at home with my children until they went to school full time. I realized that I needed more to keep myself occupied so I went to work. That decision brought a new set of challenges. I was constantly questioning my decision. How am I going to get everything accomplished? There were issues with daycare, carpooling for after school activities, medical and dental appointments, and all the other day-to-day responsibilities we have as the primary caregivers to our families. Many days I worried more about where I wasn’t than concentrating on where I was.

Somehow it all got done. I managed to raise my children, have a career that continues today and keep my sanity. I did not do it alone. My husband, George, was very supportive. He understood my need to work and helped lighten my load whenever he could. Actually the year he attended Graduate School he did the carpooling and went on all the school trips with the boys. It was great for him and better for the boys.

As I reflect back, there were things I wish I knew as I started this journey.

You need to take care of yourself first. No one else can do that for you. As caregivers we tend to put ourselves last. Reversing the order and putting yourself on top is not selfish; it is survival. If you don’t take care of yourself physically, spiritually and emotionally you will not have the energy to take care of your families and accomplish all the other things you want to do. Not taking care of yourself puts you on the fast track to burnout.

Find something that is just yours and unrelated to the military. It could be a job, a hobby or volunteering for a cause that is important to you. It should be something that will continue after you leave the military community.

Lean on your friends. They are going through the same things you are. Your “battle buddies” can be your greatest source of strength.

Don’t worry about being all things to all people. You never will be and that’s okay.

Don’t worry about not attending every military event. In 5 years no one will remember that you were not there.

Have fun along the way and never lose your sense of humor. It will pull you through the tough times.

I spend a lot of time speaking with soldiers, spouses and family members about finding balance in their lives. I am very quick to say that I battle with it everyday and that most days I lose. That said I keep trying.

So much is being asked of military families. We are stressed and stretched after 8 years at war. Each one of you needs a break. Do something nice for yourself today. You deserve it.

Sheila Casey has been a military spouse for more than 39 years. She is the Chief Operation Officer of The Hill, a mother of two and a grandmother to five. Mrs. Casey is the wife of General George Casey, Jr., the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. We are thrilled to have Mrs. Casey serve on our BSF Advisory Board.

Work Life vs. Marine Wife

stephhn — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:45:59 +0000

Please welcome Anna Maria Manino, a marine wife and full time working woman. She’s also the BSF Co-Director of Communications.

I’m sitting at my desk on a Thursday afternoon, trying to ignore the snail’s pace of the clock. Suddenly my cellphone rings and it’s my White Knight. My excitement at a break from the boredom quickly fades. Since it’s a holiday on Monday, he explains, his unit is now off for the weekend and they are celebrating with a barbeque – at our house. Can I leave early today, he asks, and can I take the rest of the week off.

The answer, of course, is no, I can’t. And no matter how many times he calls and asks similar questions, the answer is always the same – I have a job, which means I can’t be on hand to play hostess any time of day. And this was not the only time having my own source of income seemed more annoying that it’s worth.

Ignoring the hassle of figuring out where I should claim residency on our taxes (a rant in and of itself), there are dozens of reccurring times when my job gets in the way. There’s the award ceremony that I’m almost late to because a work meeting ran long (“If you’re late, you’re f. . . .” as the saying goes in the USMC.). There’s the Hail and Farewell I have to leave early to go back to my office, and while making my apologies to the CO, his wife good-naturedly teases me about having to return to work.

But more than that, there’s also all the “me” activities that I just can’t seem to find time for. Like going to the gym, keeping in touch with my oft-missed friends from life before “Marine wife,” the dozens of unfinished craft projects that I used to love, and even just sitting around by myself doing nothing.

I can totally see how many women choose to not work outside the home. I have spent lots of time daydreaming about having hours upon hours to myself, to fill with errands and leisure in whatever order I decide.

However, there’s also a certain amount of fulfillment I get from having a job, doing it well and contributing financially to our lifestyle. And for all of the military wife-related duties, I am fortunate that my work is very understanding. So for now, I guess I’ll just keep saying “no” to skipping out of work early, keep showing up just in time for those award ceremonies, and keep finding time for “me” whenever I can.

