Howard Halpern MA CPRW

Current

• Director, Web Marketing at Finch-Weston Rehabilitation Clinic
• Director, Web Marketing at Car Accident Toronto Ltd.
• SEO Specialist at Finch-Weston Rehabilitation Clinic

• SEO Copywriter at IT World Canada
• Founding Member at Career Professionals of Canada
• Certified Professional Resume Writer at Résu-Card®

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3 more...

Past

• Marketing Manager, Open Source Conference at University of Toronto — Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI)
• Employee at Diverse Organizations

Education

• University of Regina
• York University (1)
• York University (2)

• Wilfrid Laurier University
• McMaster University
• Syracuse University
• William Nottingham High School, Syracuse NY
• Hurlbut W. Smith Jr. High School, Syracuse NY
• Pebble Hill School (Private), Syracuse NY

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6 more...

Recommended

17 people have recommended Howard

Connections

178 connections

Industry

Writing and Editing

Websites

• Car Accident Toronto Ltd.
• Résu-Card ®
• Twitter (Personal)

Howard Halpern MA CPRW’s Summary

UPDATE: If you are waiting for me to reply to you or rate responses to a question, please forgive the delay. On Sept. 8, I finally moved to Scarborough, in Toronto, where I have been an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) copywriter for IT World Canada. I've been retained by that organization to do occasional work. Also manage a major SEO project for a Toronto MD. Have restarted work as a resume writer. Was inclined to resume resume activity but to avoid confusion, decided to hit the 'restart' button.

Joined Jan. 25, 2007 • Profile updated Oct. 13, 2009

TO CONNECT: Please see "Contact Settings" at bottom (Ctrl+End).

I'm not going to waste this valuable space writing about my experience. I know people with 50 years' experience, none of it having the slightest value. As for achievements, most providers have them; and within each industry, most achievements resemble each other.

My focus is on how I have distinguished myself from my colleagues and competitors. I did this as a Certified Professional Resume Writer by:

• Publishing significantly both inside and outside my field
• Inventing the folded Business-Card Resume
• Being 1st in the world to create websites on the fly
• Offering clients a FREE website with most resume packages
• Hosting these sites FREE under a short URL

• Building attractive sites that are readable within 4 seconds on a slow modem

• Creating the world's largest web collection of samples by a certified resume writer, with over 80 documents

• Letting people get detailed info by calling A Real Live Person Twenty-Four Hours Seven Days®

• Successfully prosecuting applications for six trade-mark registrations — one in US — without hiring a trade-mark agent

In so doing, I established and maintained relationships with people from an extremely wide range of ethnocultural backgrounds. This diversity is reflected in my LI network.

NOTE: Entire profile is Copyright © by Howard Earle Halpern, 2007-2009

Howard Halpern MA CPRW’s Specialties:

• Writing resumes, cover letters, follow-up letters
• Ghost-writing letters of reference
• Designing and writing Business-Card Resumes
• Job-acquisition and career counselling
• Interview coaching
• Biographies, flyers, advertisements, brochures
• Public and media relations • Technical writing
• Website development • Search engine optimization

Howard Halpern MA CPRW’s Experience

• Director, Web Marketing

  Finch-Weston Rehabilitation Clinic

  (Health, Wellness and Fitness industry)

  February 2009 — Present (10 months)

  BACKGROUND: Involved in SEO since 1996, when commissioned by Information Highways Magazine to write "The Experts' View: Commerce on the Internet." Article was published in column titled "The Big Picture." Discussed SEO in telephone interview with best-selling Internet author Dr. Mary Cronin, who was cited in the article (see www.NoBlock.net). Subsequently talked with Dr. Cronin in person at CIO Summit, for which I served as technical writer, public relations.
  
  Professional Resume Writer since 1989 (certified 1998). Founding member, Career Professionals of Canada.
  
  CURRENT: As Director, Web Marketing, Finch-Weston Rehabilitation Clinic, I completed on-site SEO for www.fwRehab.com website. Changes went live on Apr. 9, 2009. Completing off-site SEO for this web property. Created a 2nd, medically authoritative website (1st of its kind) from scratch within two weeks, as an early adopter of Google Sites technology. This site projected to go live by end of Apr. 2009. Currently liaising with lawyer to create web page that will provide legal information to the public. Researching proposed revision to Insurance Act of Ontario, to determine its implications for rehab industry and how it may affect us.

• Director, Web Marketing

  Car Accident Toronto Ltd.

  (Hospital & Health Care industry)

  February 2009 — Present (10 months)

  This is the 1st organization in the world to coordinate services for victims of car accidents and offer this service directly to the public. I wrote and search-engine optimized CarAccidentToronto.com. It is replete with original material, vetted by lawyers and board-certified MDs. Contributed significantly to strategic development of this corporation.

