The Complete Guide to Resume Writing

I recently downloaded a e-book called "The complete guide to resume writing" by Louise Fletcher, founder of the company Blue Sky Resumes. Anyone looking to revamp their resume, I highly recommend this book. It provide deep thinking exercises which required reflection and research. In the end, I had a wealth of valuable information for my resume; as well, I feel better prepared for my expected interviews. I will post the results from my inspection and research.

Networking Recommendations

I received some recommendations to improve my network

1. add my membership with BCHRMA to my resume
2. post my resume to monster.ca, workopolis, bcjobs, and of course the BCHRMA website.
3. contact recruitment agencies which specialize in HR jobs including:
- Adecco
- Holloway Schulz
- Hunt Personnel

Any Questions?

Having successfully completed an interview the tables are now turned and the infamous "Any questions" is now asked to the interviewee. From the website best-interview-strategies.com, the author lists three questions to ask the interviewer and the completion of the interview

• "What do you enjoy most about working here"? (Assuming you are speaking to an employee)
  
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• "Is there anything I've mentioned that makes you think I'm not the best candidate for this job"?
  
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• "When do you expect to make your final decision"?
  

Other questions that I would consider asking include:

• "What is the first problem or issue that needs the attention of the person you are hiring"?
  
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• "Can you describe the opportunities for training and professional development"?
  

Resume

JIMMY RAE OCKEY
jimmyraeockey@hotmail.com

CAREER TARGET: HUMAN RESOURCE ASSISTANT

Recent university graduate brings proven ability to achieve results through communication and organizational skills.

Internally driven and dedicated professional, known for a strong work ethic and integrity. Earned a reputation for a positive and motivated attitude in all working conditions.

“Jim Ockey is a man of the highest integrity with excellent communication skills and is organized, thorough and responsive.” Rick Kleiman, President, F.R. (Rick) Kleiman and Associates, Consultants

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

- Maintaining Computer Database
- Policy & Procedure Development
- Project Management
- Job Design
- Recruitment & Interviewing
- New Hire Orientation & Training
- Employee Relations & Retention
- Scheduling


PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
- Improved the quality of a private college’s programs, administrative policies and procedures, and management of resources to the point where the school was ready for accreditation by the governing agency.
- Created an environment which substantially increased student and instructor satisfaction and motivation.
- Recruited industry-experienced instructors under difficult circumstances.


EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS
B.S., Business Management, September 2007
University of Phoenix, (Program GPA: 3.85)

Relevant Coursework: Organizational Behaviour, Employment Law, Human Resource Management, Diversity Issues in Communication, Human Motivation, Ethics in Management

Diploma in Digital Arts, May 2000
Center for Digital Imaging and Sound, Burnaby, BC

Professional Affiliation
Member, BC Human Resource Management Association (BCHRMA)
Working towards Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP) designation
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

NOVA GROUP/ G-EDUCATION, Japan, 2004 to Present
Major private English teaching company
English Language Instructor

Started teaching beginner to advanced English to adults and children; assessed their abilities to meet specific learning objectives, and provided verbal and written feedback. Quickly given additional responsibility at the branch coordinating and scheduling special monthly programs and managing the program’s resources.

- Revitalized the usage of the program’s resources by organizing and labeling files for more efficient use and promoting availability.
- Improved the program’s processes by designing forms and collecting statistical information.

COLLEGE OF INTERACTIVE ARTS, Vancouver, BC, 2001-2004
An entrepreneurial private college specializing in animation and video game design
Instructional Supervisor (2002-2004)

Promoted to this position to help shape the direction and services of a newly renovated college. Accountabilities included: preparing and organizing accreditation support documents, improving student moral, and assisting in building the schools influence within the industry.
- Prepared and organized the necessary documents to the point where the school was ready for accreditation by the governing agency, including:
- Developing and implementing policies and procedures, performing job analysis and preparing detailed job descriptions through attention to detail.
- Revamping the curriculum through analyzing, researching, and networking with industry experts.
- Recruited industry-experienced instructors on a minimal budget.

