Resumes That Open DoorsBy: Meghann Olshefski, Director, Employment Placement ServiceThe right resume, a little networking, and an aggressive self-marketing strategy can get you the interview you're waiting for in the conservative movement.To ensure that your resume stands out among the dozens of applicants applying for the job that you want, you need to spend considerable time organizing your accomplishments to accentuate your strengths. Did you know that most resumes only get 14 seconds of attention from a hiring manager? Here are several tips to make sure your resume gets noticed.• Limit your resume to one page (regardless of your experience level.) This way, you can prioritize the information and highlight only the jobs you are most proud of and that are the most relevant.• Frontload critical information “above the fold.” Include a Professional Profile or Summary at the top of the page that lists your top 3 to 4 skills, strengths and accomplishments in bulleted form. This section quickly tells an employer that you have the skills and qualifications that he/she is looking for in an employee.• Include a Work Experience section that blends paid and volunteer positions. Begin every bulleted point with a powerful action verb, like, “Motivated 27 volunteers…”, “Created a proposal…,” etc… Quantify your bullet points whenever you can. Focus on results and accomplishments not tasks. Use specific numbers and offer context: “Met 113% of the goal.” If you're just graduating college, don't bury campus leadership positions at the bottom of the resume. Treat those experiences as if they were a work experience and list your accomplishments for each in bulleted form. The same goes for any political volunteer or leadership experience you have.• Presentation is key. If you're looking for a job, always have hard copies of your resume on hand, wherever you go. Use nice resume paper and never use multi-purpose copy paper. Beware of smudging ink, coffee stains and wrinkles. Your resume represents you, so make sure the overall presentation is perfect.• Be organized. Choose black, legible serif font, preferably size 12. If the font or margins are too small, the resume becomes harder to read. Bold the names of your organizations so that each work experience stands out. Be consistent in the way you format certain items. Consistency and organization is key.• Proofread. Proofread. Proofread. Have a few people read your resume for errors, misspellings, and readability. Even the simplest mistakes can kill your chances of getting an interview.The Leadership Institute offers free, in-depth resume consultations. We will review your resume and offer tips for a more readable and impressive presentation. Contact Meghann Olshefski today to set up an in-person, over-the-phone, or via-email consultation today. >

October 15, 2010, Arlington, VA— Today marks the deadline for receiving a discount for college journalists interested in the Washington, D.C. November 5th and 6th conference called “Post Election Reflections: Covering the Campaign of 2010.”The 2010 elections will be one of the most pivotal and exciting in decades. The future direction of the Obama Administration, the role and makeup of Congress, and critical policy questions all hang in the balance. Post Election Reflections: Covering the Campaign of 2010 will feature reporters fresh off the campaign trail, seasoned political pundits and observers, along with veterans of the Washington Press Corps.Confirmed speakers include:• Jim VandeHei, Executive Editor and Co-Founder, POLITICO• Fred Barnes, Executive Editor, The Weekly Standard• Richard Benedetto, White House Reporter, USA TODAY (ret)• Tricia Miller, Politics Reporter, Roll Call• Jessica Taylor, POLITICO• Tim Carney, The Washington ExaminerPanel topics will include:• Campaign Overview: Winners & losers• On the Road with the Candidates: Journalists' tales from the campaign trail• The New Political Landscape: What it all means for the President, Democrats & Republicans• Campaign Press Operations: How candidates seek to influence the press• The K Street Connection: Lobbying and the campaigns• Roundtable Discussion: What is the real role of a journalist?• Mock Press ConferenceTours of the Capitol grounds and the Newseum are also planned.Costs and RegistrationThe early registration of $90 per person will be available until today, October 15. After this date, the registration rate will be $115 per person. Hotel accommodations are available for a discounted rate of $139 per night. Registration costs include dinner on Friday night and breakfast and lunch on Saturday.For a schedule of events and further details on the conference and to complete registration form, please visit www.DCinternships.org/IPJconf.Questions may be directed to Joe Starrs, Institute on Political Journalism Director, at jstarrs@tfas.org or 1.800.741.6964.The Leadership Institute's mission is to increase the number and effectiveness of conservative activists and leaders in the public policy process. To accomplish this mission, the Institute identifies, recruits, trains, and places conservatives in government, politics, and the media. LI has trained more than 90,000 people since its founding in 1979 and currently offers 40 program courses. For more information on the Leadership Institute, please visit: http://www.leadershipinstitute.org-30->

