Harry Potter & The Parseltongue Who Stopped Drug Trafficking

We know this really has nothing to do with jobs or resumes but it's Friday.  Give us a break.  According to an article from Reuters, drug traffickers in Italy used a rare python as a form of protection for a valuable stash of cocaine.  After a special police force was called in to contain it, they determined that the snake's guard-dog-like behavior could only be attributed to one thing: training.  We guessed it was Voldemort.  So like anyone who was alive in the 90s, we instantly thought that Harry Potter would have kicked ass at solving this problem and taking down those dark and dangerous wizards who seek to destroy the Muggle World through excessive drug use. After having us put together a stellar resume for him, we imagine Harry Potter's interview would have gone something like this:

Interviewer:  "So Harry, I see that you've defeated Voldemort 7 different times as chronicled in your books.  Do you think that defeating someone 7 separate times might not actually be defeating them, but rather just dragging it out?"
Harry: "Voldemort was very calculated, he had a lot of plans.  And in all fairness, I was 11 when it all started."
Interviewer: "So if it's taken you 7 years to defeat Voldemort,  how do you expect to over take an entire army of drug wizards with guard snakes?"
Harry: "I'm a Parseltongue."
Interviewer: "How do you expect to defeat an entire army of drug wizards with guard snakes?"
Harry: "I'm a Parseltongue... and I started Dumbledore's Army."
Interviewer: "And now Dumbledore's dead, so I'm not sure I'm too convinced by that one."
Harry: "He trusted me, he believed in me more than anyone and he was the greatest wizard of all time."
Interviewer: "Can you tell me a little bit about your relationship with Dumbledore, since it was clearly sexual?"
Harry: "What? I'm not a --"
Interviewer: "We want you to know we're an equal opportunity employer.  Just curious is all."
Harry: "I married Ginny Weasley!"
Interviewer: "You mean your best friend's younger sister who looks exactly like your deceased mother."
Harry: "Um..."
Interviewer:  "Not exactly a Chamber of Secrets, that one, Harry.  Well whatever.  Strange sexual habits and poorly planned ideas aside, we'd like you to speak with the head of Wizard Drug Control for a further interview."
Harry: "I don't have strange sexual habits, sir, but I would appreciate an interview.  Times are a bit hard -- you know how those Weasleys populate.  I've got a boat load of kids these days."
Interviewer: "Alright, well sounds like you are willing to work hard and... ah, who am I kidding?  You're Harry F*cking Potter.  You're hired."

Creativity: Education's Lost Art

From doodling to dancing, expression, creativity and innovation seem to go hand-in-hand.  In an article from PR Newswire, Sharpie is working with Sunni Brown who has started what she calls the "Doodle Revolution."  The idea being that there is a visual language that may help kids retain information and improve their minds.  This initiative is meant to show that these can be learning tools and not just a sign of a lazy or poorly-behaved child.
Likewise, Sir Ken Robinson gave a presentation at the 2006 TED Conference discussing his ideas on education and how our society doesn't value the importance of creativity in all of its forms.  In the video, which is an educational 19 minutes, he addresses educational inflation (the idea that what used to be sufficient education with a bachelor's degree now requires a masters, etc.), children's uninhibited ability to embrace the unknown and the simple idea that we are conditioned to think and behave in such a way that those who do so differently are less inclined to find their talents and contribute to society. 

These outlets on capability and creativity really give us all something to think about.  We always say that you need to have something to put on your resume as much as you need the proper grammar, punctation and format of a resume.  But we always encourage you to be exactly who you are and excel at your skills.  These 2 sources not only emphasize how quickly society ignores how other people's brains might function, but will hopefully make you want to really think about what you're good at.  In hard economic times when jobs are scarce and resources are low, innovation is key.  So hopefully you will be inspired by Sunni & Sir Robinson as much as we have and will go out and create something!

Going For The Job You Might Not Get: A Look At Wyclef Jean

If you haven't heard by now, Wyclef Jean is running for president of Haiti.  It may be fair to say that if Ronald Reagan, a former movie star, could be an American president why can't Wyclef Jean, a well-known and respected musical artist, be president of Haiti?  Jean has shown abition towards improving Haiti, his native homeland, with his foundation Yéle Haiti (Haiti Freedom Cry), which has raised millions of dollars.  He sees politics as a way to go beyond his current efforts.  In an article from Time Magazine, Jean talks about wanting to dedicate himself even more and what that means.  The big question though is what happens if he doesn't win?  Or better yet, what happens if he does?  There's something to be said for someone with lofty goals.  As the saying goes, "it is better to try and fail than to never have tried at all," and we believe this ideal holds true for everyone.  Some of the most interesting and compelling stories come from regular Joes who decided they didn't want to be regular anymore-- or in the very least, saw something that needed change and actually did something about it.  As much as it's important to have perfect grammar, spelling and punctuation on your resume, even more important is having something to put on it.  And it starts with an idea, a dream, or something that maybe is nothing more than what you should do.  We feel that everyone can be encouraged by Wyclef Jean's motivation to better an entire nation and regardless of the outcome, we think that there is no better way to improving our future than being ambitious and inspiring others to do the same.  

