Career Industry Conference Update: 2024

This year (2024) marks the 25th anniversary of my first resume writing conference appearance (the 1999 NRWA Conference in New Orleans).

I’ll be attending the 2024 NRWA conference virtually (and you can too – link below).

This is an update to a post from September 2023 (which was an update to a November 2019 post (“Have You Ever Been to a Resume Writing Conference?”), which built on a post from August 2011 (“When Is the Omaha Conference?”)

The 2023 NRWA Conference was awesome — great content, fabulous friends, and an incredible destination (Colorado Springs, CO). 

Here’s the breakdown of where the national resume writing organizations have had their conferences in recent years. (I’ve bolded the ones I attended.)

The National Resume Writers' Association (NRWA):
2024 – Providence, RI (scheduled for Oct. 8-10, 2024 with virtual attendance available as well) 

2023 – Colorado Springs, CO

2022 - New Orleans, LA 

2021 – NRWA Virtual Conference

2020 – NRWA Virtual Conference
2019 - NRWA Conference at Sea (Cruise to the Bahamas)
2018 - Seattle, Washington
2017 - Chicago, Illinois
2016 - Annapolis, Maryland
2015 - Charlotte, North Carolina
2014 - Denver, Colorado
2013 - Chicago, Illinois
2012 - Charleston, South Carolina
2011 - Portland, Maine
2010 - Fort Worth, Texas
2009 - Annapolis, Maryland
2008 - San Diego, California
2007 - Savannah, Georgia
2006 - Phoenix, Arizona
2005 - Stamford, Connecticut
2004 - Nashville, Tennessee
2003 - Seattle, Washington
2002 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2001 - San Antonio, Texas
2000 - Las Vegas, Nevada
1999 - New Orleans, Louisiana
1998 - Chicago

This year (2024) will be my 14th NRWA conference (and third one I’m attending virtually).

Career Directors International:
2016 - Present: No conference
2015 - Entrepreneurial Success Secrets Live for Career Professionals: Orlando, Florida
2014 - Global Career Empowerment Summit: SOAR — Orlando, Florida
2013 - Global Career Empowerment Summit: Your Big Breakthrough — Orlando, Florida
2012 - Global Career Empowerment Summit: Blaze Your Trail — San Diego, California
2011 - Global Career Empowerment Summit: Jump On Board the Success Express — Savannah, Georgia
2010 - Global Career Empowerment Summit: You Selected & We Delivered: The Most Outrageously Power-Packed Career Conference Yet — San Diego, California
2009 - Global Career Empowerment Summit: Take Your Career to New Heights — Orlando, Florida
2008 - Annual Conference: Get Super with CDI — Seattle, Washington
2007 - Annual Conference: The Future is You! — San Antonio, Texas
2006 - Annual Conference: Live the Dream — Orlando, Florida (PRWRA)
2005 - Annual Conference: Play to Win — Las Vegas, Nevada (PRWRA)
2004 - Indianapolis, Indiana (PRWRA)
2003 - New Orleans (PRWRA)
2002 - Atlanta, Georgia (when the organization was still PRWRA)

(Thank you to Laura DeCarlo for help assembling the conference titles and locations!) I was never able to make a CDI conference (they were often in October and conflicted with my UNO Hockey obsession).

Career Management Alliance (no longer in business as of August 2011):
2011 - Las Vegas, Nevada
2010 - New Orleans, Louisiana
2009 - San Antonio, Texas
2008 - Minneapolis, Minnesota
2007 - Louisville, Kentucky
2006 - ??
2005 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (when it was still Career Masters Institute)
2004 - Atlanta, Georgia (CMI)
2003 - Kansas City, Missouri (CMI)
2002 - San Diego, California (CMI)

Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches
2025 – Chicago, Illinois (Thrive 2025)

2024 – Orlando, Florida (Thrive Orlando 2024)

2023 – Orlando, Florida (Thrive Orlando 2023)

2022 – Clearwater, Florida (Thrive 2022)

2021 – Virtual Conference

2020 – No conference due to COVID

2019 - St. Pete Beach, Florida
2005-2018: No conference
2004 - St. Pete Beach, Florida
2003 - Las Vegas, Nevada
2002 - Dallas, Texas
2001 - Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida
2000 - Toronto, Canada
1999 - Colorado Springs, Colorado

PARW/CC held conferences from 1999-2004 but then discontinued conferences in 2004. The conferences returned in 2019. The 2025 one is the first conference for the organization being held outside of Florida since 2003.

