The Work of Knowledge - a More Marketable Me

"2. On page 212, Weinberger gives an example of a third-order description of an imaginary person. Imagine that you are preparing a resume for a job application – a first order information package - how would you better tag yourself in terms of the third order to make yourself more marketable?"

Here's some bits of my resume, transformed into the third order:

Additions are in blue.  Tags are in green.

Summary (what I am best at)

I am great at intercultural communication.  I am passionate about teaching children, but they wear me out at my age, and so I chose knowledge organization and management as my fourth career, because books don't move around. 

Education

Master of Library and Information Science September 2012- present

Kent State University, Kent, OH

GPA 3.67 on a 4.0 scale  (brain cells work well, even if the rest of the body has succumbed to gravity and age)

Bachelor’s of Arts, Biology; minor in Chemistry and English 1986 - 1990

Wilmington College, Wilmington, OH

GPA 3.75 on a 4.0 scale  (love science and am eternally curious)

Diverse Experiences - 

Head of Landscaping Committee April 2012 - September 2012

Humane Society of Central Illinois

Normal, IL (threw this in because my sister said I had to show what I had been doing with my time the last 20 years.  Like landscaping, but the heat was too much for me, and we had the worst drought in 20 years.  Mediocre results at best.)

Expatriate March 2007 - December 2011

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Hired and managed eleven full time household staff members, most of whom did not speak English. Planned logistics and executed 17 international trips for a family of four, to Europe, Asia, or the U.S. Enforced household security, responsible for food shipments, planned and managed special events for up to 75 guests. Managed a household budget of $50,000 per year.

Managing staff was a big learning curve for me.  I didn't like it very much, although I loved having the help around the house.

I became very flexible and learned to work around infrastructure problems.  I learned that tap water can become electrified, and that wearing rubber-soled shoes in the house will save you from all but the really strong shocks.  I learned to identify poisonous snakes, that geckos cannot harm you but chirp very loudly, and that mosquitos are the most dangerous thing in India.  I learned that is is very hard to make cheese in the tropics.  I learned that domesticated dog breeds are fine, but the street dogs in India are genetically closer to wolves, and the packs fight loudly all night.  I learned that lepers and their families are still shunned in India, even though leprosy is curable.  I learned that polio still maims and kills.   I learned to bargain hard.  I learned that rabies always kills, and the vaccine only gives humans a few extra days to find medical aid.  I learned that if the TV starts smoking and flames come out of it, you're probably OK; but if the generator starts smoking and flames come out of it, you're in real trouble.  I learned that I can handle flooding up to my knees in the house, but that water pouring out of the electrical outlets is not good.  I learned that the combination of the generator catching fire AND flooding up to my knees is my breaking point. 

I overcame my fear of head lice, researched many different parasites, and am proud to say that I have effective and efficient de-lousing and de-worming skills.  I hate heat and do not do well in it.    I am highly adaptable, good at problem solving, and very practical.

Tutor July 1991 - December 1992

Japan Tokyo North Mission, Tokyo, Japan

Taught ESL one evening a week; studied and became fluent in spoken Japanese
When I returned from Japan 20 years ago, I dreamt in Japanese, and translated from Japanese to English in my head.  I had lived with only Japanese roommates for nearly 18 months, studied hard, and it soaked in to the point where reverse culture shock was worse than the original form.  Sadly, now, I only understand about 30% of what I hear in Japanese, but I do feel that if I were to return to Japan, I could regain my comprehension of the language faster than someone who had never learned it.

Toxicology Intern June 1990 - June 1991

British Petroleum, America

Tested computerized toxicology program; analyzed results; prepared summary and reports for publishing.

Discovered that data about poisoned rats does not make good dinner conversation.  Also, gray cubicles depress me.  As a side note, you should never, ever, ever, wash your hair with gasoline, no matter how greasy it got in the engine room.

Library Page (part-time)

Coventry Village Library, Cleveland Heights, Ohio August 1990 - May 1991

Shelved books and read shelves for accuracy in book organization.

I'm very detail-oriented.

Scholar and Presenter February 1989 - December 1989

Palmerston North, New Zealand

Traveled and presented American culture to Rotary groups as part of the Rotary Foundation International Study Abroad program.

Full-time student at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

My first trip abroad.  I could not believe how much I learned about myself.  Public speaking does not bother me.  

Editor-in-Chief July 1988 - December 1988

Wilmington College Hourglass, Wilmington, OH

Hired, trained and evaluated six reporters and staff; edited all articles; managed $10,000 budget.

100% good at meeting deadlines; 100% stressed out at having weekly ones.

Awards and Honors (I'm gifted academically, with a high reading comprehension and very fast reading speed.)

National Merit Scholarship Finalist 1986

Wilmington College Presidents Scholarship 1986-1990

Science Achievement Award, Wilmington College 1987

Outstanding Freshman Agricultural Student, Wilmington College 1986

Wilmington College Leader Scholar Recipient 1986-1990

Ruth Durham Biology Scholarship 1986

Wilmington College Dean’s List 1986-1990

Pickerington High School PTO Scholarship 1986