The Home Sweet Home Campaign

stephhn — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 04:44:39 +0000

Please welcome guest poster Beth VanHoose from the Home Sweet Home Campaign. Be sure to read below the fold for a special discount for military families!

The Home Sweet Home Campaign was born from a genuine motivation, inspired by Tim and Nicole Little, who reside in Queen Creek AZ. Tim, an Army reservist, has served two tours in this war, touring in Iraq and Afghanistan. Like many soldiers returning home, he found himself unable to return to his pre-deployment job, due to his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).

These injuries are the ones we cannot see, but are very real and are affecting thousands of our soldiers who have served in the Iraq war. For months Tim and his wife struggled, working their way through the VA system to get the appropriate help. It took over a year for Tim to be evaluated and rated for his disability. Enduring countless doctor’s visits and forms, this became a full time job without pay.

As a reservist, Tim was no longer receiving an income from the military and they had to rely on Nicole, who is a full time student at Arizona State University. Needless to say, they had to make some tough financial decisions on how to pay their monthly bills; they fell 4 months behind in their mortgage. Desperate to not lose their home, they looked for other avenues to help them get by. They found USA Cares, a nonprofit organization that provided them with a grant to cover their past due mortgage payments. Helping them to keep their home and focus on the future.

Witnessing this experience prompted Beth Ann VanHoose to make a conscious decision to change her career path from the corporate world and focus her time and energy on helping other families like the Littles. Utilizing her skills and past experience, Beth Ann founded the Home Sweet Home Campaign and the TShirts 4 Soldiers program. She has pledged to raise $1 Million for USA Cares Warriors Treatment Today Program.

The Campaign’s TShirts 4 Soldiers Program is helping people connect with their family and friends in a very unique way, through ‘one of kind’ TShirts. It’s quite simple; design your own Tee or pick from one of a selection of preprinted designs; either way you will be touching a Soldier when they need it most. As Deirdre Johnson, Navy wife of a deployed Sailor, explains “A soldier thousands and thousands of miles away in a foreign land will smile once again… upon receiving this TShirt! The Happiness is PRICELESS”. Deirdre’s design is one of the featured preprinted designs available at http://www.OurSoldiers.org and it was also used for the HSH banner.

As part of Home Sweet Home’s commitment to give back to the military community, they are offering a special discount for all Blue Star Family Members, a 10% discount on all purchases made through the their website http://www.OurSoldiers.org. Please use the coupon code T4S-BSFAM. This is a limited time offer so please make sure you check out the TShirts 4 Soldiers program today.

About USA Cares:

The mission of USA Cares is to help bear the burdens of service by providing post 9/11 military families with monetary and advocacy support in their time of need, preventing private military home foreclosures and evictions. They currently receive over 100 requests for assistance each week.

Warrior Treatment Today is a USA Cares program designed to bridge the gap between personal financial demands and the need to receive treatment. Specifically, the program seeks to remove the financial barrier that exists for many service members who suffer from PTSD and/or TBI, but cannot afford to leave their employment for treatment.

USA Cares will take the responsibility for paying essential household bills (rent/mortgage/utilities/car payment) while the service member is attending residential-type PTSD/TBI treatment. In so doing, USA Cares will facilitate attendance to mandated/recommended treatment programs by removing the financial obstacles many soldiers face today.

For more information on USA Cares, 501(c)(3), please visit their website at – http://www.usacares.org

To make a direct donation please make check payable to: USA Cares

Mailing Address: HSH Campaign, PO Box 14539, Mesa AZ 85216.

A New Home for Blue Star Families!

stephhn — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:43:52 +0000

We’re rolling out the new website for Blue Star Families today! We’ve created a new site with a place for every active duty, reserve or national guard military family member to Support, Connect and Empower.

Check out the new site and JOIN.

