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Your Resume Sucks (Maybe)

I have reviewed hundreds of resumes in my career from candidates interested in getting promoted to various positions inside their department to candidates being hired as a police chief.  Many of the resumes I have reviewed were from promotional and/or hiring processes I was involved in.  Other resumes were found on the Internet. Regardless of where I saw them, I have come to a conclusion about them. Most resumes suck!  Are there some good resumes out there?  Definitely.  Unfortunately, they are few and far between.  Purpose of a Resume Before we go any further, I think it is important that I pause here and talk for a minute about the purpose of a resume. A resume is not designed to get you a job.  That is a misconception held by many. Instead, a resume is designed to get you to the next step in the hiring process.  In many cases, this is some type of interview.  In other instances, the next step could be some type of assessment center. Related Post: 18 Mistakes That Will Sabotage Your Interview for Police Chief Regardless of the next step in the process, the goal of a resume is to just get you there. …

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dream big work hard

Dream Big, Work Hard

Up until 1996, my dreams were pretty limited.  I hoped to earn a decent living and provide for my family.  I wanted my children to be healthy and become contributing members of society.  I hoped to build meaningful relationships with my wife, family, and friends.  I wanted to help others.  And as far as work goes, I only looked forward to the next promotion opportunity. My future was not on my radar. I was working hard, but not dreaming big. All of that changed in 1996.  The City of Marietta hired Chief Bobby Moody to lead the Marietta Police Department.  He opened my eyes up to future opportunities I had never even dreamed about.  I already had the work hard mindset, and he encouraged me to dream big. For the first time, I began to dream about one day becoming a police chief.  I also began working hard toward that goal.  J.J. Watt Commencement Speech I recently stumbled across J.J. Watt’s 2019 Commencement Speech at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For those that do not know, J.J. Watt is a defensive end that plays for the Houston Texans.  He is an excellent defensive end having been named the AP NFL Defensive…

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Thomas Jefferson's 10 Rules

Leadership Lessons From Thomas Jefferson

A lot has been written about our Founding Fathers over the years.  Obviously, Thomas Jefferson was one of them.  He eventually became the 3rd President of the United States.  He is well known for drafting the Declaration of Independence.  President Jefferson was selected for this task because he had clear handwriting and he had a special way with words. Over time, Thomas Jefferson developed a list of axioms for personal behavior that he would share with his family and friends.  This advice developed into Thomas Jefferson’s 10 Rules of Life and was published in The Western Farmer as early as 1839. On a trip to Washington, D.C. in early 2018, my wife and I visited the Jefferson Memorial.  There, I stumbled across a small postcard with Jefferson’s Ten Rules imprinted on it.  I couldn’t believe that I had never heard about Jefferson’s list before.  I quickly purchased the postcard and sat down and reviewed it.  The simplicity and universal applicability drew me Jefferson’s 10 Rules of Life.  These axioms are as relevant today as when they were written. If followed, I am confident this list will help you be a better leader and a better person. Let’s take a quick…

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