How to Write a Top-Notch Executive Resume

How to Write a Top-Notch Executive ResumeHow to Write a Top-Notch Executive ResumeIts never easy to write your own resume, and when youre an executive, or want to be, it is even harder. You probably have several things working against you youre short on time, you are focused on the big picture rather than the details and you may not have written a resume in a long time. While the points below can apply to and help anyone writing a resume, this is a breakdown of areas you should specifically focus on as an executive.See 8 Ways Millennials Can Build Leadership Skills.Refine your career profile. This is a summary of you as a leader. It is not an exhaustive list of your accomplishments and skills. If its running a half page, its too long. Even if you have a long and successful career history, youre still expected to be able to summarize it concisely. You must hone in on whats really important. Some common, though by no means exhaustive, areas you should consider highlighting at your leve l are strategy, operations, leadership (of people and teams), innovation, relationship building and change management. Dont date yourself. Some organizations value young leadership and others value the wisdom that comes with experience. No matter your age and what companies espouse, age discrimination is rampant. Therefore, its better to say extensive experience than over 30 years of experience, unless you are confident that the companies and roles you are targeting want that exact number (or more) of years of experience. This same principle extends to other parts of your resume. While in most cases youll include your work history, which will contain years, you do not need to emphasize age by including your graduation dates. See The 8 Stages of a Winning Job Search.Break down the big picture. A lot of senior executive resumes sound the same e.g., youll see general statements about PL (profit and loss) responsibility and management. Ask yourself what you do on a daily basis. Here ar e some questions to get you thinkingWhat types and levels of talent have I hired and developed over the years? What teams or departments do I lead? Who do I report to, what does that interaction look like in practice and how frequent is it? Have I led geschftlicher umgang transformations or major changes, and if so, what did I do and how did it change the organization? Present results without breaking confidentiality. As an executive, there are a lot of key details you cannot share on paper due to confidentiality agreements, especially when youve been working in a private company. So you need to get creative. Perhaps you cant state sales or revenue numbers, but you may be able to use an estimated percentage growth year over year, or over a number of years. Maybe you grew your team threefold but cant divulge exact numbers thats fine, write that you tripled the size of the team. Also, consider areas youve pioneered or turned around. If a business unit or retail store was underperformi ng and you made it profitable, thats a result that you can point to without divulging a number. See Famous CEOs and Executives Share Their Best Career Advice.Highlight key accomplishments. This is a key section for an executive resume, and it should be just below your profile. Go for quality over quantity. After youve compiled your bullets with results, go through them and select three to five that you are most proud of. You may want to ask a friend or trusted colleague if they agree with your choices, or have any others to suggest. Summarize roles over 10 years old. Its likely that you wont have space for details of jobs over 10 years old, and the truth is, most employers will not take the time to read that anyway. You only need to include your past titles, organizations, locations and years held. If there is anything from that period that you feel is important to expand on, you can do that in an interview. Include awards and media exposure. Awards and select media should be separa te sections. Awards should be listed with titles, organizations and years received. Obviously, if you do not have any awards or media appearances, articles written or interviews, you wont need these sections. If you do, choose five or less media appearances from the past few years, and include a hyperlink on the title. The rest is up to you. If you have space on your two-page resume (yes, it should only be two pages), and have specialized skills, speak foreign languages, participate in volunteer or philanthropic activities or have hobbies, you may want to include those items in another section. unterstellung all contribute to your story and show that you are well-rounded outside of your professional accomplishments. 10 Ways to Perfect Your Personal Brand

Sales Director Top Needed Skills

ausverkauf Director Top Needed SkillsSales Director Top Needed SkillsSales Director Top Needed SkillsWriting your resume with a target job in mind requires having a clear understanding of the jobs skills and proficiencies.A well-crafted resume skills section, highlighting your relevant skills for a sales director position, will help your resume beat the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which is the first step to getting your application noticed. Use the sales director top skills and proficiencies below to help you effectively write your resume.Sales Director top skills proficienciesPresentation SkillsClient RelationshipsEmphasizing ExcellenceNegotiationProspecting SkillsCreativitySales PlanningIndependenceMotivation

