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Monday, February 28, 2011

Resume Writers Digest 2008 Subcontractor Survey

I have just updated the "Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor" Special Report with the results of the more recent 2009 Resume Writers' Digest Subcontractor Survey. (I will be conducting the 2010/2011 survey in the next few weeks.)

Because the information was replaced in the report, I've decided to "archive" the 2008 results writeup in this blog post.

As you might expect, for many resume writers, subcontracting is a way to smooth out the peaks and valleys of self-employment, at least according to the responses in the Resume Writers’ Digest 2008 Subcontracting Survey.

Sixty-six resume writers completed the survey. Of those, 56 percent are currently subcontract writers, either for an individual or a firm. The rest used to write resumes as a contractor, but are not currently doing so.

More than half of those responding have been subcontracting for at least three years, and fully half of those responding only write for one individual or firm. Most writers produce 1-2 projects per week as a subcontractor.

Compensation
The opportunity to earn extra income is often the driving force behind the decision to subcontract. Interestingly, the average pay for nearly half of all writers was between $51-$150 per project. Nearly three- quarters of writers are paid a flat fee for each project they accept, receiving 21-35% of the client’s charge, in most cases.

Typical projects include a resume and cover letter together (55 percent), followed by a resume only (18 percent). Other services include bios, thank you/follow-up notes, interview preparation training, KSAs, and ASCII text conversions.

Project Management
Most subcontracting projects are assigned via e-mail (61 percent), although a substantial number are also assigned over the phone (17 percent) or through a web portal (12 percent).

The average turnaround time is 3-5 days (33 percent), although shorter timeframes (24-48 hours — 23 percent; 48-72 hours — 28 percent) are not uncommon.

Because standardization is one key to working with a large volume of clients, it’s not surprising that 35 percent of resume writers work with clients via e-mail contact only, transforming old résumés and client worksheets into new documents.

What the writer produces is also fairly uniform — 56 percent of writers work with the client from the draft production through project finalization, working directly with the client to make changes. Seventeen percent produce a draft version only, and 20 percent create the draft but then work with the contracting individual or firm to finalize the project.

Some contracting firms supply templates (24 percent), while most prefer the writer produce the document entirely from scratch (46 percent).

Most subcontract writers are generalists; however, for those that specialize, they most often identify themselves as experts in writing executive resumes.

Substantial growth in subcontracting opportunities exists for resume writers who specialize in federal resumes, as only three percent of survey respondents reported they specialize in this area, and demand from firms seeking subcontractors who have expertise in writing federal resumes continues to grow.



Friday, February 25, 2011

First Look: 2010 Resume Writers' Digest Industry Survey

The 2010 Resume Writers' Digest Annual Industry Survey was conducted in December 2010/January 2011. To give you an idea of who the respondents are, sixty-eight percent of respondents are self-employed full-time (17 percent are self-employed part-time). Seventy-six percent work from a home office only (12 percent have both a home and business office). Twenty-two percent have been writing resumes for fewer than 5 years; 37 percent for 6-15 years, and 35% for more than 16 years.

January is the busiest month for these writers, followed by February, May, September, and October. 

Money is always an interesting benchmark for writers. Hourly rates charged by writers range from $25-$450 per hour, with the most frequently hourly rate cited as $50/hour. Because of the disparity of hourly rates provided, the average hourly charge was calculated at $105/hour -- although, as mentioned, most rates were under $75/hour.

Another question is how many resumes are written each week, on average. The most common response is three resumes per week, although several respondents write up to 10 per week. The average, however, was 3.68 resumes per week.

The next issue of Resume Writers' Digest will contain the full survey results -- including more statistics about resume writers (we compile a profile of what we call the "average resume writer" based on survey responses), plus number of hours worked each week, least favorite part of being a resume writer, biggest challenges, and average resume sale amounts.

Be sure to subscribe to the newsletter to read the full survey results. Subscriptions are free, and are supported by the sale of our information products (books, special reports, teleseminars, webinars).


What do you think of these survey results? How do you compare?

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Frequently-Asked Questions About Referral Relationships

In my new special report, "Developing Strategic Alliances and Partnerships with Recruiters," I address some frequently-asked questions about developing and structuring referral relationships.

