Month: May 2010

Stress and Meeting Challenges

Stress is a feeling that’s created when we react to particular events. It’s the body’s way of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation. Given that, I’m ready for just about anything!

Like many of you, I’m feeling pulled in too many directions. Some of the pulling I can control; some I can’t.

But in my so-called wiser years, I have learned to observe the signs that I’m stressed so that I can take appropriate actions to minimize the impact of stress on my body – physically, mentally, emotionally and intellectually.

In her book Life Makeovers life coach Cheryl Richardson challenges readers to list their “early warning signals.”

Mine are forgetting to pay a bill, not putting on my seatbelt (yes, I know it’s the law, but when I am over-the-top stressed, I often don’t put it on) and visiting Starbucks daily and sometimes twice-daily.

Now that I know my triggers, I know it’s time to slow down and practice some “extreme self-care,” according to Richardson. That means saying “no” even to fun activities for a bit. I also de-stress by –

  • Sipping hot tea that I brew at home, waiting patiently for the tea kettle to whistle, letting the tea steep and then sipping my hot beverage slowly.
  • Going for evening walks because fresh air clears the cobwebs and exercise is always good.
  • Turning off the TV. I don’t need any more distractions.

So when your world is spinning too fast, take a moment to identify your stressors and, more importantly, identify what you can do to make yourself feel sane again. You’ll be ready for anything!

Blue Ridge Parkway Celebrates 75 Years

More people visit the Blue Ridge Parkway than visit the Great Smokey Mountains, Grand Canyon and Yellowstone combined.

Phil Francis, superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway, shared insights into the Parkway during Virginia Press Women’s spring conference in Roanoke, April 23. The Parkway, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, is a half-day’s drive for almost half of the U.S. population.

The Parkway, Francis told VPW, is more than its scenic overlooks. “It’s the places to sleep, eat and the adjacent communities.”

With that in mind, he wanted to involve everyone and “have a big party” for the 75th. The Blue Ridge Parkway Travel Association is leading the effort. As part of the celebration, symposiums are being held to honor the past but also contemplate the future.

As with any good PR event, the Parkway set three goals.

1)      Connect with communities

2)      Stewardship: protecting the Parkway and preserving it for future generations

3)      Financial sustainability.

Francis noted that the visitor experience is the Parkway and their visits to the communities along the Parkway.

But he is concerned that only 11 percent of park visitors are young people.  Also troubling is that 80 percent of visibility has been lost in his lifetime.

Yet the Parkway has much to offer. It has more species of trees than all of Europe. Its biodiversity is great. It has 250 pull-ins to enjoy the Parkway. It’s a designated landscape in that every single mile of it was designed, Francis said.

VPW members had many suggestions to enhance the Parkway as a destination, but Francis noted that the Parkway has two limitations – capacity and process.  Fortunately, it also has Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Blue Ridge Foundation and an anniversary website.

Writing a Resume to Land a Job

If you don’t want to land a job, write a resume that’s difficult to read.

According to Susan Geary, that’s the number one mistake job hunters make.

“You have 15 seconds to grab the person’s attention,” she told me during the Virginia Press Women conference April 23. I had sought her out so I could write about resume writing for my blog, but by the time we finished talking, I was ready to rewrite my resume, which I’m going to do as soon as I finish this blog.

Susan, a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers, is one of about 6,000 certified resume writers worldwide.

She also recommends including a testimonial about your work. “That way you aren’t bragging, someone else is doing it for you,” she said.

Most resumes are now printed front and back.

Ironically, Susan said she is good at getting jobs, but she never stayed in them long. A former news journalist, she decided to do what she was good at – resume writing. She didn’t know anything about running a business and quickly learned. Most of her business comes from speaking engagements, her website and referrals. Ninety-nine percent of her work comes from outside Virginia.

The trend in resumes is social networking profiles, such as LinkedIn. Surprisingly this doesn’t hurt, but rather, helps her business.  “You’d be surprised how many people don’t know how to write a LinkedIn profile,” she said.

When it comes to finding a resume writer, she notes that the resume writer will have a credible website with a photo and address. The person will be certified and/or part of a national resume organization.

She warns people to be careful of people claiming to be resume writers who don’t have the necessary credentials. “They say they are going to help you, but they are stealing your information.

Interviewing at the Speed of Success

I’ve never tried speed dating but I did try my hand at speed interviewing.

Fortunately, I had the easy role, which was that of interviewer.

The idea originated with students with Virginia Commonwealth University’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America. It was an opportunity to “give students exposure to PR professionals and the interviewing process,” said Carol Mawyer, assistant director for student services and scholastic journalism at VCU.

“I hope our students learn how to present themselves confidently and professionally when provide with a limited window of time so that the next time they are at a networking event, they can approach it as if it’s a speed interview,” Carol said.

Although many of the students had never experienced a professional interview, it was hard to tell. Despite the hour of the day (5 p.m.), each one came dressed professionally with a resume and put their best foot forward. I thought back to my early days of interviewing and wondered if I came across as polished as these students did.

Of course, those of us conducting the five-minute interviews couldn’t resist offering some critiques.

Many of the students said they wanted to enter PR because they were people persons. We explained that PR is more than being a people person. We talked about creativity, writing, goals and research. And we pointed out it’s more than graphics or social media, which seemed to be the hot areas of interest.

My favorite question to ask is “Why should I hire you?” Quite simply, it’s the elevator speech we’re all taught we should have on hand. Based on their answers, most of these students are ready for the real world.

How ready are you?