Animation Instructor (2001- 2002)

Hired to prepare and organize curriculum documents necessary for the opening of an animation and video game design program at a large college in China after the previous program manager left abruptly. Prepared, taught, and maintained files for various classes on animation principles.

- Prepared and organized the curriculum documents to be sent to China’s Peking University Founder Technology College for the animation and video game design program.
- Helped the student’s improve their portfolio by teaching industry-relevant skills and designing assignments that highlight student’s ability.

MAINFRAME ENTERTAINMENT, Vancouver, BC, 2000-2001
Industry leader in computer generated animation for television and direct-to-video
Animator (2000-2001)

Initially hired as production assistant; promoted after 5 months to position of animator. Created complex animation sequences and managed digital files efficiently under demanding production schedules.

- Actively pursued challenging animation sequences delivered under tight deadlines.
- Consistently met and exceeded weekly quota, while still producing quality animation.

In addition, my resume can be found on-line at " jimmyockey.emurse.com"

Interview Questions Part I

In order to better prepare myself for my job interviews I have began to reflect upon my past experiences and future goals with the following questions and answers. 

1. Tell me about yourself

"I’m looking to get into Human Resource. I have two years experience in various HR roles both administrative and strategic. Prior to returning to school, I developed various administrative and strategic documents necessary for the completion of the accreditation report for a regulatory agency in BC. I’ve recently graduated from university and would love to apply my business degree. I like working with people and enjoy group projects, but am also a self-starter who doesn't mind working on my own. My goals are to obtain my CHRP designation and broaden my experiences with Human Resources. What I am looking for now is a company that values its employees, where I can join a strong team and have a positive impact on employee relations and the organization".

2. What do you feel has been your greatest work-related accomplishment?

"When I arrived at the school there were two small classes of fewer than 10 students each. The majority of the students were from overseas. Unfortunately because of program costs, attracting local students was challenging. At that time the school was registered with the regulatory agency in BC, but was not yet accredited, meaning we could not accept students with government student loans. My job was to prepare the accreditation report for the school. This was challenging because there were no formal documents in place aside from a registration form. Even, the program itself was not documented. So essentially I was starting from scratch. Fortunately, the report requirements are clearly laid out. So, most of my time was spent developing and writing business objectives, policies, forms, and programs and courses. I also needed to analyze and evaluate the existing business and what we offered. I completed the report over a 3 month period and we submitted it for review. As a result we were cleared for an audit".

3. What is your greatest strength?

"I'm good at organizational skills, prioritization and time management. But my greatest strength is my ability to effectively handle multiple projects and deadlines."

4. How do you handle stressful situations?

"At the college, a particular stressful time was around our open house events. There was a lot of preparing that needed to be done in order for it to be successful. To maintain stress levels, I used time-management skills like making “to do” lists and delegating tasks when possible. I remember one particular time, at the last minute my boss wanted to display our student’s work on the computer screens. However, I didn’t have easy access to the student’s work. I was able to find a few images and animations. However, I made a point of talking to the students and collecting their best work for the next open house".

5. What is the toughest problem you've had to face, and how did you overcome it?

"Being an unaccredited school students were unable to apply for government student loans in order to pay for the program. As a result of the high cost, we were struggling to attract local students. At that time, I was responsible for recruiting new students. As I discussed the situation with my boss, we decided to offer a significant discount on the programs by providing scholarships to talented artists. Our strategy was to hold an art contest and after judging the contestants work and holding an interview the winners would be notified and offered a scholarship. As a result, we were able to gain new students and increase the image of our school".

6. Have you ever had to discipline a problem employee? If so, how did you handle it?

"I remember one of the instructors was constantly coming in late for class. He had been with the school since the beginning and was not satisfied with his personal progress with the company. I knew he needed someone to talk to so I listened to his situation and empathized with him. I then tried to help him see from the student's perspective. I challenged him to be on time and said I would follow up with him about his progress. Unfortunately, his bad habits didn't change. We sat down again, and again I empathized with his situation. However, this time I stated the consequences if his behavior didn't change".