Here are some of those questions:

Question: Why would a recruiting firm contract with me instead of hiring a resume writer to join their staff?
Answer: The major advantage to the recruiting firm is that they do not increase their fixed costs when they contract with you instead of hiring an employee. They collect a commission for referrals they send your way, but don't have to pay a (fixed) salary for what may be an uneven workload.

Question: How should I handle 'internal' client projects for the recruiting firm?
Answer: There may be situations where the recruiting firm contracts with you directly to write a resume for a key client (instead of the client paying you).

In these situations, you can charge the recruiting firm your fee, less the referral commission (i.e., they would pay 60-85 percent of your normal rates for these projects), paid directly to you at a specified time (i.e., once a month). I suggest invoicing the recruiting firm for these projects and handling payment separately, rather than deducting payment from commissions you owe them.

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Want to learn more? Purchase the report, "Developing Strategic Alliances and Partnerships with Recruiters." The cost is just $27 and the file is available for immediate download.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Resume Turnaround Times: Subcontracting Survey

I'm going to have to add a question to the 2011 Resume Writers' Digest Industry Survey about average turnaround times for resumes -- but I do have some data on it from the 2009 Resume Writers' Digest Subcontracting Survey:


Excerpted from the "Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor" Special Report:
While rush fees may be available for extremely short turnaround deadlines, in many cases, contracting writers must produce projects in shorter timeframes than they would when working with their own clients. 

Reported turnaround times include:
Less than 24 hours -- 10%
24-48 hours (1-2 days) -- 10%
48-72 hours (2-3 days) -- 24%
3-5 days -- 52%
More than 5 days --  4%

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Career Management Alliance Conference: April 2011


The Career Management Alliance's 2011 Conference will be held in Las Vegas from April 6-8. This year's theme is "Serving Clients-Solving Challenges" and the keynote speaker is "America's Secret Millionaire," James Malinchak.

Other featured speakers include Susan Ireland, Kathryn Troutman, Tim Tyrell-Smith, and Ross MacPherson, Susan Joyce, Kathy Hansen, Chandlee Bryan, Karen Siwak, and more!

Early registration ends March 1. For more information, click here.

Friday, February 18, 2011

New Special Report: Developing Strategic Alliances and Partnerships with Recruiters

Have you ever considered developing a formal relationship with a referral source -- a recruiter, headhunter, career coach, mental health therapist, even a Realtor® -- but didn't know where to start?

Today, I'm officially launching my latest Resume Writers' Digest special report: "Developing Strategic Alliances and Partnerships with Recruiters."

This information-packed report is designed to give you an in-depth guide to develop and structure these relationships -- from finding prospective referral partners to coming up with a compensation structure to things you should include in a Letter of Agreement or contract to ensure the relationship begins -- and ends -- the way it should.

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Here is an excerpt from the report:

Risk vs. Reward and the Role of Resources
The more risk you take on (i.e., investment in materials, free programs for the recruiting firm's clients), and the more resources you commit (developing custom forms and templates, meeting with clients at the recruiting firm's offices because that is more convenient for them), the greater the share of the project fee you should reap.

You might consider different fee-splitting percentages, depending on the arrangement:
  • Seeing clients at your office vs. at the recruiter's office vs. virtually
  • If you are collecting the fee vs. if they are soliciting the funds and then paying you (thus allowing them to "use" the money in the meantime).
If it's up to you to structure the agreement, write it in such a way that is favorable to you, and be prepared to negotiate the details, if necessary.

As a general guideline: The more resources you commit to the project, the greater your share of the project fee should be.

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I conducted interviews with resume writers who currently are in strategic alliances and/or partnerships with recruiters or headhunters and there are also five case studies in the report detailing their experiences. Report also includes Frequently-Asked Questions.

The "Developing Strategic Alliances and Partnerships with Recruiters" special report is just $27 and is available for immediate download.

In addition, I'm doing a special giveaway ... Suggest a topic for a future Resume Writers' Digest Special Report (using the comments section below) and I'll pick one random entry to win a free copy of another one of my special reports, "Maximizing Your Cash Flow: Subcontracting and Referral Relationships." Limit one entry per person. Comment deadline: 2/28/11. Winner will be notified via e-mail.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Media Tips for Resume Writers: Looking Good on TV

Media training is a topic I’m very passionate about — my bachelor’s degree is in public relations and I recently conducted a training session for one of my (non-resume-related) clients. I'd like to share with you some tips for looking good in a TV interview.