Associations for Professional Resume Writers (updated 2018)

I had previously written a blog post about professional resume writing associations, but that was several years ago, and it's out of date now!

Consequently, here's an update!

If you're looking for networking opportunities, certifications, industry research, information, and more, there are several associations devoted to the professional resume writing and careers industry.

These include:

• Career Directors International (CDI). Originally founded as the Professional Resume Writing and Research Association (PRWRA), this association is run by Laura DeCarlo. Dues are $267/year or $25/month (first month is $97, then $25 thereafter). The organization offers several certifications, including the Certified Advanced Resume Writer (CARW), Certified Expert Resume Writer (CERW), Certified Resume Specialist (CRS), and Master Career Director (MCD) designations. It also offers an annual resume writing awards contest: the Toast of the Resume Industry (TORI) awards. There used to be an annual conference in Florida, but it's apparently on hiatus at the moment.
• Career Professionals of Canada. The pre-eminent organization for Canadian career professionals (including resume writers), CPC offers four credentials (Certified Resume Strategist, Certified Interview Strategist, Certified Employment Strategist, and Certified Career Strategist), a rigorous training program, and outstanding networking opportunities (including tele-networking as well as in-person meetups in Canada). Also offers CPC Award of Excellence, recognizing the accomplishments of professionals in the industry. One unique benefit for Canadian members is the opportunity to purchase group-rated liability insurance. Dues are $180/year (CAD).
• Career Thought Leaders (CTL). This organization, now owned by Marie Zimenoff, traces its roots to the Career Management Alliance (originally founded as the Career Masters Institute, or CMI). CMA was purchased by Kennedy Information (which became BNA Subsidiaries LLC), but they decided to close the organization. Wendy Enelow, the original owner of CMI, created CTL and the organization has regained the certifying authority for the Master Resume Writer (MRW) and Credentialed Career Manager (CCM) designations. The organization also offers certifications in personal branding, career transitions, resume and profile writing, the hidden job market, and social branding. The dues are different than most other professional organizations – a one-time fee of $399 earns you the title of "CTL Associate" with inclusion in a membership directory and discounts on CTL programs. The organization hosts an annual conference (symposium) -- the most recent one was in Spain in 2018. 
• CertifiedResumeWriters.com (part of The Career Experts). Not really an "association," this is an online directory for resume writers that has morphed into an "information resource site" for resume writers as well. Maria Hebda puts together an impressive line-up of teleseminars -- some geared towards member education and others designed to help members get exposure to jobseekers. There is also an active private Facebook group (membership in CRW not required to participate).  There is a one-time (lifetime) membership fee of $427.
• The National Resume Writers' Association (NRWA). This is a member-driven organization, with a volunteer board of directors. The association offers an annual conference (the 2018 conference is in Seattle) and rigorous certification -- the Nationally Certified Resume Writer credential. It also offers one of the best resume writing training programs -- Writing Excellence -- available as both a live training and on-demand. Writers can receive recognition for their work with the annual ROAR awards (Recognizing Outstanding Achievement in Resumes). Dues are $175/year.
• Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC). Founded and owned by Frank Fox, PARW was the "original" resume writing association, from which many other associations branched off. PARW offers the most common resume writing certification, the Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) credential. It also certifies individuals as Certified Employment Interview Professionals (CEIP) and Certified Professional Career Coaches (CPCC). The organization's newsletter, the PARW Spotlight, is the longest-running publication in the industry and its E-List is among the most comprehensive sources of information to get your questions about resume writing answered. The organization used to offer an annual conference, and it looks like it is coming back in 2019! Membership is $150/year (and has been since at least 2011).
• Resume Writing Academy (RWA). Not an association, really, the Academy is a training program originally developed by Louise Kursmark and Wendy Enelow, and now owned by Marie Zimenoff. Programs offered include E-Summits (webcasts) and a three-month resume writing training curriculum. Resume writers can earn the prestigious Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) credential, which is a preferred certification for many resume contracting firms as well as a certification in federal resume writing (with a self-paced training program) and social media (including LinkedIn) profile development.
• Resume Writer's Council of Arizona (formerly the Arizona Resume Writers' Association). This small group maintains a website to market members' services collectively to prospects in its geographic area. Membership is open to resume writers in Arizona. Dues are $125 for new members (including website listing) and $75/year to renew.

