Introduction letter from Robert Vickers about Resumes:
Dear Friend,
Greetings! Hubert H. Humphrey spoke of social ills and the character of people:
“The true measure of society is in how it cares for those who cannot care for themselves: Those in the dawn of life–the children. Those in the twilight of life–the elderly. And those in the shadows of life–the sick, the needy, and the handicapped.”
There are many people in the “shadows of life” and they are falling “through the cracks” in our society–and most of them “don’t know what they don’t know.” And they don’t know how to get help–much less, hope. Often, the difficulty of meeting the needs of people lies solely in information and service-delivery systems that are over-crowded and not working by their design. Community Action Centers, churches, state- and federal-programs, and more mean well BUT are not meeting the needs of people. Far too long, most of us have turned our heads and chosen not to step in because we think we simply cannot do everything.
That’s true. No-one can do everything–But everyone can do something! Whether helping adult, psycho-social patients learn daily living skills OR helping junior- and senior-high youth to learn healthy alternative decision-making skills OR helping pastors and ministry leaders learn to access money through developing Biblical relationships with funders OR writing books and training manuals on marriage, family, and relationships, I have sought to help others.
For more than 25 years, my desire and life effort has been to help others to help themselves. At times, I call it, “serving the servants.” People need help, empowerment, and practical assistance in order to help others. Sometimes, a servant is trying to help others without any support for themselves. That is where I have stepped in to serve them. However, during the past ten years, I have noticed even more one of the biggest problems is that people not only need the help, but they need empowerment, practical assistance themselves, and the hope that they control their own destiny.
That’s why I have developed this manual including SAMPLE resumes.
If you are unemployed, make yourself a good resume, contact us for a review of your resume and suggestions to make it better, then network yourself into a situation that satisfies you and utilizes your passion, gifts, abilities, and ALL that you are. If you are underemployed, make yourself a good resume, contact us for a review of your resume and suggestions to make it better, then network yourself into a situation that satisfies you and utilizes your passion, gifts, abilities, and ALL that you are. If you are in a secular job but want to be in full-time ministry, make yourself a good resume, contact us for a review of your resume and suggestions to make it better, then network yourself into a situation that satisfies you and utilizes your passion, gifts, abilities, and ALL that you are. If you are coming out of prison, make yourself a good resume, contact us for a review of your resume and suggestions to make it better, then network yourself into a situation that satisfies you and utilizes your passion, gifts, abilities, and ALL that you are. If you are between jobs, laid-off, homemaker-returning-to-the-workplace, ending welfare, trying to get out of homelessness, OR ANYTHING ELSE–make yourself a good resume, contact us for a review of your resume and suggestions to make it better, then network yourself into a situation that satisfies you and utilizes your passion, gifts, abilities, and ALL that you are.
And remember my favorite portion of the greatest commandment, “. . . to love your neighbor as yourself.” Do you know someone who needs help, empowerment, practical help, encouragement, OR hope? Are you willing to love your neighbor as yourself and help them to get the job THEY want? I hope so. Make them a good resume, contact us for a review of their resume and suggestions to make it better, then help them to network into a situation that satisfies them and utilizes their passion, gifts, abilities, and ALL that they are.
Please let me hear from you and know of your successes,
Robert J. Vickers, Warrensburg, Missouri
SIMILARITIES OF Resumes and Grant Proposals. . .
Grant Proposal | Resume
Relationship-Based (includes follow-up/follow-through):
1. More than 90% successful because of relationships (existing OR created) Yes Yes
2. When speak to prospective employer/funder, write hand written thank you. Yes Yes
3. When you have a personal interview, send a thank you for the opportunity. Yes Yes
4. If you are offered what you want, write a thank you. Yes Yes
5. If rejected, send a typed thank you anyway letter following suggested format (P. 72). Yes Yes
6. Follow-up and follow-through is most important step in BOTH ENTIRE processes. Yes Yes
7. You must be appreciative, grateful, gracious, and expressive. Yes Yes
8. You must express appreciation for the opportunity–even the rejection. Yes Yes
9. You must learn from the rejections and improve to be ready for another opportunity. Yes Yes
Format:
10. Your written document/resume MUST be convincing, compelling and concise Yes Yes
11. ALWAYS attach a page of References and/or Board of Directors Yes Yes
12. When you send it out, use a 1 or 1½ page letter, well-written, no mistakes, etc. . . Yes Yes
13. It must be easy, engaging, and inviting. Yes Yes
Content:
14. It tells your character. Yes Yes
15. It should present an accurate, factual, strategic, and intentional amount of info. Yes Yes
16. It must inter-act and correspond to common interests and information. Yes Yes
17. It must be convincing, compelling, and concise. Yes Yes
18. You must ask for what you want. Yes Yes
MOST approvals are a result of having first- and/or second-generation relationships BUT BOTH “processes" MOST OFTEN start with rejection.
For more sample resumes and grant proposals (and more), see www.artfulaskers.com