If you’ve already registered with BSF, no need to join again. Just click on the LOG IN button on the top of the page, enter the email you used to register, and request a password. We’ll send it out to you right away.

Once you’ve joined or registered on the new site, find a BSF Chapter near you and join. We’ll make sure you find out about BSF and other military family events in your area. Group Forums will be coming to the website soon and you won’t want to miss out all the fun!

Click here to JOIN now!

BSF Weekly News Round-Up for September 1

heidikd — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:14:40 +0000

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Weekly News Round-Up

All the Latest in Everything Blue Star Families

Welcome! Things are buzzing in North Carolina as we, along with K.I.D.S., prepare to welcome Governor Perdue to help us donate more than 4,000 children’s books to 37 DODEA and military impacted schools on September 10th. Read all about it, and many other cool things happening in the BSF world below.

We are working hard on the creation of our new Blue Star Families website and online community which will be launching very soon! Check out below how YOU can help make connecting together even easier and more exciting.

Remember, if you want BSF info and links to articles and events more than once a week, join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and check out our Blue Star Families Blog.

If you received our Weekly News Round-Up from a friend or co-worker, please join us today. Blue Star Families is an exciting new way for military family members from all ranks and services (and our supporters!) to Connect, Support, and Empower one another. Just go to the JOIN US page on our site www.BlueStarFam.org.

There’s a lot of excitement about Blue Star Families and the best way to make sure you are in the middle of it all is to join your local chapter. Just shoot Vivian a note at members@bluestarfam.org, and she’ll get you connected.

Enjoy! Heidi & the Blue Star Families Team

NC Governor Beverly Perdue to Help BSF Kick-off Books on Bases

Blue Star Families and our program partner, K.I.D.S. believe in the healing power of books and are excited to kick off our national Books on Bases, Smiles on Faces literacy event for military children at Ft. Bragg on September 10th. We are especially honored to have North Carolina Governor, Beverly Perdue joining us and we’d like to invite BSF members too!

This event will include the distribution of approximately 4,000 children’s books to all 17 DODEA schools in the state of NC and 20 military impacted public schools in the local area. Children with parents serving in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard will benefit from this significant donation to their schools and libraries. Base libraries from Camp Lejeune, Pope Air Force Base, and Ft. Bragg will also be included.

Please check out the details here and be sure to RSVP to programs@bluestarfam.org by September 7. We will have approximately 100 seats reserved for BSF members so RSVP TODAY!

Priority will be given to event volunteers, and we still need plenty of them! If you are interested in helping before and/or during the event, please contact us at programs@bluestarfam.org today.

DOD’s First Joint Family Readiness Conference in a Decade & BSF Will Be There!

The Defense Department’s first joint family readiness conference in nearly a decade will take place next week in Chicago, and Danette Hayes, BSF’s Director of National Guard and Reserve Programs and Pamela Stokes-Eggleston, BSF’s Director of Development will be on hand to spread the word about Blue Star Families’ mission to Support, Connect and Empower military families.

The conference is expected to draw about 1,500 helping professionals from throughout the world and will offer information and resources as well as the latest research affecting military family care. Read more about the conference here.

Frustrated by Having to Register to VOTE Every Time You Move? Tell Us All About It!

Blue Star Families wants to identify the special challenges that military members and their families face when struggling to vote and fully participate in our government. Help us by completing the BSF Voter Registration survey. We are interested in knowing:

How often you have had to register to vote?
What kinds of problems you have had voting – either in person or via absentee?
Why aren’t you registered to vote?

We want to share our military family stories with key policy makers and we need your assistance. It will take fewer than 10 minutes for you to complete the online survey TODAY!

DOD Announces New Suicide Prevention Task Force

The Department of Defense will launch a 14-member Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces. The congressionally directed task force will address trends and causal factors, methods to update prevention and education programs, suicide assessment by occupation, suicide incident investigations, and protective measures for confidential information derived from investigations for the department. Read more about the task force here.