And, of course, there is BeAResumeWriter.com, my membership site for professional resume writers, offering resources to help you be more effective in your work and in your work with clients. Bronze members receive access to done-for-you content you can use with jobseekers, a new special report each month, and a new Career Worksheet each month (part of Evelyn Salvador's Career Worksheets for All Professions), plus access to Expert Interviews (live and recorded teleseminars and webinars on resume writing and business development topics) and the entire archive of back issues of Resume Writers' Digest. Bronze membership is $13/month (recurring payment) or $144/year.  Join here.

Did I miss any organizations? Let me know!

Reach Branding Certification Moves to Career Thought Leaders

Just announced, the Reach Personal Branding certifications will now be under the auspices of Career Thought Leaders.

CTL already offers its own certification, the Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) and took on the administration of the Master Resume Writer (MRW) and Credentialed Career Manager (CCM) after the dissolution of the Career Management Alliance.

The Reach Personal Branding process was developed by William Arruda. As part of the transition, Arruda -- as well as Reach collaborators Deb Dib and Susan Chritton -- will present a series of webinars to introduce CTL members to the personal branding process.

The first webinar will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 8 with Arruda presenting.

Learn more and register at http://bit.ly/BrandTrends17CTL

In addition, Reach certified professionals will be invited to attend the CTL conference in Baltimore in April. Because of this, CTL has extended the early registration discount until Feb. 15.

Learn more at http://bit.ly/ctlconf2017

Marie Zimenoff, CEO and owner of CTL says, "The CTL Board and I are excited about this transition and the richness personal branding can bring to your practice – from graduating students differentiating themselves in the marketplace to executives building a distinctive leadership brand."

Career Thought Leaders Under New Management

I received this email from Wendy Enelow today. Wendy and Louise have sold Career Thought Leaders and the Resume Writing Academy (RWA) to Marie Zimenoff!

