If You Want to Keep Earning, You Need to Keep Learning (Self-Improvement Series)

So far in the"Four Ways to Improve Your Life and Achieve Greater Success as a Resume Writer" series, we've talked about "The Power of Goal Setting" and "How Positive Thinking Can Change Your Life."

Today's focus in this four-part self-improvement series is "How to Fit Education Into Your Busy Life."

Attendee map at the 2012 NRWA Conference in Charleston.

One of the biggest challenges we have as resume writers is that our field is constantly changing. Technology has had a significant impact on the resumes we write. I look back to when I started my business 17 years ago, and how much has changed. And it's still changing. Look at how we've had to adapt our resumes to meet Applicant Tracking System requirements. Thinking about the rise and fall of the job board. Or the impact of social media on our clients' job searches.

It's clear that if we want to keep earning, we need to keep learning.

Improving your education broadens your horizons in so many positive ways.  You not only learn new skills and material that you can use with clients, you may also meet new people and make new professional contacts (depending on the educational format you choose). Another benefit to continuing your education is that it shows you are a motivated and goal-oriented person. Your career industry colleagues and resume clients will take notice. In short, it can open up opportunities that you never imagined.

There are many opportunities for resume writers to continue our education. There is formal schooling — for example, pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in human resources, psychology, communications, or a related field.

There are in-person workshops and seminars in your area – for example, training offered through the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and ASTD (dedicated to training and development) and their local chapters. (Both national organizations also offer online training.)

Two of the national resume writing associations offer in-person conferences. The National Resume Writer's Association's 16th annual conference is in September in Chicago. Career Directors International is holding its 2013 Global Career Empowerment Summit in Orlando in October.

There are online learning opportunities through the different career industry associations. In a world where time is money and we're all short on both, online education is in high demand. The benefits of online training are relatively apparent for anyone looking at furthering their education. By learning online, you not only save travel time, you are able to customize your education to fit your needs, time constraints, and financial priorities.

Because many courses are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, online education, trainings, and workshops allow you to learn when it is the most convenient for you. It makes life significantly easier for the busy resume writer.

In 2013, Career Thought Leaders held its first virtual conference, after several years of an in-person conference. You can access the recorded video sessions (each day had a specific "theme").

The National Resume Writer's Association offers affordable monthly teleseminars. They also offer a 10-part online training program about resume writing.

Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark offer quarterly E-Summits in addition to their flagship resume training and certification program, the Resume Writing Academy. You can also purchase recordings of the E-Summits. They also offer a 4-part Entrepreneurial Elegance program.

You can find links to most of these training opportunities -- as well as my own monthly free teleseminars on BeAResumeWriter.com. Bronze members of BeAResumeWriter.com also have access to all the recordings and transcripts of previous training sessions. (Many of these can also be purchased for $5 each.)

Also, check out my blog post about "Associations for Professional Resume Writers" for links to other organizations that might offer training and educational opportunities. You can also check out these Resources for Resume Writers.

There are also online training options that will help you become more proficient in Microsoft Word, for example. (YouTube videos also offer a number of free trainings on this topic, although the quality varies dramatically.)

Note: At some point, I'll have to put together a blog post on recommended books, special reports, and other resources. This blog post is by no means an exhaustive list of the training opportunities available for resume writers. Feel free to add other suggestions in the comments, and I'll work to incorporate them into the main post.

Check out the next post in this series: Leverage the Power of Groups for Success