Think You Have To Pay To Check Your Bags? Check This List Before You Fly

Most airlines are now charging to check bags these days, but before you take off on your next flight, check out this list to see your carriers’ policies regarding military personnel. Most exceptions are for those traveling on orders, but it’s worth a look!

VA Playwright Needs Military Family Stories

Virginia Stage Company has hired a playwright to write a play to be produced locally about military families. If you would be interested in helping her shape this play – she is in the research stage – about military families, please contact Barbara Lipskis, Director Development, at blipskis@vastage.com. The playwright will be in town for chats with families on Sept 19-21. Please be sure to let he know you’re a Blue Star Families member!

Great Article about Military Children by BSF Member

The concerns about the effect of deployments on our military children are real and gaining more and more attention in local media. If you have a piece pertaining to military families published, like our own Jennifer Taylor’s The Effects of Deployment Stress in Military Children published in The Flagship, please be sure to let us know! We’ll help spread the word!

Free Tickets for Vets, Active Duty & Their Families

Veterans Tickets Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to saying thanks to veterans, active duty service members and their families by giving tickets to concerts and sporting events as a tangible way of saying thanks. Check out their website for more info.

Great Information on the Emotional Aspects of Deployment

Need a good pre-deployment check list and some tips to help your kids cope with Dad’s or Mom’s separation? Check out the great information available on the Families tab at Real Warriors , an initiative launched by the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) to promote the processes of building resilience, facilitating recovery and supporting reintegration of returning service members, veterans and their families.

There’s also an insightful article about the Emotional Cycle of Deployment that’s worth checking out!

Free Grills from ConAgra & AAFES

Just in time for football season, ConAgra and the Army & Air Force Exchange Service have cooked up plans to give away nearly $25,000 in grills before the end of September. Now through Sept. 18, approximately 236 exchanges are giving shoppers a chance to win a grill valued up to $100 as part of the ConAgra Free Grill Sweepstakes. For more info, check out their press release

Check Out MSCCN’s Latest Newsletter

If you’re getting back into the work force, or interested in changing careers, take a minute and check out the Military Spouse Career Corporate Network’s latest newsletter. It’s full of great tips and encouragement!

Calling All Professional and Serious Amateur Photographers

Blue Star Families is an amazing group created BY military families FOR military families. So, who better to take fabulous photos of all aspects of military family life than our members?

If you are a professional or serious amateur photographer, we’d love to have you capture some great images of the military family experience (homecomings, send-offs, weddings, graduations, BSF events, parades etc.) and we’ll give you photo credit on our new site. If you are interested and want more information email Stephanie at stephanie@bluestarfam.org

EXCITING NEWS! New BSF Website and On-Line Community in the Works

We’ve been busy behind the scenes creating a new on-line community for BSF members and we expect to have it up shortly. But to build the best site we can, we need YOUR help!

VIDEOS: We want to hear AND see all our fantastic BSF members and give families with deployed service members a chance to shout out a special greeting to their loved one. Grab your video camera and record a 30 second max video, and get it ready to upload to YouTube. We really want to hear how BSF connects, supports and empowers you as a military family. For more details, email stephanie@bluestarfam.org.

PHOTOS: Send us 3 or 4 photos of you and your family at key military lifestyle points ~ weddings, deployments, homecomings etc…, and you might see them up on the new site. High resolution is always best and no camera phone photos please (except iPhones). Send your photos to stephanie@bluestarfam.org today!

BLOGGERS & WRITERS We’re going to be highlighting all the great stuff the BSF family does everyday, both as local chapters and as individuals. Here’s your chance to jump in and help share these stories, both as a blogger and as an interviewer. If you would like to be a guest blogger and can write from your own experience about the following lifestyles, please let Stephanie know by emailing her at stephanie@bluestarfam.org.

