Category: Education

Another postcard template #guncontrol

Hi again! I’ve added another postcard template — this one is a design I created around a public domain photograph of Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman in Congress (1968) and the first woman and African American to seek the nomination for president of the United States from one of the two major political parties (1972). She’s pretty amazing! You can read more about her here.

As I was thinking about how so many politicians (mainly Republican) accept money from the National Rifle Association (NRA), which has contributed to the mass gun violence recently through its fear mongering and manipulation, I was reminded of Shirley Chisholm. Her motto and autobiography title is Unbought and Unbossed, and I wish she was here today to help steer us out of this mess.

Please watch the video, so you can learn more about Shirley Chisholm and be inspired by her honesty and courage. And here is the link to the template for my gun control postcard. I hope Ms. Chisholm would approve of me using her image, but I cannot see how she would be opposed to stopping the NRA’s tactics. She stood for integrity and did not accept endorsements from “fat cats” or big-name celebrities.

politics-postcard_shirleyDownload

You may have to print a couple of postcards to figure out how your printer does this — but I chose double-sided, flip on “short side.” Also, you might have to manually feed the cardstock. If you want to, you can also send this file to a print shop and pay to have it printed. Please send these out to as many Republican senators as you can and Joe Manchin, Democratic senator of West Virginia.

0

Let’s help women and girls!

Yesterday, I heard on the BBC that the UK government is planning to cut aid to a United Nations family planning program by 85%. The program provides contraceptives and maternal health care to women in poverty-stricken areas of the world, including Africa. It also works with local governments so that they can provide for their communities in the future.

Photo by UNICEF/Catherine Ntabadde. Babies at a neonatal intensive unit at a hospital in Kampala, Uganda, which was refurbished with support from UNFPA.

“When funding stops, women and girls suffer,” UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem, said in a statement, “especially the poor, those living in remote, underserved communities and through humanitarian crises.”

The withdrawal of approximately $180 million to the UNFPA Supplies Partnership, would have helped prevent around 250,000 maternal and child deaths, 14.6 million unintended pregnancies and 4.3 million unsafe abortions, she added.  (UK’s 85% family planning aid cut will be devastating for women and girls says UNFPA, while UNAIDS also ‘deeply regrets’ cuts | | UN News)

This news made me so angry because it seems that always women and girls, especially those of color and in poverty, are the ones left out in the cold whenever government cuts are announced. And women and girls are vitally important to our global health! No birth control means unplanned pregnancies, leading to unsafe abortions and maternal deaths.

Girls having babies means less chance of them getting an education. Those girls will not have the opportunities to study, have careers, and give back to their communities and the global community. It’s a cliché, but it’s true — we are all connected. When poorer countries suffer, we all suffer.

So, last night, I started a petition. My goal is to raise awareness of the potentially devastating effect these cuts would have on women and girls (and their communities). If enough people sign, we can sent a strong message to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office that the world sees what they are doing. And we don’t approve!

Let’s stop these cuts!! Please sign my petition today and forward it to as many people as you can!

0

Support learning on our “sister blog”!

I don’t know if there is such a thing as a “sister blog,” but I wanted to let everyone know about an announcement on my other website jumpforkids.wordpress.com/. This is where I post my kids’ magazine JUMP!

I’m selling the summer 2020 issue for $2 each to help raise funds to print free copies of the magazine for local kids in my area (Alamance County, NC). I put them in Little Free Libraries and the children’s section of the local libraries (when they are opened again!).

If you have a couple of bucks and know a kid who’d like a fun magazine to read this summer, please buy a copy! It’s online, but you can also download the pdf and print it out. We’ve got coloring, spot-the-difference, and a ladybug maze!

0

Spring writers’ conferences in NC

With the weather heating up (at least in the southeastern USA!) and the flowers starting to bloom, it’s a great time to think about upcoming writers’ events! In North Carolina, we’re fortunate to have lots of creative writers — of both fiction and non-fiction — who are really motivated and ready to learn.