Got Resume Writers Block Here Are 5 Cures

Got Resume Writers Block Here Are 5 Cures5 Cures for Resume Writers BlockGot Resume Writers Block Here Are 5 CuresYou know you need a resume to launch your job search. The problem is You dont know where or how to begin. Essentially, youre staring at a blank page on your computer, save for your name, address, and contact ingestaltation. Youve got a case of writers block resume style. And you need to cure that malady fast Here are five ways to help you break through it.Resume writers block can manifest itself in many ways. You may be facing one of these common dilemmasYou cant craft a strong, coherent Objective or SummaryYoure having a hard time expressing your top accomplishments in your most recent positionsYoure having difficulty separating the important stuff that belongs on the resume from the insignificant or not-so-important orProbably the worst of this group You dont really know what you want to do with your career.No matter what form it takes, if youre faced with resume write rs block, you might want to take at least one of these five steps toward a cure1. Write down your career goal.Every effort starts with a goal in mind. If youre unclear what you really want in your next job, it will be tough to write an Objective or Summary. Your goal could be to branch out into a new area, or simply to find a decent company that will respect you and allow you to just do what youre doing now. Once you figure that out, the rest becomes easier because you can tailor your resume to support that specific goal.2. Find the right mood or setting.Where can you concentrate best at a time of day when youre most productive and creative? In a quiet area of your home in the morning? Amid the noise of a coffee shop during the lunch-time rush? The right environment can make a difference. If you need to be in a more pleasant mood, go for a run or workout, then start writing after the endorphins have been unleashed inside your head.3. Break your resume into chunks.If you find it a ch allenge to write your resume in one sitting, build it piece by piece. You could start at the top with your Objective or Summary (because it sets the tone for the rest of the resume). But it may be easier to start by filling in your Education, or the dates and titles from your past jobs in the Experience section. Just getting something down will help. Once youre satisfied with one part, put it down, take a break, and come back to build the next piece.4. Start with a rough draft.Just write your resume in rough form. Then, edit it (have someone else read it too if you wish), write a second draft, edit it again. Write a third draft, edit again you get the idea. Sometimes the best work takes several drafts before youre satisfied.5. Set some deadlines.If you thrive on structure and setting a time limit, give yourself a deadline for completing the resume. If youre not under intense time pressure to get it done (say, less than a week), set a deadline for each part of the resume or for each draft. Then stick to each deadline.An important document such as your resume should never be rushed, but at the same time, you never know how quickly you need one. Yet, if youre having a hard time writing a resume, follow these suggestions to ensure your resume will be done right and enhance your chances at landing the job you want.