National Guard & Reserve
New to Military Life
Little Ones In Tow
In the Work Force
In For The Long Haul (military spouses of about 10 years or more)
When HE is the Spouse
Military Moms, Dads & Family
Veterans & Mentor Spouses
Civilians Who Support Us

This Newsletter contains links to other sites and references to third party service providers, resources or similar entities. These links and references are provided to help you identify and locate other Internet resources that may be of interest. These other sites were independently developed by parties other than Blue Star Families, Inc. and Blue Star Families, Inc. does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or appropriateness of the information contained at, or endorse the viewpoints expressed at, such sites. In providing links to other sites, Blue Star Families is in no way acting as a publisher of the material contained on those other sites and does not seek to control the content of, or maintain any type of editorial control over such sites. A link to another site should not be construed to imply that Blue Star Families, Inc. is affiliated or associated with, or is legally authorized to use any trade mark, trade name, logo or copyrighted symbol that may be reflected in the link or the description of the link to such other sites. The mention of another party or its product or service in the Newsletter should not be construed as an endorsement of that party or its product or service.

Join BSF & NC Gov. Perdue in Fayetteville NC Sept. 10 for Books On Bases

heidikd — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:28:03 +0000

We are thrilled to announce the national launch of

Presented by

and our program partner

North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue will join us in presenting the healing power of books to military children.

At WT Brown Elementary School in Fayetteville, NC on September 10^th at 1 pm, Blue Star Families, along with out program partner K.I.D.S. in Distress will launch the National Books on Bases, Smiles on Faces literacy program for military children. We have reserved approximately 100 seats for Blue Star Families members. Light refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to programs@bluestarfam.org by September 7^th. Please include your name and phone number and note that you are a BSF member. You will receive an email confirmation and your name will be on a list at the door. Priority will be given to event volunteers.

North Carolina’s Governor Beverly Perdue will share a book with the children, and will join us in distributing books to the selected schools. A Nascar driver will also be on hand to bring a smile to our military children.

The educational impact of library donation is far greater than direct donation of books to children. These books will provide on-going support in the effort to promote literacy in America’s children, and provide the healing power of books to our smallest heroes. We look forward to seeing you!

Where:

WT Brown Elementary

When:

Thursday, September 10^th at 1pm

Frustrated by Having to Register to VOTE Every Time You Move? Tell Us All About It!

heidikd — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:29:36 +0000

Frustrated by Having to Register to VOTE Every Time You Move? Tell Us All About It!

How often you have had to register to vote?
What kinds of problems you have had voting – either in person or via absentee?
Why aren’t you registered to vote?

We want to share our military family stories with key policy makers and we need your help.

It will take fewer than 10 minutes for you to complete the online survey. PLEASE DO IT TODAY!

Weekly Round-Up for August 25, 2009

stephhn — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:30:14 +0000

Weekly News Round-Up

All the Latest in Everything Blue Star Families

Welcome! We’ve had another busy week with our new Military Families Voter Registration survey, ideas for helping kids during deployments and involvement in some powerful articles. Read all about it, and many other cool things happening in the BSF world below.

Remember, if you want BSF info and links to articles and events more than once a week, join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and check out our Blue Star Families Blog.

Enjoy! Heidi & the Blue Star Families Team

Frustrated by Having to Register to VOTE Every Time You Move? Tell Us All About It!

How often you have had to register to vote?
What kinds of problems you have had voting – either in person or via absentee?
Why aren’t you registered to vote?

We want to share our military family stories with key policy makers and we need your assistance. It will take fewer than 10 minutes for you to complete the online survey TODAY!

Have a Deployed Daddy or Mommy? Try This!

Our Director of Membership Vivian Greentree recently tried something novel to help her young son cope with missing his deployed daddy so much. They created a “Daddy On A Stick” by grabbing a picture of her husband, enlarging and laminating it, and taping it on what would otherwise be known as a barbecue skewer. Her son takes it everywhere and they are amassing quite a collection of pictures of their DOAS coming along on all their summer adventures, plus just being there in their daily lives.