77% of adults say they watch local broadcast news several times a week or daily. Clearly, the media could be important in helping you reach job seekers and those in need of a resume or update.

The first thing to remember when trying to project this friendly, expert version of yourself is, “The only thing you have complete control over in an interview is you.” 

You can take control of any interview by remembering this simple point: The person interviewing you may direct the questions and topics, but you, the interviewee, have 100% control over your answers.

If you want to get your point across, it’s important to be clear exactly what your message is. But do it in a conversational style.

Two Answers
Don’t worry too much about the questions you’ll be asked in an interview. For any question, there are exactly two answers:
1)    Either you know the answer
2)    Or you don’t, and you say, “I don’t know” and steer the conversation back to something you do know.

It's All About The Visuals
In contrast with print interviews, TV is a visual medium — preparing how you look is as important as preparing what you say.

You’ve probably heard that the camera adds 10 pounds, but did you know that it can also suck the energy out of you? Someone who speaks with normal energy in a one-on-one conversation comes across as flat and monotone on TV. So it’s important to dial up your enthusiasm a notch or two for TV.

Also, smile! Smiling is a good strategy anytime you are in front of a TV camera. Most of the time, when we’re listening to someone else, we have a blank expression on our face — but on TV, a blank expression comes across as a frown. Keep a slight smile on your face — not a huge grin, just show a few teeth and raise your cheeks slightly.

By the way, the reason why it appears that the camera adds 10 pounds is that many people lean backwards in their chair, when they should be leaning forward. If you sit back and relax in your chair, your head will be further away from the camera than your stomach. Unfortunately, the camera latches on to whatever is closest...your gut!

Don’t sit up perfectly straight either – you’ll appear stiff and nervous.

Lean in
Instead, for seated interviews, sit up and lean forward about 15 degrees towards the camera. This will make you appear taller, thinner, younger, and leaner.

Also, it’s okay to move around a bit in a TV interview — if you sit too still, you’ll look stiff and unnatural.

One of the best things you can do to improve your performance is to watch a videotape of your interview and get feedback from other people as well. You will always find something to work on.

For example, in December, I was on the Channel 3 mid-day news with Sheila Brummer, promoting one of my client’s events. I thought it went really well — I had my smile going, I got my lean just right, I was expressive … I got in all of my sound bites … but the first thing my TV producer brother said to me when he saw me was, “Absolutely!”

It turned out that I had used the word “absolutely” four times in a two-minute interview. That may not seem like a lot, but trust me, in watching it back, it was a lot. So that’s something I’ll be conscious of next time.

Most often, you’ll notice a lot of uhhs and umms from jittery interview guests. You can avoid this by simply slowing down a bit.

Clothes Make the Man (or Woman)!
Probably the biggest question I get asked is what to wear — and what not to wear — on TV. In general, don’t wear shirts with busy patterns. For men, a light colored shirt with a dark jacket works well. For women, solid colored shirts in dark colors work well.

And women, don’t wear a tight-necked shirt. Usually, they’ll want to thread a wireless mike under your clothes and clip it at the top of your shirt, so a button-up shirt works well.

The best advice I can give you is to notice what the anchors are wearing next time you tune into the news.

In general, with TV interviews:
•  Ignore the camera
•  Make eye contact with your interviewer
•  Look alert and interested

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Guest Blog Post: The K.E.Y. To Becoming a Successful Ebook Writer

By Jimmy D. Brown

There must be some reason why certain ebook writers are successful and others are not.

In other words, why do some authors make hundreds -- or thousands of dollars each month -- and others barely make enough to cover their credit card processing fees?

There must be some reason for the difference in level of success, right?

There is.

In fact, there are three "reasons" why that I want to share with you now. I've used the word "K.E.Y." as an acronym to reveal these three elements of successful ebook publishing.

1. K = KEEP it concise.  

One of the biggest mistakes ebook writers make is starting their project with the idea in mind that their ebook must be a certain number of pages in length.

That is, they assume the ebook should be 50 pages or 100 pages or even 200 pages in order to be desirable to consumers.

Wrong.  Ding. Thanks for playing.

Much more important than QUANTITY is QUALITY.  Almost every potential customer in your target market is considerably more interested in learning something useful than they are reading a bunch of commentary that has little or no real value to them.

