Week 8 Journal

         I’ve always enjoyed having a completed and up-to-date resume, I’ve just never enjoyed the work required to accomplish this task.  I understand the purpose behind a resume – to honestly state the facts of both “who I am” and “what have I done”.  With these two things being the easy part, the hard part is converting the possible employer into being my personal fan.  I’ve tried to always include an “objective statement” in my resumes – something that can be read quickly and packs a punch.  In this statement I don’t really care about complete sentences or thoughts.  In a concise method, I try and explain my best attributes required for the specific job I’m attempting to procure.  The resume process is an ongoing process, something that I try and update every couple of months.  

           I’m a graduate of the “Pathway” program.  It truly was an eye-opener to me when the first couple of weeks were spent explaining the BYUI learning methods and realizing how much we require the Lords help in our education.  I’ve found as I include my homework in my daily prayers, I’m able to accomplish things tasks with better efficiency than without help from the Lord.  I also think the academic honor code goes hand-in-hand with my personal covenants.  We have two rules in my home, #1 love one another and #2, we always tell the truth.  My wife and I have found this two “codes” pretty much encompass all the other things we try and teach our kids.  I’ve taken the BYUI honor code, my academic studies and my covenants all with the same simplistic approach.  If I remember to show love and tell the truth than I know the Lord will bless me with my studies.

          Reflecting on the last twenty years of my career, I can see a large change in business and the workforce.  When I first started there was a definitive line between apprentice/ journeyman.  As a beginning mechanic (apprentice) I understood my role and would allow myself to learn from the journeyman I was tasked with.  Now, having had the opportunity to lead as a journey, I notice the younger recruits are not appreciating the same student/ mentor relationship I understood as a necessary, functional apparatus of a successful shop.  It seems as though young technicians today require constant change and signs of verbal appreciation for each separate task.  Younger technicians also have a belief that since they can accomplish given assignments quicker – they should be compensated like the journeyman do.  They don’t understand how the experience/ speed equation works.  Business relationships have also changed.  Most businesses are managed by younger teams.  A handshake and verbal approval was considered the norm as little as ten years ago, now I find myself needing to communicate in legal terms with contracts even for simple repairs.

             This week I got to watch "Randy Pausch's Last Lecture".  It was a great lesson in positive thinking.  It made me truly grateful for my testimony of Gods Plan.  It's easy to see why he was able to fulfill so many of his childhood dreams.  He's the type of man that sees something, desires it, and plans for the attach.  He wanted to build something for Disney, so he kept trying until his dream was fulfilled, he never gave up.  Dreams are absolutely an ingredient to success.  Without far reaching dreams, we wouldn't be able to achieve the miracles that happen today.  As a young man I was always busy and had a testimony of my Mom being home to teach us right and wrong.  I dreamed of a job that could provide a way for my future wife to stay home with our future kids.  I'm grateful that through the Lords help and a healthy body I've always had a job that could make that dream possible.