We are delighted to introduce you to the new owner of Career Thought Leaders (CTL) and Resume Writing Academy (RWA): MARIE ZIMENOFF. Marie is the former President and Board Member of The National Resume Writers’ Association and the Colorado Career Development Association, and owner of A Strategic Advantage resume and coaching business in Fort Collins, Colorado. Her credentials include: a Master of Education in Human Resource Studies with a focus in Counseling and Career Development; Nationally Certified Counselor; Certified Personal Brand Strategist, Certified Career Management Coach, Certified Executive and Leadership Development Coach; and Nationally Certified Resume Writer. She has trained workforce development, college career services, and independent career professionals and presented at national conferences for The NRWA, NCDA, and NAWDP. Many of you already know Marie, but for those of who you don't, wait until you meet her! She is one of the brightest and most forward-thinking career thought leaders ...  someone we trust will nurture CTL and RWA ... someone we know will take these wonderful organizations and lead them to a higher level of excellence. We couldn't be more thrilled. Here are a few words that Marie wanted to share with everyone: It is my honor to join the Career Thought Leaders executive team and continue the dedicated efforts of Wendy, Louise, and the current/former advisory council members to advance the careers industry. Providing opportunities, resources, and training for my colleagues in the industry to stay abreast of rapid-changing trends and better serve their clients is my passion. I am excited to expand this joint mission of CTL and RWA. So, what does this change mean to you and to the programs already underway? Executive Resume E-Summit: New Formats, New Strategies, New Ideas  – March 20, 2015 I'll be teaching this program with Marie and am already working on the teaching guide. As always, Louise is preparing an exquisite portfolio of 30+ pages of executive resume samples and resources for all attendees. Click here to read program description and register. CTL Conference – April 17, 2015 Marie, Louise, and I are hard at work planning the CTL Conference – both the live (University of MD) and video-streaming events. We shared some conference details in an email last Thursday (February 19, 2015), so take a few minutes to read about our presenter, Gerry Crispin, and his program: "The Candidate’s Experience in 21st Century Recruiting: Data, Influencers & Experiences from 95,000 Job Seekers Worldwide." All program details and registration information will be posted on the website shortly. CTL Associates You'll continue to enjoy all of the benefits of your CTL affiliation! Watch for an email from Marie in a few days with details for your upcoming quarterly call with CTL Board Members Michelle Carroll and Ruth Winden. They'll be leading a discussion about the latest trends in career coaching. Great people, great information, and great colleague-to-colleague interaction! If you're ready to become a CTL Associate and take advantage of the brainstorming calls, program discounts, special opportunities, and more, watch for an email from Marie later this week with a special incentive as she welcomes each and every one of you into the CTL community! Click here to read about all of the benefits that CTL Associates receive. Current RWA Certification Students Louise and I will continue to work with all students currently enrolled in RWA. All new students will have the pleasure of working with Marie and her team as they make the RWA certification program even stronger. Click here to read about the certification program and what a tremendously positive difference it will make in your writing skills! Louise and I put a great deal of thought into our decision to sell CTL and RWA and finding the "right" person to assume leadership. The ideas, energy, and expertise that Marie has made her the perfect candidate, and we couldn't be more excited. Plus, we still get to be involved with great programs and events, without having to manage day-to-day operations. Perfect for everyone involved! Be sure to add (Marie's email addresses) to your address book so you'll be certain to receive her messages and opportunities. We'll be sharing a lot with you this week as we work through the transition to make CTL and RWA even better than before! We'd like to close this message by sending our deepest thanks to every one of you who reads our messages, participates in CTL and RWA training programs and opportunities, contributes your knowledge and expertise as a CTL Associate or blogger, and all of the other ways we've interacted over many years.  We're forever indebted that you've allowed us to be a part of your professional lives and hope that we can continue to be colleagues for years and years to come!

Resume Writers: Have You Found the Secret Room?

Last year, I delivered a teleseminar for the National Resume Writer's Association on: "Ask Better Questions; Write Better Resumes."

Asking clients the right questions to uncover their skills, gifts, and accomplishments isn't always easy.

In addition to the strategies I outline in the teleseminar, and in my book, "Write Great Resumes Faster," check out the "Secret Room" -- 20 industry-specific questions for professions -- compiled by Career Thought Leaders.

You can find them here:
http://www.careerthoughtleaders.com/secret-room/

© Ainoa - Fotolia.com

I'm a Government Employee, And My Training Budget Has Been Cut

In the weeks leading up to this year's NRWA conference, the government sequester led numerous government agencies — including several that provide career services — to cut their budgets, including funds available for employees to attend conferences and online trainings.

On the NRWA E-List, a government employee expressed her regrets that she would not be in Chicago next week because her agency did not have the funds to send her. A self-employed resume writer replied that she should consider paying to attend the conference herself.

I've thought about this for a few weeks now, and wanted to address this topic in a blog post.

As a self-employed resume writer myself, I've never had the luxury of applying for training funds to cover my professional association dues, online training program registration fees, or conference expenses (including airfare, hotel rental, conference registration, and meals/entertainment).