October 14, 2010, Arlington, VA— The Leadership Institute invites journalists and bloggers to the November 2nd election night victory party that LI is co-hosting with the Chairman of ConservativeHQ.com Richard Viguerie.The event will function as a one-stop conservative central to obtain the reaction of the leaders in the conservative movement to the election results; the effect on Congress and the Obama Administration in both the lame duck session and the 112th Congress; the future of the Republican Party; and the implications for the 2012 elections.Some of the key conservative leaders who will be available throughout the evening for interviews include:-Morton Blackwell, President of the Leadership Institute-Brent Bozell, President of the Media Research Center-Kellyanne Conway, President of the polling company-Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia Attorney General-Jenny Beth Martin and Mark Meckler, Co-Founders and National Coordinators of the Tea Party Patriots-Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform-Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council-Tim Phillips, President of Americans for Prosperity-Richard Viguerie, Chairman of ConservativeHQ.comA media room will be available for interviews. There will also be a bloggers row. To secure a spot, reporters and bloggers may RSVP to Courtney Nolan, Shirley and Banister Public Affairs, (703) 739-5920 or cnolan@sbpublicaffairs.com.To read the release, please visit here.The Leadership Institute's mission is to increase the number and effectiveness of conservative activists and leaders in the public policy process. To accomplish this mission, the Institute identifies, recruits, trains, and places conservatives in government, politics, and the media. LI has trained more than 90,000 people since its founding in 1979 and currently offers 40 program courses. For more information on the Leadership Institute, please visit: http://www.leadershipinstitute.org >

October 12, 2010, Arlington, VA— College Republicans President Elliot Gaiser quotes LI's President Morton Blackwell that conservatives can win the Senate based on the momentum of changing the House majority.Quoting Hillsdale College's newspaper Hillsdale Forum Editor-In-Chief Anna Williams, “But Republicans might just manage to win a majority in the Senate. College Republicans President Elliot Gaiser summarized Leadership Institute Morton Blackwell's theory thus: In an election with enough momentum to change the House majority, you have enough support to change the Senate because House districts are gerrymandered to favor incumbents. “If you can change [the district representative], that means you have enough support to change the state, because they haven't figured out a way to gerrymander a state yet,” Gaiser said.To read the full article at Hillsdale Forum, please visit: http://www.scribd.com/doc/38961915/Forum-Oct-CoverThe Leadership Institute's mission is to increase the number and effectiveness of conservative activists and leaders in the public policy process. To accomplish this mission, the Institute identifies, recruits, trains, and places conservatives in government, politics, and the media. LI has trained more than 90,000 people since its founding in 1979 and currently offers 40 program courses. For more information on the Leadership Institute, please visit: http://www.leadershipinstitute.org-30->

In a Politico article they quote GOP strategist and Romney 2008 campaign veteran Terry Sullivan talking about one of LI's Laws of the Public Policy Process--"They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."Politico's Alex Isenstadt wrote, "Some presidential hopefuls — like former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty — have spent much of the last year lavishing praise on congressional candidates. Others are starting to ramp up their outreach: This week, House GOP Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) sent contributions totaling $105,000 to 70 candidates across the country — including a handful of contenders in the critical early states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.“There's an old Morton Blackwell saying: ‘They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care,'” longtime South Carolina-based GOP strategist and Romney 2008 campaign veteran Terry Sullivan said, referring to the prominent conservative activist. “Voters want to know that you care. It's not just about running for president — it's about helping out guys who are running in 2010.”To read the full Politico article, please visit here. >