7 Signs Youre Underpaid And How to Earn More Now

7 Signs Youre Underpaid And How to Earn More Now7 Signs Youre Underpaid - And How to Earn More Now Accepting less money than youre worth has serious repercussions. As career coach Angela Copeland explains, Being chronically underpaid is a serious problem. You may not think much about it now, but if you start out underpaid and then your company gives you just a two or three percent raise each year, youre going to be way behind by the time you hit mid-career. Whats more, because many companies base their salary offers not on their own pay scales but on what you were previously paid, being underpaid now can very well mean being underpaid in the future, Copeland says.But theres good news With the warning signs below, its easier than ever to spot if youre earning less than youre worth- and if so, Copeland can help you negotiate a higher salary , stat. Here are seven signs youre underpaid, and how you can earn the money you deserve right now.Glassdoor has a salary tool that allows you to search by job, company and location to find out what others Glassdoor users are paid in your saatkorn position or place. Use the tool to search with various criteria, then come up with a salary average with the information you discover. If youre earning less than the estimate, the chances are that youre underpaid.Glassdoor also provides an online tool that helps you to track your value by the job in your local market, says Copeland. It emails you as your market value goes up or down to show what other people at your level are making in your local area. With these alerts, its effortless to stay on top of what you should be paid, as well as when its time to negotiate a raise.Copeland remembers a time when she disclosed her pay to a coworker- who replied those digits were less than she had expected. This part was the employee who processed the financials for our department, so they had the inside scoop on what everyone was making, Copeland says. The comment gav e me a heads up to do research and to start negotiating.There can be a downside to dedication. If you have stayed at the same company for more than five years, theres a chance you may be underpaid, Copeland warns. Many companies provide the largest financial incentives to new hires, rather than existing employees.If your dollar isnt going as far as it used to for the same expenses, theres a chance youre underpaid, Copeland says. When running errands like grocery shopping or buying gas, ask yourself can I buy what I usually do with the same amount? A Google search will also tell you exactly what the inflation tarif has been in recent years. (This year, its projected at 1.9 percent.)According to Copeland,If you have switched to a higher paid industry - such as from nonprofit to for-profit- and your new employer-based your new salary on your old salary, then theres a good chance your new employer took advantage of an unrelated and too-low salary.Think back to when you received your j ob offer did you negotiate the starting pay? Almost never does a company come out with their best offer first, Copeland explains. If you arent asking for more, chances are youre leaving money on the table.Luckily, no matter the reason youre underpaid, your opportunities are the same according to Copeland, you can keep your current salary, ask for a raise, or seek a new employer .If you choose to remain mum, then you have no course of action (Although we recommend you take steps to get the salary you deserve)If you would like to see a spike in your salary and to stay at your current place of employment, You need to make a good case about why you deserve a higher salary, says Copeland. For example, if youve recently taken on more responsibility or even received a promotion , then you have excellent reasons to ask for a raise. Rarely will your boss want to offer you more money to do the same job, Copeland points out. Your performance evaluation can be a great time to make your cas e for more money and more responsibility.On the other hand, if you choose to switch companies, Copeland urges you to be prepared. You need to do your salary research in advance. During a job interview, your salary is one of the first questions HR will ask you. Not being prepared on the front end can hurt you. Use the tools mentioned above to find out what you should be paid and your worth. Then, come to an interview armed with that information. To be fairly compensated in the future, you need to negotiate for more during your next interview, Copeland says. Dont be afraid to ask for a big bump in an initial offer, using your salary research as a negotiating tool.

What Is So Fascinating About Free Resume Formats?

What Is So Fascinating About Free Resume Formats? The training programs and conferences youve attended are also crucial to be set in a fresher resume. Plus youre able to tailor your resume for the job youre applying for. The ideal way to apply for any job as fresher is to produce several resumes. Great luck with your work search You must make an account by using their site first. You may download a complimentary copy of Acrobat Reader at its site. Its possible for you to use no more than the second page for a brief variant of the Resume, with no problem whatsoever. Download these totally free docs and distributionspolitik in your details. Wiki claims A functional resume format is widely employed by men and women with 1 to 3 decades of experience. There are virtually thousands of diverse examples you may look at on the internet. It is possible to know the goal of each format and select the appropriate one that is going to highlight your details efficiently. There are sev eral different formats and people incorporate different info on them. The End of Free Resume Formats Best companies may also affirm you that if you cant locate a work even after a specific period of time, they will rewrite you resume at no cost. Sales is much like customer service as salespeople can be effective in a wide selection of industries. So if youre truly serious in finding job, then you ought to use the assistance of such on-line firms. So if youre really interested in finding job, then you ought to use the help of such on-line firms. Be certain to highlight people skills and that you understand how to close a deal. Conversely, if youre asking for a teaching job and have a great deal of education that is relevant to teaching, then you are going to want to have that first followed by job experience. Make certain you highlight technical wisdom and certifications. Long experience for a contract aerospace engineer. There are plenty of varied strategies to acquire a f ree resume format. You ought to understand, that resume format is essential, since it can boost your odds to get invited for an interview. Resume writing or searching for a correct resume format is supposed to be among the most essential responsibilities that you encounter once your school year ends. Each resume format was made to boost your odds to find the job in 2018. Things You Should Know About Free Resume Formats A basic resume is also less difficult to read. To start with, the career objective of the resume have to be catchy. You must plektrum the appropriate format that will fit your requirements and match the work description. Depending on the sort of position, you might want to alter the format and the information slightly to fit the demands of the job. So you might want to consider about a few qualifiers as to what resume format is ideal for you. Creating a resume with the assistance of a template can help you become mindful of the resume areas that you must fi ll. The absolute most hard step here is to choose which resume format is appropriate for you. Each resume format has its advantages and disadvantages and we cover each format in depth on the website so that you can make the best informed choice. Have a peek at some of our favourite formats below or browse our entire assortment of free resume format layouts. Formatting and design in regards to resumes is nearly as critical as the true content resumes should be clean, but catchy. Each resume also comes with an absolutely free downloadable resume template that will provide you with a jump begin to compose your own resume using the free resume formats. Theres nobody definitive means to compose a resume. Theres no doubt that a resume which is both cohesive and professional will have a much better probability of standing from the crowd even supposing its made utilizing a template. There are a lot of techniques to compose a resume. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviou sly provide you an advantage. To start with, as soon as the recruiters go through your resume, they receive a very first impression of your profile. In a great deal of unique scenarios, theres the probability of there being gaps in your resume.

