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Monday, October 28, 2013

Knowing God

1. Introduction
Has anyone ever asked you where you plan to be in the next five years? Such a question can cause you to stop and think. The question itself has pivot potential, giving you an opportunity to 1) assess where you are, 2) describe in detail where you want to be and 3) determine if you’re doing what it takes to get there.

After a thorough self-evaluation, your list of aspirations may have included: a well paying career, a dream house, a loving spouse, a profitable business venture and a secure retirement plan. Whatever your response was on that occasion, as child of God, you probably wondered if any of the things you wanted corresponded with God's Will for you.

1.1 What is God's Will
In order to define God’s Will, let’s consider how it is commonly perceived in and outside the church. As a Christian custom, believers may be heard saying "If it is the Lord's will." after planning an event. “God’s Will be done,” when hoping for something, and “I’ll leave them to God(‘s will),” when mistreatment occurs. Christians, from the beginnings of the faith –as indicated in the scriptures- have long understood God’s Will to denote spiritual achievements that the Father Himself either worked to attain or had assigned to one of his messengers (either flesh and blood or spirit) to carry out.

When considering the concept of the will from a natural perspective, the idea of having to write a will someday comes to mind. This document, activated at the moment of an asset-holder's death, should indicate a number of expectations that someone, will be entrusted to see accomplished. That authorized person or executor (family friend or legal rep) must ensure that the will is carried out to completion.  Since the term will in both spiritual and natural circles are very similar in meaning, let's define the term without discriminating with regard to the nature of the will owner, whether divine or mortal. The term will, in relation to God or man, has always meant a set of goals. Therefore, let will w from hereinafter denote a set with at least one goal where the term goal is by definition an outcome.

1.2 Levels of God's Will
God's Will has two main levels. There is the ubiquitous (general) level at which every born again follower of Christ is expected to operate. Acceptable Christian behavior is outlined in teachings of Christ Jesus which tell us how to live holy lives -lives that bring glory to God. For example, Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies, thus separating us from the general population who condone retaliation. He, also, taught us give sacrificially as the widow in His mite parable did when she offered to the Lord all she had (Luke 21:1-4). Human nature, on the other hand teaches us to horde and sacrifice others to achieve our own interest. Besides the many more lessons Christ shared through the scriptures to sanctify us to live free from the burden and weight of sin, the Lord continues through His Spirit to teach us all truth (1 John 2:27).

The other level is not like the first. The activities carried out at this level are not widely understood or accepted. Paul in Romans chapter 14, addressed the issue of strong and weak faith among believers. Some know their rights in Christ while others have more to learn about God's saving grace. The problem occurs when weak faith believers judge their brother or sister in Christ based on 1) the day he or she attends church and/or 2) the types of food he or she eats. Scripture advises the strong believer, living with more freedom, to use his specialized knowledge of God's will with discretion and never at the risk of causing a believer with a weaker faith to sin. In other words, if you know a believer that eats only vegetables unto the Lord and you invite them to a restaurant to discuss the sermon from the morning service entitled Christ love, don't order a steak. Such an act is not demonstrating Christ love, instead order a salad. "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17).

1.2.1 God's Will is My Purpose
When you finally discover God's Will as it pertains to you, described by Paul in Romans 12:2 as good, pleasing and perfect and have found Him as was promised in Jeremiah 29:11-13 to all who would seek the Father with their whole heart, you have actually uncovered your purpose in life, your main reason for living. God wants you to achieve the things you need. By carrying out His will, you are actually filling the gaps of lack in your heart. These gaps impress you internally as hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6). Hence the reason Jesus said in John 4:34, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work." This explains why no substitute offered by the world can satisfy your heart. The spaces in your inner most being have been reserved by God before time began for His righteousness, peace and joy in the Spirit.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Professional Resume Writing Tips

After working for the past 13 years in several fields (radio broadcasting, marketing and education) in both the private and government sector, I've gained valuable insights that can potentially increase the likelihood of new entrants -into the workforce- actually achieving their career goals. Now, the concept of goals in terms of a particular career is quite important but rarely on the radar of those seeking employment for the first time. As a result, newbies usually saturate their local job market with generic resumes which give hiring managers the impression that they were one of many choices. No one wants to feel like the 1st runner up in a beauty pageant! So take some time to consider the following resume writing advice; it's arguably the most pivotal step in your path to a successful long term career.