• SEO Specialist

  Finch-Weston Rehabilitation Clinic

  (Health, Wellness and Fitness industry)

  August 2008 — Present (1 year 4 months)

  Managed a major SEO project for www.fwRehab.com website.

• SEO Copywriter

  IT World Canada

  (Privately Held; Publishing industry)

  March 2008 — Present (1 year 9 months)

  Wrote news story that garnered 16,000+ page views, mainly through organic search on Google. Regularly write, compile, condense, adapt, optimize, and edit news articles & opinion pieces. Publish them to Vendor News section of MyITVendor.ca.
  
  Perform extremely wide range of duties as required by senior management personnel, editors and SEO team leader. Apart from SEO-related duties, I conducted extensive market research and strategic analysis, resulting in a report deemed valuable by management. Received positive feedback for a detailed instruction manual I wrote for reporters & editors. Took initiative to master Fireshot (screenshot) application to illustrate the manual. Was commended by management for my ability to write "engaging" copy. Composed correspondence for other members of my unit.
  
  Am extremely fortunate to work with two highly qualified, high-integrity professionals, namely SEO team leader Jorge Umana and web metrics specialist Dmytro Sochnyev. Worked with them since Mar. 2008. Am self-employed and work at IT World Canada under contract, at my request, three days per week.

• Founding Member

  Career Professionals of Canada

  (Privately Held; Professional Training & Coaching industry)

  May 2004 — Present (5 years 7 months)

  Helped to get this organization started by meeting with Sharon Graham, along with another resume writer, in Feb. 2004. Then, we were a small, informal group of Toronto writers. I suggested to Sharon that we go national, and we did.

• Certified Professional Resume Writer

  Résu-Card®

  (Writing and Editing industry)

  July 1989 — Present (20 years 5 months)

  Résu-Card® – Established 1989 • Registered 1990
  
  When I entered the workforce in 1966, the resume writing industry was in its infancy. No one cited achievements. Resumes were replete with boring job descriptions. Baby boomers were maturing. Competition was fierce. I knew instinctively I had to distinguish myself.
  
  From 1966 to 1989 I sold my services to employers in 30 successful interviews, two by phone. I did not learn this business by studying, but by doing. I probed employers for feedback on my resume, asked other job-seekers about their experiences, and worked in a personnel division in government.
  
  In 1980, I began writing resumes for friends and noticed they consistently got hired. In 1988, one suggested resume writing as an occupation. I put my resume on a business card. Not only did employers read it, but when I called them, they remembered it—and me.
  
  The next year, I started a business around this concept, and it caught on.

• Marketing Manager, Open Source Conference

  University of Toronto — Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI)

  (Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)

  February 2004 — May 2004 (4 months)

  Most comprehensive event of its kind worldwide. Treated open source as a social movement, integrating technical with legal, political, & business issues. Implications for health care, education, & dissemination of public knowledge.
  
  Played key role in:
  • Attracting visitors to website by improving search engine rankings: edited content to optimize site; persuaded authoritative sites to link to ours.
  • Getting publicity, including favourable column in Globe and Mail, as well as television coverage: wrote & submitted media releases; followed up with media personnel.
  
  For media release, interviewed Bob Young, CEO of Lulu.com, owner of Hamilton Tiger-Cats, co-founder of world's most successful alternative software company Red Hat, & keynote speaker at conference.
  
  Edited website home page.
  
  Commended for contribution toward success of event by Conference Chair (Prof. of Computer Science; Founder & Chief Scientist, KMDI; Bell Chair in Human-Computer Interaction).

• Employee

  Diverse Organizations

  (Privately Held; 10,001 or more employees; Human Resources industry)

  January 1966 — September 1989 (23 years 9 months)

  Sold my services to employers in 30 successful interviews, two by phone. Demonstrated versatility by performing diverse tasks. Held positions ranging from Maintenance Person, Town of Richmond Hill, Ontario, and Orderly, Country Place Nursing Home, also in Richmond Hill, to Researcher, Urban Alliance on Race Relations, Toronto, and Writer, Financial Advisory Services Section, Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services. In addition, I gained valuable knowledge of human resources by serving as a clerk in the personnel division of the Department of Communications, Government of Canada. Details to follow.

Howard Halpern MA CPRW’s Education

• University of Regina

  MA , Psychology , 1971 — 1977

  Thesis: A Recent History of Youth – Tracing the Development of Youth Culture: 1950-1970. Published (1) a related article in the Regina Leader-Post newspaper and (2) an article on education, with comments and rebuttal, in the Ontario Psychologist, listed in the international Psychological Abstracts. Served as Teaching Assistant to four sections of introductory psychology course.

• York University (1)

  BA (Honours) , Psychology , 1970 — 1971

  Notwithstanding the fact that I had to wage a political battle to take my fourth-year courses ungraded (see below), I subsequently applied to York's graduate program in psychology and was accepted. However, on the advice of a York professor, I declined in favour of the University of Regina in order to broaden my academic experience.