Bullying in the Workplace - Spark Hire

Bullying in the Workplace - Spark HireWe may think that bullying is confined to the walls of high school. Every teen movie imaginable follows some sort of mantra that everything will get better after high school that bullies just magically disappear. We know, however, thatisntnecessarily true. Bullies still exist in the workplace, and as sports fans recently learned, in the college coaching ranks. So what can we learn from the latest bullying scandal involving now former Rutgers head mens basketball coach Mike Rice physically and verbally assaulting his players, and how can it be applied to the workplace?A recent Forbes article elendes that 35% of all employees have experienced first-hand bullying. And while 62% of bullies are men, women who bully are bullying other women 80% of the time. Maybe Mean Girls isnt so far in the past after all. The statistics show that bullying is a prevalent workplace problem and may be impacting your employees productivity, happiness, and job satisfacti on.Studies show that many who are bullied or witness bullying do not come forward, perpetuating the issue. And as Rutgers found out with Mike Rice, not telling on a bully not only hurts your teams (companys) performance in the short term, but it may hurt your brand long term as well. Rutgers, and Athletic Director Tim Pernetti, chose not to fire Mike Rice, instead giving him a slap on the wrist for his physical and verbal abuse. When news and video of Rices actions spread, the University and Athletic Department looked foolish for failing to monitor their own employees, and not taking harsh enough action against the bully. Instead, Rutgers allowed an unsafe workplace to stay unsafe and looked foolish, insensitive, and stupid when they had to end up firing Mike Rice after the video and story became public.Being proactive about bullying will not only help your workplace feel safer to employees, it will also help save your brand if any known bullying becomes public. A bully-free workpla ce is essential with the spread of social media. Turning a blind eye to workplace antics is no longer just morally wrong, but also fiscally irresponsible long term. Learn from Rutgers and the recent Mike Rice termination end bullying now. Its the right thing to do both as a person and a company.Do your workplace policies combat bullying? Share with us below.IMAGE Courtesy of Flickr byEddieS

Why the Millennial generation is signing more prenups than ever before

Why the Millennial generation is signing more prenups than ever beforeWhy the Millennial generation is signing more prenups than ever beforeKanye Wests Gold Digger may have had a more brdeing effect on Millennials than anyone previously thought. In the song, which reached peak popularity when the avocado toast-obsessed generation was in high school or college, West preached, we want prenup.Now, more Millennials are requesting prenuptial agreements, commonly referred to as prenups, before marrying.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIn a study conducted by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), 62% of divorce attorneys surveyed saw an increase in the total number of clients requesting prenuptial agreements in recent years and 51% cited an increase in the number of Millennials signing the premarital contracts.Members of the Millennial generation are particularly choosing prenups as the best option to cover separate property holdings, business interests, anticipated family inheritances, and potential alimony claims, said Joslin Davis, the president of the AAML in a press release at the time the study was released.Millennials are getting married laterThePew Research Centerrecently released a new set of guidelines that declares which generation a person belongs to based on their birth year. The new guidelines define a Millennial as anyone born from 1981 to 1996, or anyone who is currently 22- to 37-years-old.The real reason for the uptick, though were not ruling out Wests influence, is thought to be linked to the trend of marrying later. Since 2005, the median age to get married has risen from 27 to 29.9 for men and 25.5 to 28.1 for women.The age increase means that Millennials have greater assets to protect by the time they wed, and thus more incentive to sign a prenuptial agreement.Millennials are not only the last generation old enough to remember t he events of 9/11 but also entered the workforce during and after the height of the economic recession of 2008. Pew reports that the economic state at the beginning of many Millennials careers greatly influenced their financial decisions, such as the choice to sign a prenup.Ladies choiceWhile the rise among Millenials is a notable trend itself, the AAML also reported an increase in the number of women initiating the request for the prenuptial agreement. Millennial women are asking for prenups more frequently than in the past, according to Peter Walzer, president of the AAML.I find personally were representing a lot more women who are requesting prenups, Walzer said.Walzer noted that the uptick comes from an increase of wealthy women who are looking to protect assets, such as cosmetic companies or styling lines.A new study reports that the pay gap has narrowed from 6.5 percent in 2011 to 4.6 percent in 2018. As the gap shrinks, there are more women becoming the primary wage earners i n a marriage, which could explain why more women are beginning to consider the legal agreement before getting married.Personal brands or companies arent the only reasons that women visit Walzer to inquire for prenups.I may actually do more prenups for women than I do for men, and a lot of them are for alimony, Walzer said.A separate AAML study reported that 45% of attorneys surveyed cited an increase in the rise of women being responsible for alimony. Also, more than half of those attorneys cited an increase in the number of women paying child support in recent years. These patterns in legal actions reflect the effects of not only the rise in the number of two-income households but also the equality in caring for children.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you c an make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