The ability to concisely (yet comprehensively) share content that is practical is a must if you want to be successful in the information business.  No fluff.  No filler.  No fat.  Just the meat.

That's what readers want.  Especially today in our fast-paced, instant, I-want-it-now society.

And chances are you are much more likely to write a 30-page manual to help your clients create an online profile for job searching and get it done than you are to slave over trying to measure up to a 200-page masterpiece.

Your first key to success is "keep it concise." Share what you need to share in the least amount of pages as possible. It doesn't have to be the great American novel.  This isn't Hemingway.  

2. E = ENJOY yourself.

I simply must mention that if you enjoy your "work" then you are exponentially more likely to complete your ebooks than those who reluctantly or grudgingly write.

Seriously, don't underestimate what I'm saying here. You'll get much more done as a writer by having fun with your subject matter.

That's the beauty of information publishing.  YOU get to pick the topic.  A topic of interest -- of passion -- to you as the author.  Something you find enjoyable, even exhilarating.

To be sure, you want to choose topics that are in demand and have a ready-made audience awaiting who are willing to purchase them.  But, at the same time, you can look for those marketable topics that appeal to your interests and expertise.

(It's a natural that resume writers have lots of topics that will be of interest to job seekers.)

I don't care how "profitable" a subject may be, I'd never take it on as a project of mine unless I got some sense of satisfaction or enjoyment in writing about it.

Instead, look for those things that you are already talking about anyway.  And then write what you've been talking about.

3. Y = YIELD results.

Finally, I must exhort you to "yield results."  That is, you simply must stick to it and finish the job.

I cannot tell you how many people that I've met online who struggle with the affliction "short-of-the-finish-line-itis."

They begin running the race with gusto.  They pick their topic like it was a Nike outfit.  They outline their ebook like they just heard the starting gun fire.  They come up with ideas to include in their work like they were sprinting down the track.

And when they round the first corner, they start slowing down.  Before they know it, they're up in the stands watching others cross the finish line.

That's why I am adamant about telling you the golden rule of ebook content:
Never start something you can't finish in 30 days.

With any new ebook you are planning on writing, choose the topic and outline it in such a way that you can complete the content within one calendar month.  Anything that goes beyond that period of time is likely going to be discarded somewhere past the starting gate and before the finish line.

It's important that you set for your goal a reasonable, reachable amount of pages for your ebook ... such as 30 pages.  Then, divide that goal number of pages into your 30 days.  In this example, it would mean writing just ONE page per day (very realistic!) for 30 days and your ebook will be completed.

Victory!  The finish line!

Certainly there are a wide variety of other "keys" to being successful as an ebook writer (choosing the right topics, learning to outline well, brainstorming ideas, marketing, etc.) but these three form a solid foundation for you to build upon as you continue to learn more about information publishing.

K = KEEP it concise.
E = ENJOY yourself.
Y = YIELD results.

See you on your victory lap!

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Jimmy D. Brown is the author of, "5 Keys To A Big-Profit, S.M.A.L.L. Reports Business."  To download your free copy, visit http://www.SmallReportsFortune.com

Clipart courtesy of http://www.freeclipartnow.com

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Results of Subcontracting Survey: Show Me the Money!

One of the most frequently asked questions I get from resume writers who are considering subcontracting for other firms is: How much does it pay?

The second Subcontracting Survey was completed by 33 respondents. Ninety percent of those currently work as subcontract writers, either for an individual or a firm.

Results are pretty evenly split between writers who only work for one individual/firm and those who write for multiple individuals and firms.

The average pay for a subcontract project is below rates that individual resume writers could earn on a project they marketed and managed themselves, but that’s part of the trade-off. In exchange for having someone else handle more of the client management tasks, contract writers can focus on content development.

Average pay per project:
$50 or less -- 0%
$51-$100 -- 27%
$101-$150 -- 18%
$151-$200 --  33%
$201-$250 -- 6.5%
$251-$300 -- 9%
$301-$400 -- 6.5%
$401-$500+ -- 0%

Most resume writers are paid a flat fee per completed project (82 percent of those responding), versus a percentage of the client fee. None of the writers who responded are paid by the hour, although these arrangements do exist. For those who are paid a percentage of the project, the usual portion for the resume writer is 21-35% of the project fee.


