1st Rate Blog

Though Shall Not Steal (Other People’s Resumes)

I see a lot of resumes. And I can usually tell at a glance which ones were self-written, which ones were written by a professional, and which ones were full of plagiarism. Heck, I've recognized my own writing in resumes posted on the Internet, or sent to me to...

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Be Careful When it Comes to HR

So you're having problems with your boss? Are you headed right to Human Resources to complain or threaten a lawsuit? Before you do, know this -- HR ain't your friend. Oh they may act like they are, but in truth, the HR department exists to keep the company from...

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Remembering Forrest Glenn Spencer

This entry is hitting me hard as I write it, as 1st Rate Resumes lost a long time friend, colleague, and writing partner last week. Many of our clients will remember Forrest Glenn Spencer, our humble researcher who dug up information on everything from occupations,...

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Experience Matters

In any career, it takes time to get up to speed to learn your craft. Years ago, when I first moved to a new town in Arizona, my mom took me to a new dentist. He was right out of dental school and reasonably priced. But even at 13 years old, I noticed he took a long...

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Yikes! It’s Tax Time Again.

Tax season is underway, and I know I have options when it comes to tax preparation: I can do it myself and hope I don’t make an expensive mistake. I can buy software and hope that I understand exactly what the program is asking me to do, or I can bite the bullet and...

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