Read more about Vivian’s adventures here. And if you want to send us your photos with your Daddy or Mommy On A Stick, we’d LOVE to put it up on our new website, launching soon! Just send your photos to Rebekah at rebekahsanderlin@hotmail.com

War’s Silent Stress: The Family at Home

Rosemary Freitas Willams, a communications director for BSF, asked some tough questions about depression in military spouses in a powerful piece that appeared on the Opinion Page of the Virginian Pilot on August 9, 2009. Please take a minute and read her piece, War’s Silent Stress: The Family at Home

Ft. Hood’s General Lynch Works to Aid in the Well Being Of Soldiers & Families

Army Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, Commanding General at Ft Hood, is working hard to “create a more balanced Army, with full attention paid to mind, body and spirit, not just warfare.” The Austin Statesman’s Denise Gamino, wrote an amazing piece outlining the all the General’s accomplishments and initiatives. Blue Star Families’ Laura Dempsey appears in the article too!

Newman’s Own Products Support Military Families

When you buy Newman’s Own salad dressings, sauces, popcorn, cereals etc. at your local commissary, a portion of the after-tax proceeds come back to the military through Fisher House Foundation and the Newman’s Own Awards program. In 2008 those profits translated into $75,000.00 in grants awarded to 15 volunteer organizations, in all corners of the country and abroad. Over the nine-year course of the program the foundation has donated more than half a million dollars to more than 114 initiatives that improve the quality of life of military families. Outstanding!

Effects of Deployments and Military Life in the News

We’ve seen two stories this week dealing about military family separation and sacrifice. First, is a Military Spouse Magazine interview with Alison Buckholtz, author of Standing By: The Making of a Military Family in a Time Of War. Also, don’t miss When a Parent Goes To War, Military Kids Grow Up Fast from CNN.

Care for Returning Vets

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has recently announced the roll out of “Care for Returning Veterans” as a first step to assist pastors, caregivers, and any who want to put out the welcome mat for our returning veterans and their families. For more information, please check out the ELCA webiste.

Thank you to Emma C., a BSF member in South Carolina for this info.

Free Military Job Seeker Resources

Bill Scott of Bradley Morris Inc. wanted to make sure all Blue Star Families members know about these free military job seeker resources.

CivilianJobs.com is where America’s Military Connects with Civilian Careers ~ a job board, job fairs and military base publication (Civilian Job News)

MilitarytoCivilian.com is a blog with advice for military-experienced job seekers

Bradley-Morris.com is a specialized placement service for military backgrounds in engineering, management, technician and maintenance roles, as well as former military with an interest and aptitude for sales/business development.

Military Spouse Corporate Career Network is a great resource for spouses who are looking to change jobs or jump back into the paid and volunteer working world. MSCCN is a non-profit corporate direct hire program that provides a whole host of job opportunities and networking programs for military families

MyVetwork is an inclusive online community for active duty service members, their families, and veterans and offers both professional and personal networking.

Calling All Professional and Serious Amateur Photographers

Blue Star Families is an amazing group created BY military families FOR military families. So, who better to take fabulous photos of all aspects of military family life than our members?!?

EXCITING NEWS! New BSF Website and On-Line Community in the Works

We’ve been busy behind the scenes creating a new on-line community for BSF members and we expect to have it up in August. But to build the best site we can, we need YOUR help!

National Guard & Reserve
New to Military Life
Little Ones In Tow
In the Work Force
In For The Long Haul (military spouses of about 10 years or more)
When HE is the Spouse
Military Moms, Dads & Family
Veterans & Mentor Spouses
Civilians Who Support Us

You Are a Seller in a Buyer’s Market: A Resume Can Be a Viable Tool to Secure an Interview

stephhn — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:30:37 +0000

By Christine Brugman, MAOM
MSCCN European Applicant & Military Installations’ Liaison

A Résumé Can Be a Viable Marketing Tool to Secure an Interview

No one likes writing their résumé. It catalogs and records what we’ve done, how we’ve done it, and what the results were from doing it, not from a purely historical perspective but rather an indicator of what we can bring to a new employer. Sound easy? Not particularly, but it can viewed as the single most important vehicle to securing your next job interview, and as such, a great opportunity for you to sell or market yourself to potential employers. To do this successfully, attention to detail is imperative when drafting and assembling your résumé as well as focusing on writing for your audience and not for yourself.