You can read the full survey results in the "Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor" Special Report, published by Resume Writers' Digest. The cost is just $20 for the 40+ page report. (It also includes qualifications required for contractors and listings for a couple dozen firms seeking subcontractors, including type of work performed/specialties, turnaround times, and -- in many cases, what they pay.)










You can also read the complete results of the 2008 Resume Writers' Digest Subcontracting Survey in our three-post series from September 2009.

ExecuNet White Paper: How to Make Your Resume Recruiter Ready

ExecuNet (a national business referral network with a private membership site) is offering job seekers a free report, "How to Make Your Resume Recruiter Ready" by ExecuNet Contributing Editor Marji McClure (presumably as a way to build up their opt-in e-mail list -- a great technique, by the way!). Thanks to Kathy Hansen of Quintessential Careers for bringing this to my attention in her Feb. 14 blog post on the subject.

The special report is an excerpt from a full-length article available only to paid subscribers of the ExecuNet service. While the special report is interesting, I will caution you about directing your clients to the special report, as it is focused on making the resume recruiter ready. Because the survey subjects were primarily recruiters (as opposed to hiring managers specifically or HR personnel), they often have special needs/requirements for the resume that other target audiences might not express as preferences... and, consequently, things you might not put into the resumes you write that aren't being sent to recruiters.

For example, "some recruiters" in the survey want candidates to include specific years of employment dates and college graduation dates -- and while there is some disagreement within the careers industry on this practice, certainly most resume writers will disagree with one expert quoted in the article who says that 30 percent of the resume should focus on the job seeker's work history from 10-20 years ago, and 10 percent on 20+ years ago. Conventional wisdom in the resume writing field is that the resume should include the work history for the past 10-15 years, unless there are compelling reasons to go back any further in time than that.

There is some good information that should be shared with job seekers in the report.
What can resume writers do with this report?

  • Quote from it. I'm always looking for research that dispels the One-Page Resume Myth. I'd prefer the raw data to use to substantiate this, but you could cite this report as another example of one in which hiring experts feel that the resume length should correspond to the accomplishments of the job seeker.
  • Use it as inspiration for conducting your own research and writing your own report. You could do a survey within a specific industry you specialize in (finance, for example) or within your geographic target area.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Resume Writer's Resource: Recruiters Connection

Looking for recruiters to recommend to your clients? Take a look at Recruiters Connection. It's a national directory of recruiting firms. You can search geographically, by industry, and by keyword.


They also offer what they call "Train and Gain" webinars. Many of these are free. Check it out!

Work-at-Home Opportunities (updated 2/2011)

On her  show last week, radio talk show host Kim Komando spoke with an Iraq veteran who was looking for work-at-home opportunities. She posted an updated list of opportunities her staff had researched on her "Picks of the Week" page, and I've linked to that article here. This is a great resource to share with your clients -- or to use yourself, if you're looking for additional income.

Several of the firms mentioned for work-at-home customer service jobs were the same ones I identified in a September 2010 blog post on the topic. One of the most consistent hirers is West (headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, my hometown.)


(If you are looking for additional income, consider subcontracting as a resume writer. There are many resume writers who work for other firms -- in addition to their own resume writing practice, or instead of it! by contracting as a resume writer.)

Day 3: Valentine's Day and Resume Writing!

Several years ago, I wrote a news release entitled, "Looking for a Job is a Lot Like Looking for Love." I wrote about it in a previous blog post (2007), but today's post is not specifically about getting publicity for your resume writing business. (If it was, I should have written this post two weeks ago, because tying your business to a special event through publicity requires a bit of lead time!)


Tying your resume writing business to a special event (or holiday, in this case), can be done in a couple of ways:
  • Write a themed blog post. One of my favorite for Valentine's Day is Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter's story about how she and her husband met (on Match.com).
  • Host a sale or special offer. This can be a one-day, one-week or month-long special -- a "We Love Our Customers" promotion, a gift with purchase, or if you sell information products, a bundle offer.
  • Send cards to your customers. Several resume writers send out Christmas or holiday cards to their clients -- but how many of them send them for Valentine's Day? This type of keep-in-touch marketing can spur repeat business and referrals.
If you're planning on tying your resume writing business to a holiday, be sure to give it some thought a few weeks ahead of time, and get the word out in advance. (And consider creating a public relations campaign around your efforts too! You'll find some good resources in this previous blog post.)