The Roanoke Times mentions Conservatism 101, a project of the Leadership Institute and the Burke Society, on the campus of the University of Virginia that has expanded curriculum by introducing a course on political conservatism.To view the article, visit here or read the story below. "Conservative students at the University of Virginia (UVA) successfully introduced a course on political conservatism to their curriculum and now will expand their efforts to other colleges. Conservatism 101, a project of the Burke Society at the University of Virginia and the Leadership Institute, will help students and professors introduce courses to their schools.“Too often, the campus left uses its power to monopolize the curriculum and indoctrinate the next generation,” said Morton Blackwell, president of the Leadership Institute. “Conservatism 101 will provide intellectual diversity to colleges that sorely need it.”The UVA course, American Conservatism in the 20th Century, introduces students to the principles and history of the conservative movement. Members of the Burke Society, a UVA campus conservative group, designed the course with assistance from conservative professors and the Intercollegiate Studies Institute.“I am excited to build on our success at the University of Virginia,” said Wes Siler, Executive Director of Conservatism 101 and an alumnus of UVA and the Burke Society. “Conservatism 101 empowers students to start conservative classes at their university. The conservative perspective deserves to be taught alongside a liberal or ‘progressive' perspective to give students the full education that they deserve.”This fall, Conservatism 101 will identify conservative students and professors across America who want to introduce a course on conservatism to their campus curriculum. For more information, please visit Conservatism101.org.Conservatism 101 (conservatism101.org) is a new, student-led initiative that empowers students to start classes to teach about conservative principles at their colleges. For more information, contact Executive Director Wes Siler at 901-569-6424 or wsiler@conservatism101.org.Founded in 1979, the Leadership Institute (leadershipinstitute.org) is one of the nation's largest and most experienced political training organizations." >

Are you a conservative trying to break into journalism? Do you want the tools necessary to more effectively combat the liberal media. The Leadership Institute's Writing Workshop on October 19-20 is ideal for both conservatives who are looking to work in journalism and those looking to hone their craft. If you are interested in working for a conservative publication - online or offline - or in the press department of a congressional office, think tank, or a non-profit, this two-evening workshop is for you.Top-notch professionals will teach you the ins and outs of journalism so that you can succeed! Topics covered, include: • Professional writing techniques for publication• Writing an op-ed and press release• Breaking into conservative journalism• Getting others to read your workRegister now and take the first step to break into journalism! The workshop is $75, and with the early registration discount until October 8th, you can register today for only $50! >

Join the Leadership Institute on Wednesday, October 6th for breakfast with Kellyanne Conway, president and CEO of the polling company inc./Woman Trends. Ms. Conway will be addressing LI's monthly Wednesday Wakeup Club Breakfast. Registration is only $15 and covers breakfast, which is served at 7:30 am. The program kicks off at 8. Come out and join your friends at LI for food and fellowship this coming Wednesday. Register today!>

TeenPact students receive a complimentary copy of Ronald Reagan's Hand of Providence after a full week of Leadership Institute campaign training.September 22, 2010, Arlington, VA—This past week the Leadership Institute hosted and trained 64 high-school teens in the public policy process in order to become effective campaign activists.The Road to the White House training series consisted of lectures and applied exercises. Exercises included: Developing a campaign organization through selection of effective staff; Creating a message and campaign theme based on candidate bios; and How to design effective campaign literature.“LI's role was to design and tailor the curriculum to fit the needs of teenagers, providing them experience in political techniques and strategies,” said LI Coordinator for TeenPact Tyler Foote.LI's Steven P.J. Wood Building houses in its bottom floor several dormitories where these teens stayed throughout the duration of their training. Students were from over 15 states.Participants traveled throughout the District of Columbia to sight see in the morning and returned to LI for lectures in the afternoon, hands-on exercises in the evening and a devotional at night.TeenPact Vice President of Operations Lydia Shanks said, “As I talked to the students and observed them over the week, the students walked away with accessibility to politics. LI's grassroots training is something unique and we are very grateful for it.”“We aim to mobilize students to be good leaders wherever they are,” Shanks said. “When we have 65 students excited and jazzed about what God can do through them, we are thankful. This week gave students the tools for action and involvement in the future.”On the last evening, teens participated in a mock election where six presidential candidates with the help of their campaign staff gave speeches and answered questions from mock voters. The voters—LI staff—voted for Stephen Morrison, a 19-year-old from Savannah, Georgia who is a sophomore at Liberty University and a fourth year veteran at TeenPact.“One of my goals is to run for office one day, and this week is an encouragement thing—it makes me realize that this is really doable,” Morrison said. The lecture on campaign literature was really helpful to him in learning how to design things like a door hanger. “It taught me how to think outside the box, to think creatively while also standing firm in my principles.”For more information about TeenPact, please visit: http://www.teenpact.comTo request information about scheduling political training for teens at the Leadership Institute, please call: 202-247-2000.-30->