The first quarter of the first page of your résumé is the most important space in the document. This is the area that attracts the reader’s initial eye contact and interest. An individual will spend 10‐20 seconds reading this section and will eventually make a premature decision as to whether the candidate is worthy of being scheduled for an interview. Therefore, it’s essential to make yourself visible to and win the additional attention from the reader by presenting your most powerful and unique parts while also covering what a recruiter is looking for in a candidate. Make your readers’ eyes stop by giving them something that catches their attention!

Your name is important. Don’t allot the same font size to your name as you do with your contact information. Some writers suggest that this may give a frail or feeble impression to the reader when they are looking for a sharp and powerful presentation of you. Making your name the most visible part of your résumé links your name with all of the accomplishments and achievements that follow.

“LadysMan75 ” is not considered a professional email user name. Use a variation of your full name to display on your résumé such as “Jane.Doe@email.com”. Most email servers provide the ability to have more than one email address. If you lack a professional email address, it would be wise to create one to present to a prospective employer.

Don’t just list your skills; get the reader interested by getting specific. Details ring true. Justify your skills mentioned in your powerful profile by providing specific achievements and elaborating on your skill sets within your Professional Experience or Employment areas. You have already listed your strengths in your profile, now you have to detail what the benefits of those strengths are while aiming to avoid clichés and overused phrases within your descriptions. Recruiters almost always count on candidates putting an enormous spin on their credentials to make themselves look good, so justify all.

Your work experience has to fulfill the expectations of the profile. Review the posted job description that you are applying for, find key qualifications, and then decide which of them most clearly resembles your strongest competencies. Key word use is vital especially when the organization uses talent management software to digitally scan applicant résumés. Using key words can increase the chances of your résumé being assigned the right level of desirability or even come to the attention of the right person.

Market your performance and professional achievements. You don’t have to be in a position of authority to achieve something in the workplace worth being proud of and discussed. This could incorporate an Employee of the Month status, exceeding your performance goals, diffusing an irate customer, saving the company money, or making a tough sale. Your achievements, in conjunction with your employment details, should also fulfill and incorporate the expectations of your profile.

Sell yourself with action words to show just how capable and qualified you are. Stay away from use of passive statements like “responsible for” or “duties included”. Action words can enhance an otherwise bland resume by vibrantly demonstrating your competencies and skill set. Steer clear of overusing these “action” words in your descriptions.

Before submitting your resume, review and make any necessary changes to deal‐breaker elements
such as grammar, spelling, and punctuation consistency. As this is a given to those seeking résumé assistance, it is also one of the most frequent deal breakers when it comes to the applicant’s demonstration of accuracy and attention to detail. Know the difference between “their”, “there”, and “they’re”; add periods to the end of each bullet point or don’t – just make sure it is consistent within the document; ensure tense agreement, and have someone else proofread it before you hit “send”. An extra pair of eyes doesn’t hurt.

Keep in mind that the recruiter is not looking at your resume to hire a professional résumé writer, so the résumé is not going to win you the position of your dreams… you are. Take the time to take active steps in finding the position that you are looking for ‐Network, make some phone calls, research prospective employers, ask questions, volunteer. These activities, along with using your résumé as a marketing tool, will open up new opportunities for you to find a company who will want you for exactly who you are and what you have to offer. Your task is to get out there and find it!

The Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) is a private sector designated 501(C)(3) public charity in good standing with the IRS. MSCCN specializes in creative employment solutions and vocational training for all military spouses, Veterans, War Wounded and primary Caregivers to War Wounded. MSCCN holds MOUs with the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard. The MSCCN operates at no cost to military spouses, Veterans, War Wounded and Caregivers to War Wounded.