  Activities and Societies:

  Singlehandedly ran a successful media campaign, through the student newspaper Excalibur, to take all fourth-year courses ungraded. In the end, the full Senate voted to grant my degree, despite objections from many quarters. This was the first time a York student had been awarded a degree without having received any grades in his or her final year of study.

• York University (2)

  BA , Psychology , 1968 — 1970

  Completed an extremely wide range of both psychology and other courses, including (•) Modes of Reasoning (logic) and (•) a poetry course with Irving Layton & about 40 other students crammed into a small room atop the Murray G. Ross humanities building. Psychology courses included those on hard-core subjects like experimentation and soft-core subjects like humanistic psychology, esp. sensitivity training.

• Wilfrid Laurier University

  Studied Biology (summer) 1968 — 1968

• McMaster University

  Studied Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, English Literature, and French Literature 1967 — 1968

• Syracuse University

  Studied English Literature, French, Philosophy, Political Theory, Calculus, and Chemistry 1966 — 1967

  Activities and Societies:

  Played trumpet in marching band. We travelled to Boston and played during intermission at an intercollegiate football match. We had the honour of accompanying Doc Severinsen, bandleader for Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.

• William Nottingham High School, Syracuse NY

  High School Diploma , Eng., Fr., Economics, US & World Hist., Bio, Physics, Trig. (summer school), Geom., Band, Phys. Ed. , 1964 — 1966

  Because of my father's participation in the civil rights movement as a medical doctor who treated injured demonstrators in Alabama, I became interested in politics. Nottingham was formative in that I had the opportunity to interact with students whose political views I shared. But the editor of our alternative student newspaper, titled "Ergo," refused to publish my poem merely on the ground that it rhymed.

  Activities and Societies:

  For two years, I was enrolled in Honors English courses taught by Miss Kay Kasberger, who provided extremely valuable tips on how to write. Much of what I know today is the result of her hard work and capable instruction. Miss Kasberger was highly respected, admired and loved by her students.

• Hurlbut W. Smith Jr. High School, Syracuse NY

  8th and 9th Grade , English, French, History, Geography, Science, Algebra, Industrial Arts (Hons.), Band, Phys. Ed. , 1962 — 1964

  During this period, at H. W. Smith, bigotry and prejudice were socially acceptable in a way that would, today, get even the most highly tenured instructors fired.

  Activities and Societies:

  Had the privilege of studying science with Mr. Kruse, who rightly put morals and values ahead of science. Highly outspoken and fearless, he epitomized free and independent thought.

• Pebble Hill School (Private), Syracuse NY

  7th Grade , Studies included Algebra, Latin, French, English, Ancient History , 1961 — 1962

  Activities and Societies:

  Intramural Softball, Football, Soccer, Basketball, Wrestling

Additional Information

Howard Halpern MA CPRW’s Websites:

• Car Accident Toronto Ltd.
• Résu-Card ®
• Twitter (Personal)

Howard Halpern MA CPRW’s Interests:

In order of importance: spirituality (esp. Yoga), ethics, self-development, psychology; search engine optimization; politics (www.twitter.com/OnPolitics). I view the last not as ideology, but as technology for manifesting an ideology. The latter, if rooted in deep thought, will not readily change; whereas technology, if effective, will readily adapt to changing social conditions and behavioural patterns.

Howard Halpern MA CPRW’s Groups:

Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (Certified) • Career Professionals of Canada (Founding Member) • Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists

•    Linked:HR (#1 Human Resources Group)
•    Conservative Party of Canada
•    Canadians
•    Toronto
•    Web 2.0
•    University of Toronto
•    LinkEds & writers
•    Syracuse University Alumni Network
•    US Army
•    Success Networking
•    McMaster University Alumni - Official Group
•    Canada
•    York University Alumni
•    Friends of / Amis du Canada
•    Fox News Networking Group
•    MyCredentials - Career Presentation
•    Seneca Networking Association
•    Resume Writers & Career Coaches
•    IDG - International Data Group
•    Conservative Party of Canada (OFFICIAL GROUP)
•    The Psychology Network
•    Conservative Professionals of America
•    Positive Thinkers
•    SEO Expert
•    Ontario
•    Conservative Networking
•    Campaigns & Elections' Politics magazine
•    Wilfrid Laurier Alumni
•    University of Regina Alumni
•    Conservatives of America
•    Career Professionals of Canada

Howard Halpern MA CPRW’s Honors:

Time Magazine's Person of the Year – 2006

(Okay, this wasn't my idea. It was Doc Farmer's.
Find him at www.LinkedIn.com/in/DocFarmer)

Captain, Champion Intramural Softball Team, Pebble Hill School, Syracuse NY, 1961-1962

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