When principled leaders decide to challenge establishment candidates and advance the founding principles that made America great, they turn to the Leadership Institute for the very best political training.Leadership Institute trained candidates and campaign managers have shocked the political establishment. Sharron Angle in Nevada and Christine O'Donnell in Delaware personally attended LI training. The campaign manager for Rand Paul in Kentucky and Joe Miller in Alaska are both graduates of the Leadership Institute's campaign schools. These Senate candidates and their senior staff have benefitted from Leadership Institute instruction in the areas of:• Grassroots Campaigning• Public Relations• Fundraising• New Media Communications• Candidate Preparation.Founded in 1979, the Leadership Institute is one of the nation's largest and most experienced political training organizations and is uniquely equipped to handle the challenge of training conservative Americans to directly change public policy by first winning elections and then holding politician's feet to the fire. >

The Leadership Institute will host a campaign school in Radford, Virginia this Saturday, September 18 at 8:30 a.m. for volunteers, community activists, elected or party officials, current or future candidates, and campaign managers training them to win a campaign.The campaign school helps activists to “be more effective and energized in the 2010 elections,” LI's Grassroots Activist Schools Coordinator Chris Doss said.Sessions are taught by experienced professionals, including Morton Blackwell, founder and president of the Leadership Institute. LI hosted a similar campaign school this past Saturday, September 11 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Thirty-four students were trained on how to present a compelling message, conduct direct voter contact through door-to-door efforts, handle negative information, and get out the vote.Registration includes a light breakfast at 8:30 a.m. with presentations beginning at 9 a.m. Students can register free with the discount code “liberty.” Join us in the fight to restore limited government and the vision of our founders. For more information and to register, please visit: http://www.leadershipinstitute.org/training/School.cfm?SchoolID=16721 >

The 2010 Values Voter Summit (September 16 -19) brings together well-known Christian conservatives to headline speeches, panels and breakout sessions in Washington, D.C. The Leadership Institute will host Getting out the Vote on Election Day training on Saturday from 4:15-5 p.m. at the conference.FRC Action has brought on many distinguished speakers, including: Representatives Michele Bachmann and Mike Pence; Senator Rick Santorum; Governors Mike Huckabee, Chris Christie, Bob McDonnell, and Mitt Romney; Drs. Bill Bennett and Ergun Caner; Senators Jim DeMint and Rick Santorum; The Duggar Family; Genevieve Wood; Herman Cain; Sean Hannity; Lila Rose; Newt Gingrich and many more. Family Research Council Action is hosting the event along with sponsors—American Family Association Action, American Values, The Heritage Foundation, Liberty University, and Liberty Counsel.The Values Voter Summit will be held at the Omni Hotel at 2500 Calvert Street, NW Washington, D.C. For ticket registration and more information, please visit: http://www.valuesvotersummit.org/>

Nobel Laureate economist Milton Friedman often said, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” Well, we found one exception to the rule… You are cordially invited to the Leadership Institute's Inaugural “Free Lunch” Panel Series The Conservative Movement and the Tea Party: The Odd Couple, or a Match Made in Heaven? September 23, 2010 12:00pm – 1:15pm The Leadership Institute 1101 N. Highland Arlington, VA 22201 Please join our distinguished guests Matt Lewis from Townhall.com, Dr. Lee Edwards from the Heritage Foundation, and David Keene from the ACU for lunch and a discussion on the future of the conservative movement – where we are today and where we're headed. Lunch will be served and registration will begin at 12:00pm with the discussion beginning at 12:15pm. For more information, or to make a reservation, please contact Tyler Foote at tfoote@limail.us or (703) 247-2000. In order to secure your spot, register as soon as possible. We hope to see you at our inaugural “Free Lunch” Panel Series.