When I choose to participate in these activities, I am making an investment in myself, my business … and, most important, my clients. When times are tight, I might only invest a small amount — buying a new reference book or two, registering for a NRWA teleseminar (only $19.99 as a member), or one of Wendy and Louise's E-Summits (for $69).

But every couple of years at least, I invest more. Next week, I'll be in Chicago for the NRWA conference. The investment will be significant. Usually, I estimate that conference attendance for one person averages $1200 (including transportation, hotel, meals, and conference registration fees). The Chicago conference will be substantially more for me, not only because I'm bringing along my husband (it will be his fourth conference, but the first one he's actually registered to attend the sessions), we're exhibiting (to promote Resume Writers' Digest and BeAResumeWriter.com), and the discounted rate at the Courtyard by Marriott Magnificent Mile Downtown Chicago is $184/night plus tax.

I wrote a blog post earlier this year about "If You Want to Keep Earning, You Need to Keep Learning."

The same is true for government employees. If your agency has cut its training budget, consider making a personal investment in your skill development. For one thing, your clients will benefit. Second, YOU will benefit. Not only will you improve your knowledge, but you'll also be gaining networking connections and marketing skills that can benefit you should your job be in jeopardy from further government cuts. You can write resumes and see clients as a part-time job, and if you are furloughed, you can make up lost income through private work.

It's probably too late for you to sign up for Chicago, but the Career Directors International conference is coming up in October, and Career Thought Leaders is returning to an in-person format in Baltimore (plus an online component) next March.

If you're a government employee, an employee of a college or university, or a self-employed resume writer … invest in yourself!

Personal Branding: An Interview with Susan Chritton

What makes you stand out? How will people remember you?

Personal Branding for Dummies

These are important questions for resume writers to ask clients -- and ask ourselves! I had the opportunity to chat with/interview Susan Chritton, author of "Personal Branding for Dummies" in a Colleague-to-Colleague discussion series as part of the Career Thought Leaders Virtual Conference earlier this week, and I wanted to share some of her insights into personal branding, and how a few simple questions can help resume writers more easily create a theme for their clients' career communication documents.

Chritton is an Executive Career Coach and branding strategist who was mentored by the "godfather" of personal branding, William Arruda. She says her personal mission is to "educate and empower others to use their gifts in the world." I am confident she will reach this goal, as the information she shared during her presentation at the CTL conference — and her willingness to share her ideas with me during this call — was both informational and inspirational.

Question: As a resume writer, I don't often have a lot of time to explore a client's personal brand like a career coach would. How can a resume writer quickly ascertain a client's personal brand?

Chritton: Personal branding can be distilled into two concepts: "What do I think of me?" and "What do they think of me?" So one way to get to someone's personal brand is to ask them this: "Give me five words to describe yourself," and then "What are 2-3 words someone else might describe you as?" People are generally harder on themselves than others would be, so this gives insight into how they want to be seen (by others).

Chritton noted that if clients are receptive to this kind of work, you can give them homework (or a self-study assignment). In chapter 4 of the book, there is a personal brand profile worksheet (pictured) that they can use to develop their personal brand statement. You can then incorporate that into the documents you create.

She also said that one key is getting the client to "get out of themselves" and get a different perspective on how to articulate their brand. Two good questions for this, Chritton said, are: "Who are your competitors (for the job) and describe the qualities they possess." And then follow up with, "Which of those qualities do you have?" Chritton finds that often what clients say in response to these two questions "describes (the client) at their best."

Question: You talk about being authentic in personal branding. How might we get to someone's authenticity (again, quickly!)?

Chritton: Get people to "light up" and talk about themselves. Ask them, "What do you do that is different than others (who do what you do) — maybe something that people don't know about you, or that doesn't seem relevant."

She shared the story of a recent client, a business analyst who, she discovered, is also an accomplished drummer. Once she discovered that fact, she was able to use more colorful words to describe the client. The patterns in music mirrored the patterns the individual was able to see in data analysis. This was a key component of the client's personal brand.