Career Lessons From The Old Spice Guy

You may not smell or look like him, but you can copy his method for success.  One of the best ways of getting a job is knowing how to stand out.  That means workin' with whatcha got, kid.  And no one serves as a better example than former NFL wide receiver Isaiah Mustafa, more commonly known these days as "The Old Spice Guy."  It's pointless to mention how his football career was going, but after a few light workouts and a commercial gig he's not only "the man your man could smell like," but an up-and-coming movie star.  According to an article from mashable.com, Mustafa is retiring his scented sales work for the greater glories of Hollywood.  Landing a lead role in "Madea's Big Happy Family" and getting a smaller role alongside A-listers Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell and Jason Bateman, Mustafa has taken himself from a barely-known athlete to a household name.  What makes him such a great example is not just his rise to fame, but his ability to leverage it.  While admittedly the face and physique helps, he has used his spicy success to keep his audience engaged.  He has responded to questions through youtube videos that proved his ability to be funny and deliver spot-on tag lines while giving fans the opportunity to connect with him on a more personal level.  But rather than let the fun fizzle out, he chose to strike while the iron was hot.  Commercials provide great exposure but don't guarantee career longevity.  Movies, however, have a bit more sway.  There's sure to be some behind-the-scenes work of a stellar agent, but those hop-scotched, chess-board moves are enough to keep people guessing, and more importantly establish Mustafa as an individual with talent instead of just "that guy from those Old Spice commercials."

While Hollywood and the silver screen may not equate to your day job, the point remains the same:  it's not what you do but how you do it.  As always, we like to remind you that having a well-written resume is important (preferably, compliments of us), but it's what you've done and how you present yourself that will make all the difference.  So get out there, get creative and swan-dive yourself into success!

Fight or Flight? The Steven Slater Controversy

Steven Slater, a former JetBlue flight attendant, has become the patron saint of over-worked and underpaid Americans.  He is liked by over 35,000 people on facebook and has been the center of famed controversy.  In case you've been living under a rock, this is what happened: Slater asked a passenger, who was getting up to pull her bags from an overhead compartment, to remain in her seat until the plane landed.  Not only did she refuse to do so, but she swore at him profusely and her bag hit him in the head.  A fed up Slater got on the intercom, addressed the passenger with the same, ehem, curtious description she gave him, quit his job and managed to grab a few beers before getting off the plane via the emergency exit.  There's no hiding the grin he gives to the cameras, but was it worth it?
If you're thinking of leaving your job, you have to consider how you would do it.  It may be tempting to say "To hell with it!" but for Steven Slater that could include 7 years in prison (opening or using an emergency exit is a Federal Offense, in addition to public profanity), and forget about getting his job back (according to TMZ JetBlue attains that he was in the wrong).  It may be satisfying, but burning bridges with your previous employer may not be a good idea, even if you already have a new job.  Aside from the fact that you can kiss your reference good-bye, that kind of behavior will make future employers question your character and whether you're right for their company.  No one can deny that there are a fair amount of consumers who deserved to be sworn out or slapped, but we just want to remind you that we can help you make a resume, but we can't create your credentials.  However, at the end of the day, we can't say we really blame the guy.  If some woman cursed you out and hit you in the face with her luggage, well that's enough to make anyone wanna quit.

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Jobs we don't suggest, but wish we had anyway: The Barefoot Bandit

In case you hadn't heard about 19 year-old Colton Harris-Moore aka "The Barefoot Bandit," we'll brief you.  It's a modern-day version of "Catch Me If You Can."  Clearly a troubled child-genius, the "Bandit" managed to steal cars, boats and even an airplane all while remaining barefoot (hence the name) before he was caught by authorities on an island.  Although we don't suggest you become a thief, no one can deny that being like James Bond is pretty bad ass, especially when you're only 19.

However, like any smart kid facing a court room, according to an ABC News Article, Harris-Moore has promised to mend his ways.  We can't hide our disappointment, but we're pretty sure that anyone with those mad skillz will probably find a respectable job somewhere.  The C.I.A., maybe?  Either way, he's got a boat load (no pun intended) of facebook fans and there's already talks of a movie.  How's that for a resume?

Welcome to Make That Resume

Everyone knows we're still crawling out of an economic hole, which means we gotta wise up, kids.  It's times like these that teach us to keep it simple and do it cheap.  Which is why Make That Resume was created.  Most companies will charge $50-$100 or more for one single resume.  We do it for $15.  We don't make you do anything fancy, we just get it done.  And really we want to make job searching easier, more fun and informative.


But enough about us, what about you?  What are your job hunting and interview experiences?  Do you have advice or a great interview story?  Do you or someone you know always seem to get the job?  The bottom line is the world is changing and gosh darn it, we should help each other out.  So if you have something to contribute make a comment, send an email, check out our website or the facebook page, follow us on twitter... whatever works for you.  Awesome stories will be posted to the blog.  Find something worth sharing?  Post the link or send it to us.  Also be sure to check in to see what new events or contests we might be having and what prizes we might be giving away.  We're always updating something!  It's just more exciting that way.