The Leadership Institute's television training workshops are the premier training grounds for conservatives who seek to improve the quality and effectiveness of their on-air media strategy. Attendees learn how to look good, sound good, and tailor their messages for tv. Take advantage of LI's Introduction to Techniques and On-Camera Workshops on September 17th. Register today!>

Nearly 40 participants from the greater Washington, D.C. area turned out on Saturday, August 14, 2010 to hear LI founder and president Morton Blackwell present his "war horse" lecture on Handling Negative Information. This special treat was part of a tailored Campaign Communications Workshop that LI's Grassroots Department is putting on in the three corners of Virginia: Northern Virginia, Southwest Virginia, and Hampton Roads (the Norfolk and Virginia Beach area). In addition to Mr. Blackwell's lecture, attendees will also enjoy presentations on The Real Nature of Politics, Communicating a Persuasive Message, and Optimizing Door-to-Door Campaigning. The first of these workshops, here at L.I.'s training facility in Arlington, included staffs and volunteers from local Congressional races, veteran activists (including a veteran of the Reagan administration), and new activists, campaigners, and Tea Party members.Click here to learn more about these trainings coming up on September 11th and 18th.>

Join thousands of conservatives as they descend on Washington, DC for four full days of liberty and learning. Unite in Action invites you to participate in events from September 9-12, 2010, including a march down Constitution Avenue and rally on Saturday, September 11th. Other festivities and events include the Liberty XPO and Symposium, the Young Patriots Symposium, the Religious Leaders Roundtable, and the Remember the Ladies Banquet. Your Leadership Institute will hold trainings at both the Liberty and Young Patriots Symposiums. For more information on this exciting four-day event in the Nation's Capital visit www.marchondc.org.>

The Leadership Institute's Department of Political Training implemented its annual Advanced New Media Workshop on Tuesday, August 3, 2010. Students learned how to communicate via text messaging to their supporters, how a cell phone application can be useful for a campaign/organization, online marketing techniques on Facebook and Google, and how to strategically place ads on the Internet. The outstanding cast of trainers consisted of Chris Taylor from Tusk Mobile, Lyndsi Thomas from the David All Group, Allison Griffin from Mobilize Me, and Josh Strange from Intermarkets, Inc.>

Vicky Hartzler, Leadership Institute graduate and volunteer faculty member, won the Republican primary for Missouri's 4th Congressional District on Tuesday, August 3rd. She credits "the grassroots partnership of people across this district" for her win. Hartzler, former state representative from Harrisonville, MO, defeated eight opponents, and now faces current Congressman Ike Skelton in the November general election. To read more about Vicky's primary win and congressional race, read the Kansas City Star's article with all the details.>

On Monday, August 2, 2010, the Leadership Institute and Liberty Central announced the launch of www.LibertyCentralTraining.org, a FREE online training initiative to provide everyday citizens the tools they need to hold their elected officials accountable.“Liberty Central has declared that August is ‘Accountability Month,' so we hope the resources available at LibertyCentralTraining.org will encourage, educate, and empower everyday Americans to meet, question, and generate a dialogue with their representatives,” said Sarah Field, Director of Policy and General Counsel of Liberty Central.As many representatives attempt to set a more conciliatory tone for their return home during this year's August recess, the citizens they represent are still concerned about unrestrained government in Washington. David Fenner, Vice President of Training Programs at the Leadership Institute says, “The mission of the Leadership Institute is to increase the number and effectiveness of conservative activists in the public policy process. The tools available at www.LibertyCentralTraining.org will equip average citizens with the tools they need to impact their government.”For more information about Liberty Central Training, powered by the Leadership Institute, please visit www.LibertyCentralTraining.org. >

As federal government spending continues to spiral out of control, the Independent Institute has created a new interactive website to help you understand where your tax dollars go each month, each year, and over the course of your lifetime. MyGovCost.org features a personal cost calculator so you can can see how the government spends your hard-earned money. Visit MyGovCost.org today to see what Washington DC is really costing you!>