Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Musicals Rock!

.:Time To Update My Bio-Data...:.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to know how to really fix their own resume. While I am by no means the be-all and end all of resume writing, I can safely say that a lot of good potential employees get passed on simply because their resume isn't attractive enough. Here are a few things you *really* ought to do whenever you submit a resume - very simple tips people sadly overlook:

1. Proofread: Whenever a resume is being read by a potential employer, a glaring spelling or grammatical error is an immediate warning flag for the HR Department that this person is not serious enough about applying. If they can't be bothered to write and spell correctly when applying, HRD wouldn't feel compelled to give their application a second look. As an English teacher, I cannot stress enough how important it is that even your resume looks professionally written, from the quality of the paper to the grammar and spelling.

2. Don't grasp at straws: If you don't have an extensive list of qualifications, don't go to the well of saying you won your grade school's Quiz Bee to highlight your intellectual capacity. HR people see through the bull, and their intelligence gets insulted with pitiful attempts like this.

3. Organize: There are a million and one ways to write a resume, but never forget your name, contact details, academic achievements, work experience, skills relevant to the position being applied for, and any other important distinctions or qualifications. Sometimes, in doing these, we tend to forget the tiniest details. Go chronologically and try to avoid listing anything beyond your high school years. I have ironically seen applications that have everything but their name on it. How could you even leave *that* out?!?

Daunting? Don't sweat it. If you really need more help, luckily, you can ask for help from a good resume writer. They can make your life easier.

.:The Musicals Are Coming In...:.

So far, Yale's effort stands out as being as close to a musical as can be. There are song and dance numbers, and they balance out very well with the speaking parts. I don't think you can count something as a musical if the speaking parts tremendously dominate the whole film, and the music is included just as an afterthought.

In any case, I'm still holding my breath in hopes that we see some marked improvement from the last remaining class output. Yale's work was excellent, and I had a laugh, although they did take quite a few liberties when they changed the ending of their mishmash of Araby, Demon Lover, and Rocking Horse Winner into a *happy* ending. All three short stories had sad endings.

Nonetheless, congratulations, Yale! You had a sufficiently entertaining run, and I commend your efforts. :)

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