This is the third in a series of blog posts as part of "The Jessica Swanson 50-Day Blog Post Challenge." Today's challenge is: "Relate your small business to a special event."


Clip art courtesy of 1ClipArt

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Day 2: Biased "Resume Writer" Evaluation Websites

I wrote about this type of website before -- the website that purports to "rate" professional resume writing services, but is really a shill (or shell!) site for a resume writing company with multiple websites. My initial post on the subject got more than 20 responses.

Here's the latest website of this type -- Resume Shopper.


My problem with Resume Shopper is that they advertise The "Top 7 Resume Sites" but it appears to be a site that resume sites can pay to advertise one (and therefore be listed as a "TOP" resume site). Furthermore, in looking at the sites that are linked, it appears that they are all owned by the same company, as the contact information for many of the sites is "535 W. South Boulder Road, Suite 240, Lafayette, CO 80026." (That's the contact address for KSA-Help, Federal-Resumes.us, Career Change Resumes, and Entry-Level-Resumes.)

Furthermore, although Resumes Guaranteed lists "Andrew Greenstein" as a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (which he is), according to their website, he's not using the official PARW logo, which is strange. Here are the logos he displays:



1-on-1-resumes, which Greenstein also owns, is also listed as one of the "Top 7" sites. Resume Perfection, another of the sites listed, has the same design/structure as 1-on-1 Resumes and even references 1-on-1 Resumes:


I think this is deceptive advertising. There is certainly nothing wrong with having multiple sites dedicated to different segments of the job market (i.e., an executive-targeted site, a new-college-grad website, etc.), but setting up a website that purports to be an objective source of information about resume writing services (saying, "NO resume service is permitted to advertise here until they have been thoroughly reviewed and tested by our analysts") is misleading to consumers.

And it reflects poorly on our industry. This is a scam that reputable resume writers don't engage in.

This is the second in a series of blog posts as part of the "The Jessica Swanson 50-Day Blog Post Challenge." Today's challenge is: "Expose a scam in your industry."

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Facebook Fan Page Resources

Great blog post by Joan Stewart (The Publicity Hound) about what to do if your Facebook Fan Page disappears.  The best resource in the blog post is Facebook expert Mari Smith's listing of 120+ Facebook forms that will help you reach the right person.

Day 1: What I Love About the Careers Industry

Today is the first day in my quest to complete "The Jessica Swanson 50-Day Blog Post Challenge."

Today's blog post is based on Idea #49: Talk about what you love about your industry.


There is lots to love about the careers industry. For one thing, there is a spirit of cooperation (not competition) that I've seen throughout my 15 years of involvement in the industry ... and that hasn't diminished, even though resume writers now technically "compete" against one another for clients (which wasn't the case as much in the 1990s, when geography primarily determined which resume writer you worked with). From sharing ideas and information on e-lists and at conferences, I was amazed at how much resume writers were willing to share with their colleagues ... and this hasn't changed.

The careers industry is also great for someone like me, with what I call "mild ADD." I'm your typical entrepreneur -- I like wearing lots of hats, and I get bored if I work on the same thing every day. The careers industry is perfect for this. I can write resumes for a huge variety of industries (if I want -- or I can specialize). If I don't want to write resumes, I can be a career coach. I can teach job interviewing skills. I can produce informational products for job seekers. I can work for myself, or I can be a subcontract writer and never have to talk to a job-seeker directly, if I don't want to. I can write career-related books. And I can do all of those things in the same week, if I want.

There's always something new to learn in the careers industry. It's like being a scientist, or a pioneer. You're constantly learning new things and testing new theories. Fifteen years ago (heck, 5 years ago!), there wasn't social media. Writing LinkedIn profiles for clients are all the rage now. Looking back at the January/February 2000 issue (11 years ago), you can see how things had changed. Back then, I remember, working from a home office was pretty hotly debated. Now 76% of resume writers work from a home office (according to the 2009 Resume Writers' Digest Industry Survey). Also in that issue was an article, "Resumes Stink: Start Asking for a Portfolio." Funny.

The careers industry is also great because it offers the potential for great income for resume writers. Whether you write 1-2 resumes a week or 10 or more, you can make a couple hundred dollars, up to a six-figure income. It all depends on what you want to specialize in, what kinds of clients you want to work with, whether you want to work with clients yourself or subcontract, and how much you charge.

What do you love about the careers industry? Leave me a comment below.