How Good is Your Resume?

A friend of mine who works as an Human Resources consultant told me she spends 15 to 20 seconds to decide if a resume is worth reading. 15 to 20 seconds? In today's economic climate a company may receive thousands of resumes for every position they advertise.  Poorly formatted or sloppily written resumes won't make the cut.

With the St. Louis County Library's Optimal Resume database you can create professional-looking resumes and cover letters. Optimal Resume offers sample resumes for many kinds of jobs and you can type your own skills, experience and education into these samples. It's a word processor for creating resumes.

Want more information?  Check out Optimal Resume on SLCL's website. You'll need your library card number, a little time and a desire to have a great looking resume. We even have classes at many of our branches to help you learn Optimal Resume. Who knows, you may only have 15 to 20 seconds to make a first impression!

--Paul S., Headquarters

Lost for Words?

I often wonder how a single word may have multiple meanings and how words gain new meanings over time. Let us take the word “cool”: According to “Oxford English Dictionary” the word  has been used in at least 227 different ways.

Whether I need the definition of a word, want to play a daily crossword or must crack an anagram, I always keep my copy of  “Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary,“ published in 1963, at an arm's length at home. I have to admit that though the  old dictionary has great sentimental value, I find myself relying a lot more on the St. Louis County Library’s online version of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).

I know that I will not find the verb “Google” in my old dictionary, nor do I want to replace my dictionary every few years. So I chose the online version because it is accurate and easy to search, and it is at my fingertips rather that at my arms length.

We still have dictionaries at all of our branches, and customers can certainly check them out, yet if you have a chance, just try the St. Louis County Library online version of OED. Not only can one browse through the 227 meanings of the word “cool,” but one can also explore its origin, subject usage and more in its most updated version.

--Roz, Jamestown Bluffs Branch