Please share any upcoming conferences you know of (wherever you live) in the comments section!

NC events coming up …

JoCo Writers Conference 2020

March 28 — the Johnston County Writers Workshop in Selma looks fun and very affordable! If you are in the area, I’m sure it will be well worth the visit — but sign up soon, as seating is limited!

WF2020POSTERJPG

April 17 – 19 — Asheville Word Fest offers a whole weekend of speakers and workshops with a spiritual and cultural slant. Prices for tickets start at $25 and are based on what you can afford. Presenters get 80% of funds, so be generous if you can!

April 18 — Charlotte hosts the 2020 North Carolina Writing Workshop, a full day of classes with the theme “How To Get Published.” Literary agents will be on-site! Seating is limited, so call head to make sure there are still places available.

April 27 — the NC Writers’ Network have their one-day spring conference at UNCG (Greensboro). I’ve been to this before, and their workshops are in-depth and focused on improving your creative writing. Limited scholarships are available.

May 2 — Write Now! is an excellent one-day conference hosted by the Triangle Association of Freelancers in Raleigh. I try to attend every year — the classes are very practical and are geared for writers who want to sell their articles and creative work.

So, that’s just a taste of upcoming events — there are sure to be many more! Keep writing and reading, y’all!

 

0

How to market your liberal arts resume

Whether you are about to graduate from college or have been in the work trenches for years, finding a good job is not easy. And if you have a liberal arts degree, it can feel even harder.

But if you read my earlier post about job hunting as a liberal arts major, you know that humanities majors DO have great job skills that apply to just about any field.

Re-brand your skill set

Our degrees give us a whole host of useful skills. But if you’re applying for a job that doesn’t ask for a humanities degree, don’t put your education near the top of your resume.

Instead, create a section for the key skills sought in the job description. These might be traits you don’t associate with your humanities degree — “Technical Skills,” Leadership,” “Finance Experience,” or “Project Management.”

Don’t panic! Show that you have the capacity to do whatever is being asked. For example:

  • you need to know an industry-specific software tool; is there a similar tool you HAVE used?
  • you don’t have the technical background, but you do have analytical skills, such as problem solving, research, organizational, editing, and computer experience (MS Office, design programs, online learning, etc…).
  • you’ve had to write about very technical, complex subjects in a clear, understandable way
  • you’ve never been a manager, but you’ve led group projects in graduate school or you started a club in college and kept it going for four years
  • you run your own online business (such as etsy or selling ebooks) and handle all the finances
  • you’ve increased your blog traffic 40% over the past two years

Re-brand your unique experiences to show you CAN do the job.

Highlight your liberal arts gems

You have the “soft skills” so many employers are looking for. List these in a special section called “Key Skills” near the top of your resume. Here are some examples:

  • Critical Thinking Skills (from all those books you’ve analyzed and essays you’ve had to write!)
  • Creative Problem Solving
  • Conflict Resolution (group work, tutoring, juggling academic projects…)
  • Interpersonal Communication
  • Relating to Diverse Groups of People
  • Written Communication
  • Oral communication (if you had to give a lot of presentations and/or taught)
  • Research and Active Listening
  • Teamwork and Working Individually
  • Discipline and Juggling Multiple Projects (especially if you got good grades!)
  • Organization and Planning
  • Passion for Learning (you’re a liberal arts major!)

Tailor your list to the job description. For example, if the job requires interaction with the public, you could label your section “People Skills” or “Communication Skills.”

Format your resume so it looks professional.

Look at examples of resumes in the field you’re applying for and match the style and tone leaders in the industry use. Use the appropriate jargon and keywords of that profession. A few guidelines:

  • use bullets, rather than paragraphs (unless you include a short personal statement/objective at the beginning of your resume)
  • if you capitalize one bullet, capitalize them all (and vice versa)
  • if you put a period at the end of one bullet, do them all (and vice versa)
  • start all your bullet list items in the same way — for example, with action verbs
  • all headings should be the same style and size; all body text should be the same
  • print out your resume so you can see how it looks on paper
  • margins should not be more than 1-inch, otherwise it looks like you’re trying to fill up space

Good luck, and please leave a comment with your suggestions  and experience tailoring your resume!