Chritton said resume writers can use their "B.S. meter" to make sure that the client's brand that they are articulating is authentic to them. She shared the story of one young client, in his mid-twenties, who had crafted a personal brand that wasn't authentic. This became clear when the candidate would land interviews, but no job offers. Hiring managers quickly saw through the "style" of his brand and found there was no "substance" to back it up. "If you haven't been completely honest (in developing your personal brand), you won't get the response you're seeking," Chritton noted.

Question: Where do you see personal branding going next?

Chritton: "I hope more and more people use personal branding, because it humanizes people, and helps companies find the right people."

More and more companies are using personal branding, which gives her "a lot of hope" because "personal branding is the ultimate diversity" tool.

Half of the work Chritton is currently doing involves corporate coaching and personal branding consulting within organizations — she is often hired by the company itself, but sometimes by executives directly to work with them. She says the hardest part of this work is the diverse skill set it requires. "In working with corporate clients, you have to be a good coach, a good writer, you have to be social media savvy, and you have to have experience with video," she noted. (Video is an emerging area. She sees more and more of personal branding moving to video.) Chritton points to the video on her LinkedIn profile as an example of this in action.

No matter what the format — resume, LinkedIn profile, video — Chritton says the essence of personal branding work is "representing the client in the best, most honest way."

Connect with Your Colleagues ... Even If You're an Introvert

At yesterday's Career Thought Leaders Career Brainstorming Day 2012 session, we talked about assessment tools resume writers and career coaches can use with their clients -- and one of the most-frequently used tools is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). (You can take a free online test to determine your four-letter personality type here.)

If your results indicate that you are an Introvert, you may find it difficult to connect with your colleagues — but this connection can be essential to your success as a resume writer.

You may think that being introverted means that a person is shy. That's not necessarily the case. Introverts do tend to prefer one-on-one conversation over group meetings. They also tend to require a significant amount of quiet time to think and reflect.

Introverts are motivated internally. They are thinkers and can become so locked inside their own head that they appear cut off from others. These tendencies can make it difficult to meet people, make connections, and network. Yet connections can help you build your business.

When you meet the right people you...

• Can build a team of experts to support you to succeed
• Can forge powerful partnerships and increase profits and success
• Leverage relationships 
• Lead people within an organization (for example, a team of subcontractors)
• Build a community of followers, prospects, and customers

In short, relationships are essential for success. Yet introverts can struggle to meet people and forge these powerful and profitable relationships. Here are a few things you can do to meet more people if you're an introvert.

How to Meet People and Build Connections

#1 Set goals

Set a goal to meet one new person each day. This is easily done online — for example, on LinkedIn. (In most communities, you have to make a concerted effort to run into someone who will be a valuable connection for your resume writing business -- for example, another resume writer, a career coach, a therapist, a Realtor®, someone who works in a career services department.) But you can use LinkedIn's  "People You May Know" function to find at least one person to connect with on LinkedIn.

Remember, relationships build a business. The more people you know, the more opportunities you're exposed to.

#2 Build connections

As you begin meeting people, start asking those you connect with on a personal or professional level who they know. You can leverage 5 connections into 25 if each person you meet introduces you to 5 new people. Your network will begin to grow and you'll be meeting people who are like-minded. It's a wonderful way to build a support network.

#3 Set time aside 

Set time aside to recharge and refresh. This is particularly important if you're taking time to get out and meet new people. For example, if you spend an hour networking online, then make sure to schedule an hour of downtime that day too. It's too easy to become overwhelmed and burned out if you spend a lot of time networking and neglect the downtime an introvert requires.

Introverts have a spectacular ability to brainstorm, problem solve, innovate, and build a business. Yet the ability to meet new people and leverage relationships is a challenge. Appeal to your ability to connect with people on a one-on-one basis and start meeting more people in a relaxed and comfortable manner. There's no need to force yourself into a public speaking situation or into a large-scale networking group. Work to your strengths.