Investigate Potential Company
Use your favorite search engine to perform a search on the business you're interested in joining. If possible contact past or current employees to gain a sense of the organization's culture. The question you're trying to answer is whether or not your world-view and personal beliefs will mesh well with the company's corporate goals. You don't want to feel guilty carrying out your daily primary duties. Moreover, certain companies place great emphasis on their employees' participation in social events. If you prefer a strictly 8 hour job than these more intrusive types of jobs that require flexible hours ought to be scratched off your list. However, if you long for the sense of desperation that comes along with short deadlines and work orders that require research and imagination to derive solutions than the typical 9 to 5 job will not bring out the best in you.

Criteria Details are Keywords
Tailor your general resume to suite the company you're targeting -this shows that you've actually read and paid attention to the job posting's criteria details as well as imply that you have a high level of interest in the vacancy. You're attention to details will be reflected in your choice of words with regard to the job titles listed in your work history. In some cases, major companies rely on databases to manage the high volume of daily resume submissions. In such an automated system, job titles and descriptions -listed in descending chronological order- become the keyword pools that database systems draw from when searches are made for potential interview ready candidates. Also many of these databases are programmed to disregard resumes that don't match company expectations which were clearly stated in the Ad posting.

Tweaking your Presentation
Review your hobbies and other personal information to ensure that the details you've included in this section pertains to some extent to the post you're attempting to fill. Also, avoid trying to capture a manager's attention by using non-traditional formatting techniques as these can be a distraction and source of aggravation for overburdened manager. Content by far carries more weight than a flashy looking resume. Furthermore, in terms of content make sure to keep your respect, even if you personally know the person reading your resume. A respectful resume will not contain the following shortcomings:
  • Clever remarks or humorous nuances. This may indicate that you'll be an employee who won't take his job seriously as well as a difficult person to advise or correct when the need arises.
  • Misrepresentations which stretch the truth or bold-faced lies that can easily be verified as false statements. I've seen co-workers fired within their first week of work as a result of such hyperbolations of expertise. When they are unable to deliver, management has no other choice but let him or her go as time is money and below standard work also results in shrinking profit margins.
  • Boasting is not attractive and is rarely interpreted as confidence. So applicants aspiring to take on leadership positions should be aware that humility is a main ingredient that every great corporate leader possesses. It is the basis of their charismatic force which can brings a company together and away from a fiscal cliff, while an applicant's pride (potential root of contention) would only divide a department and compromise the mission and vision of the entire organization.
Reference Guideline Recommendations
Usually this section is not given much attention by applicants. They fail to take into consideration the privacy rights of their references. Instead of divulging your trusted references' personal and professional details, offer this information as per request, especially with the permission of the references themselves.
Who can you turn to for a reference? Definitely include at least one recent supervisor. References from peers and professors (once job experience is lacking) are acceptable as well. However, do not include family members as their opinion of you fails to meet any standard test of objectivity.

Finishing Touches to Resume Presentation
You've finally finished preparing your resume. But wait, have you proofread your material. One misspelled word can be the deciding factor between you and another applicant with similar but not as stellar job skills. If you don't trust yourself to pinpoint your own mistakes, ask for assistance from preferably someone known as a perfectionist. In that case, expect to make a few minor adjustments to your final product.
Remember, what you put in is what you'll get out. You're investment of time and energy in applying for a particular job will be of immense importance to your life on the job after being hired.

References:
Accounting Principals. (February 1, 2013). Basic Tips for Resume Writing.
Accounting Principals.(February 6, 2013). Make Your References Work For You.