CYNTHIA CARTER: Reading opens up worlds to you

I’m excited and happy to know that Bishop Frederick Williams of Gethsemane Worship Center is going to start a book club, including my book “Ask Grandma,” which is a collection of topics that children specifically and adults in general may well seek answers. Just to mention a few topics from the book that may interest you in joining or starting a book club: 1, Love one another; 2,Peace; 3, Who is your best friend? 4, You keep what you give away, and many more good topics that will be read with open discussions.

Maybe you’re asking yourself, “What is a book club?” A book club, from my perspective, is a group of people coming together reading the same book and sharing an open discussion about the book. The size of the book club doesn’t matter. What matters is that the interests is the same. Reading or sharing knowledge and understanding, using “Resume and Interview” as an example. You can agree or disagree with the writer and no one will know but you.

Reading is so healthy for the mind, especially when reading good books. I started most of my reading when I was enrolled in a program called New Careers. I attended college half of the day and worked the other half of a day for a government agency. My assigned workplace was the library. In the library were many, many books of all kinds. As I put the books back on the shelves, reading the titles interested me. The table of contents let me know if I really wanted to read the book.

Reading has helped me in so many ways. You can call me a self-educator ‘cause that’s what I did; it educated me in all areas of knowledge. I didn’t realize how little I knew about life until I started reading. There are so many good books and great authors to pick from and a wide selection of topics to pick from. Joining a book club is a good thing. You will be socializing in a healthy way, communicating openly and discussing the topics. You will realize how others think and feel about the book.

Example: “Resume and Interview.” This topic is great for job seekers who are unaware of the type of candidate the company is looking for. That is why it is important to have an updated resume available. Your resume is your personal, educational and work history. Resume is a French word meaning summary and that is what a resume does, it summarizes facts about you. A well-prepared resume will provide important information for the conversation between the applicant and the prospective employer.

After submitting a one-page resume with a cover letter, you should be notified for an interview for an interview. The purpose of an interview is to evaluate your personality, background and qualifications for the job you are seeking. You should dress appropriately when you go for an interview. If you don’t know what to wear, ask someone to help you. Being well-groomed is very important because, if you are hired, you will be representing the company. You should be courteous and well poised and describe your experience, skills and abilities precisely and accurately.

Honesty is respected and you should be knowledgeable about the company’s operations. Always let the interviewer lead with the questioning and only answer what is asked. Think before you answer and if you don’t understand the question, politely ask the interviewer to repeat it. Don’t give the answer you think the employee wants to hear, but strive for honesty and consistency. Remember the person interviewing has skills in the area of hiring and already knows the type of candidate they are looking for.

You don’t have to overplay your technical knowledge. The employer wants to know who you are. Always keep your resume ready and updated. This is a good topic for young job seekers or parents who want to pass the information to their children or grandchildren.

Ask Grandma is a weekly column written by Cynthia Carter. If you have a question to Ask Grandma, email it to [email protected] and include “Ask Grandma” in the subject line. You also can mail questions to Ask Grandma, c/o The Albany Herald, P.O. Box 48, Albany, GA 31702. Phone-in questions can be left on our Bright Side comment line, (229) 888-9351.