7 Resume Tips Every Recent College Grad Should Read

7 Resume Tips Every Recent College Grad Should Read7 Resume Tips Every Recent College Grad Should ReadCraft a strong resume that says youre ready for the workforce. Use these seven tips to help you send the right message to prospective employers with your resume.Ditch the objective statementWeve all seen an objective statement that goes something like this Looking for an entry-level position that will help me gain skills and allow me to contribute to an organization. This tells the reader nothing about the persons goals or relevant skill-set. Instead of your run-of-the-mill objective statement, use the space to give the reader your elevator pitch. In three to five sentences, explain what youre best at, most interested in, and how you can provide value to a prospective employer. We call this your professional summary.Include relevant key wordsIncorporate common terms and key phrases that routinely pop up in job descriptions youre interested in applying to (assuming you honestly have t hose skills). The ATS ( Applicant Tracking System ) software is programmed to scan your application for specific buzz words to determine if youre a likely fit for the role. You typically have to make it past that check point before a human will ever set eyes on your application.Describe your contributionsUse bullets under each job description to describe how you contributed or supported your team or managers projects and initiatives. A recruiter or employer is not expecting you to have a long list of professional accomplishments when youre fresh out of school thats one of the reasons why your education section is above your work experience on the resume. However, they want to get a sense of what youve been exposed to and if its relevant to the role theyre filling.Play up your strengthsYour relevant work experiences and internships are key selling points to employers. However, if you dont have much experience to list, focus on highlighting the areas where youve shined the most. For example, if youve received a number of awards for academic achievement, such as academic scholarships or making the honor roll, then create an Honors section below your education information. If you were cum laude, include that in your education section. If your GPA (cumulative or in your major) is brag-worthy, then include it next to your degree. If not, leave it off and focus on your other accolades.Highlight your leadership skillsAs an entry-level professional, theres mora flexibility with the resume format. For instance, it might make sense to divide your experience into Relevant Work Experience and Additional Work Experience sections so that your relevant internships are at the top of your experience. Other students can benefit from including a Leadership section after their Work Experience to highlight their involvement in leadership programs or volunteer work, or to mention any positions they held within extracurricular activities.Include a skills sectionDont assume an employ er knows what skills you possess. If youre well-versed in social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn, list them. The same goes for your familiarity with Microsoft Office Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook. Depending on the role youre pursuing, these skills could be valuable selling points.Keep the presentation cleanThe average recruiter looks at a resume for 6 seconds, so stay away from crazy fonts, colors and images. You want the focus to be on your qualifications, not the photo you included. Be consistent in how you represent locations (Atlanta, GA vs. Atlanta, Georgia) and time (Summer 2012 vs. May 2012 achter monat des jahres 2012 vs. 05/2012 08/2012). Stick to a black font thats easy to read on and offline, such as Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Tahoma or Times New Roman, and a plain white background.Click on the following link for more information on crafting the right resume.