0

You’re a humanities major. Now what?

If  you have an English degree like me (or pretty much any liberal arts degree), you have likely heard the same comments from people with “useful” degrees in computers or accounting about how hard it will be for you to find a “real” job.

So, what do you do? The good news is that we humanities majors have lots of excellent skills that transfer into many different fields. With our capacity for critical thinking, organization, and written communication, we’re like the chameleons of the professional world.

Here’s a five-step process to help you find a career that pays actual money!

1. Find your focus. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, start with the general field you’re interested in — healthcare? Publishing? Law? Would you like to work at a university setting? Consider if you want a private sector, nonprofit, or government job. All three categories have advantages and disadvantages. Typically, private companies pay higher, while state and federal jobs tend to have better benefits packages and can be more stable. Nonprofit jobs may allow you to work in a field you’re passionate about — say, the environment or helping children.

2. Start a targeted search. If you know specific companies or organizations you’d like to work for (perhaps a nearby hospital is known for great benefits), start there. Otherwise, go to a job site (like LinkedIn or indeed) and search with humanities-related keywords of skills that are in demand, including “research,” “written communications,” “critical thinking,” “logistics,” and “project management.”

3. Take note of recurring job titles. Maybe you’ve been targeting universities and notice that “recruiter” type positions keep popping up for your skill set. Or you’re interested in a private sector job and the word “management” keeps appearing in your search results. Research those job titles that keep recurring to learn more.

4. Add any missing technical skills. Each industry uses specific software for its day-to-day operations, whether that’s an invoicing tool or an online teaching platform. As you’re researching job titles, take note of the tools you need to learn (or at least be aware of). Your local community colleges may teach the exact course you need, or you could try a site like www.udemy.com for online classes.

5. Update and “reboot” your resume to match that job title and industry.  Research the culture of the field and make sure your resume reflects that same style — in word choices and layout. Look at examples of others’ resumes in the same industry to make sure yours isn’t way off base.

If you need help, there are lots of professionals out there who can tailor your resume to help you land that job. Local colleges and universities may have career services open to the public, and your library likely has free resources, too!

1

Copyright myths…

Yesterday, I saw a commercial on TV for a “publishing company” that will publish authors’ books and “handle” all copyright issues for them. I thought, “What copyright issues”? When you put pen to paper, your creative work is automatically covered by copyright law.

If you see a publishing service that charges money to “obtain” the copyright for your work, be aware of this red flag! If you do chose to register, you can do it on your own for as little as $35. But it’s not really necessary.

The only reason you would need to register is if you decide to file a lawsuit against someone for infringing on your copyright.

And copyright has nothing to do with your ISBN. Even if you publish with Amazon or Smashwords, who assign their own numbers, your work still belongs to you. ISBNs and ASINs are ways to keep track of your books. They have nothing to do with copyright.

So, don’t get suckered by companies who charge to do services that you can easily do yourself. Check out our new book, “Make It Happen: The no-nonsense guide to publishing and marketing your ebook.” We talk more about copyright, ISBNs, and lots of other important info. you need to publish your book yourself!

0

Freelancing in the new age…

Lisa holds down the fort…
We are not as prolific as some other members of TAF!

A couple of weekends ago, Lisa and I hawked our new book Make It Happen at the Triangle Association of Freelancers (TAF) annual conference. They are such a great group! I’ve been going to the TAF conference for at least five years, and everyone is always super friendly and helpful. I’ll be posting some more about what I learned at the conference in the next week or so.

So, if you are a freelance writer in NC (or beyond), consider joining TAF. You are instantly connected with a group of experienced, professional freelance writers who are on the cutting edge of the freelance industry — they know the trends, inside and out. Plus, they are encouraging and welcoming. (And you get a really good discount at the conference!)

 

0

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