by Holly Li (a DC EcoWomen member)
It was a refreshing experience to participate in DC EcoWomen’s Resume Workshop taught by Jessica Lubetsky.
I learned several practical tricks in tailoring my resume to specific jobs. For example, always adjust the content in the “Summary” section using keywords from the job posts. I also felt that I was part of a larger community of professional women with a positive attitude towards life and full of ambition for self-improvement and self-realization.
As an environmental lawyer who is “in-between (real) jobs” and doing document review work, I can’t help doubting my skills and ability. Especially considering that most of my friends already have their (or my) dream jobs. At the workshop, I met two extraordinary women who are also licensed lawyers with professional training in the environmental legal field, and they were also doing document review projects. Laughing at our common occupation, I realized two things: first, document review was the safety net webbed by the forward-looking legal pioneers to protect their fellow lawyers from unemployment in hard times; and second, I was not the only one hit by the economy and actually have many allies in my battle to find a better professional path.
In addition, Jessica was a wonderful teacher – supportive and resourceful. She encouraged each of us to talk about our goals and passions, and then tried to help us connect with people who might be helpful in certain fields. She also generously offered to provide individual resume critiques to each woman who attended the workshop.
I was inspired to learn about how to market myself better and to connect with other professionals who have similar passions and are confronting the same barriers that I am. Together, we are building a better future for the planet, and for the professional women who care about the planet.