The Shellback Ceremony

The Shellback CeremonyThe Shellback CeremonyAre you a Pollywog or a Shellback? If you do not know the answer, perhaps you have not crossed the equator in a United States Navy vessel. There is an elaborate ceremony that takes place onboard ship and is a great morale booster and way for the crew to blow off some steam after a long deployment away from home. The Shellback Ceremony what happens?One can even find photos and videos on facebook inc pages kept by various ships (such as CVN-70 (Carl Vinson)Welcome New Shellbacks). But, keeping in mind that each ship does things differently (US Navy Coast Guard ships no one becomes a Shellback on an Army Ship, and civilian ships such as cruise ships do things their own way as well) but, the basic structure of the ceremony goes something like this Traditionally, the day before the crossing, King Neptune (aka Neptunus Rex) notifies the ship either by sending his Herald aboard, or some other method such as a radio message - that he intends to exercise authority over his domain and to judge charges that have been brought against Pollywogs (charges such as they are only posing as sailors, or that they havent paid proper homage to the god of the sea). These days, many ships hold talent shows the night before (one of which is the Queen Competition), with the understanding that the winners will be given an easier time the following day - dancing, songs, skits, poetry recitation, as well as contests such as who can do the most push-ups or sit-ups/crunches. After the show, Pollywogs receive a subpoena from Davy Jones to stand before the court the next day and answer to charges brought against them by the Shellbacks. High ranking members of the crew and those who have been Shellbacks the longest dress up in elaborate costume and each play the part of King Neptunes court. For instance, the ships captain might play the part of King Neptune himself. Alternately, it might be the oldest shellback on board.Members of King Neptunes Ro yal court generally includes His Queen Her Highness Amphitrite (this is usually the winner of the previous days Queen Contest, and the only Wog in the court and the final individual to become shellback, running through everything last). Davy Jones His Majestys Royal First Assistant The Royal Baby Everyone loves to kiss a baby, right? Well, in this case, pollywogs are required to kiss the babys belly. The Royal Scribe consider him the Court Stenographer, if you will. Sometimes Davy Jones is also the Royal Scribe The Royal Doctor Oh, the potions he brings The Royal Barber One must be made presentable for the King (relax - these days its a wood razor) Depending upon the tradition of the ship, there may also be the Royal Herald, the Royal Navigator, the Royal Chaplain, the Royal Judge, Attorneys and other personages. (this is, after all, supposed to be fun). The remaining participating Shellbacks dress up as pirates (or beach bums, as it suits them), and maintain order of the pol lywogs for the duration of King Neptunes visit. After breakfast, which is made special for the Pollywogs to eat (have you ever had coffee made from sea water? Yuck), the Pollywogs get into the Uniform of the day usually wearing their clothes inside out and / or backwards - and perform a variety of activities which might involve crawling across the deck (or crawl through a tube) strewn with objectionable debris (quite often consisting of that uneatable breakfast that was served to the Pollywogs) on their way to present themselves to King Neptune. Prior to appearing before King Neptune, various members of his court may have specific tasks for various pollywogs. Such as the Royal Doctor making sure that a wog is properly treated for, say bad breath (and let me say, if he didnt have bad breath before after drinking that potion, he will). Or a visit to the Royal Barber. Next, the Pollywogs kneel before the King and kiss the royal babys belly (according to some accounts is the babys bel ly covered in grease, or other condiment such as Chinese Mustard. Often, if the navel is big enough on the baby, there may be small fruit lodged in it. Then accused appears before King Neptune, who sits in judgment (or, if there is one, the Royal Judge handles most of the appearances and hands off to King Neptune the special cases) and pronounces any punishment to be handed out. Finally, the Pollywogs take a royal bath in a pool of sea water (or salt-water shower via fire hoses) before being declared Shellbacks. Comparatively, the initiation rites in todays modern navies are far less stringent than of the past whereas before the events of the ceremony were meant to be physically challenging and even painful for new sailors to accomplish. Today, those challenges are strictly voluntary and are reduced for health and safety reasons. The ceremony is now seen more as entertainment, building unit cohesion and a sense of shared identity, and for morale boosting than anything else. For the curious, I became a Shellback aboard FF-1070 (Downes) on the 9th of January, 1984.