Career Thought Leaders Conference Goes "Virtual"

Big announcement from Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark today -- the Career Thought Leaders Conference and Symposium in 2013 will be a "virtual" event. Here is the email (with my thoughts below):

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RE: 2013 CTL Conference & Symposium - March 18, 19 & 20, 2013

We heard you! In fact, we heard you 10 years ago, 5 years ago, and just months ago. Conference expenses have gotten out of hand. Between registration, travel, hotel, meals, and miscellaneous, you've spent $1000-$2000, and it's just too much anymore.

The question then becomes ... How can CTL create a new conference experience that lives up to the standards of the past? A conference with outstanding educational and professional development programs in an environment that fosters networking, opportunities, partnerships, and other collaborations.

Our solution ... Create precisely what we've been doing all along, but bring it to you so that you don't have to travel to us!

What does that mean to you:

1. There are no plane or train tickets to buy, no hotel rooms to book, no meals to pay for, no tips to bell captains, no extra expenses at all, and that is a wonderful thing!

2. You'll be part of the first-ever, full-fledged, full-video conference within our industry. It's so exciting! As the careers-industry thought leaders, we should also be the careers-industry conferencing thought leaders. We need to take the lead and move forward, and that's exactly what we're doing.

Wait until you see all that this technology can do, from the video presentations to the live Q&A after each presentation, to your briefcase that automatically downloads and saves handouts and slides, to the numerous chat and social media venues. It is an extraordinary user experience (and an EASY one at that)!

3. Attendee registration pricing will remain the same! That is also a wonderful thing!

4. Our international colleagues will be able to attend! How fortunate for our Brainstorming Day team in the UK, our RWA students in South Africa and Lebanon, and our vast network of associates around the world. We're no longer limited by geographic boundaries, and that is the true value of our new virtual conference. We can ALL congregate, learn, share, brainstorm, and create an extraordinary experience.

What does this mean for our sponsors and exhibitors?

Instead of the traditional, 3-day, live exhibitor experience you're accustomed to, your new CTL Conference Exhibitor Hall is open for 6 months! Six months to reach out, build relationships, promote your products and services, and so much more.

The Exhibitor Hall opens January 1, 2013, and remains open until June 30, 2013. As soon as people register for the conference, they'll have immediate access to your booth so you can start to reap the benefits long before the actual conference begins!

For those of you who are tech-savvy exhibitors, wait until you see all that you can do with videos, downloads, interactive tools, social media, and more. It's very cool! For those of you, like me, who are less tech-savvy, creating simple signs and uploading pdf files is a snap.

If you already know you want to sponsor and/or exhibit, get in touch with me and we'll put things in motion. Some of you may want to begin thinking about and building your exhibitor booth now, with plenty of time before the beginning of the year.

The conference website will be live in a few weeks, and we'll begin the registration process for those of you who want to extend your payments. In the meantime, here's a quick overview of our conference program:

Monday, March 18, 2013 - Entrepreneurial Day

• Netweaving: Thought Leadership in Networking & Paying It Forward (Bob Littell, Netweaving International & The Enrichment Company)
• Sales, Marketing & Business Development: The 3 Essentials for Entrepreneurial Success (Denise Hedges, Business Breakthrough Institute)
• 4 P's of Profitability: Pricing, Packaging, Partnerships & Product Development (Wendy Enelow & Louise Kursmark of Career Thought Leaders & Resume Writing Academy; Amy Gubser of Careerlaunch USA)

Tuesday, March 19, 2013 - Resume Day (Resumes, Cover Letters, E-Notes, LI Profiles, Career Bios & More)

• Writing Resumes for Senior Management & C-Level Executives (Cheryl Simpson, Executive Resume Rescue)
• Writing Resumes for Graduating Students: Traditional & Not-So-Traditional (Chrystal McArthur, Senior Associate Director, Rutgers University)
• Writing Resumes for the "Average Joe" (Cathy Alfandre, Catherine A. Alfandre, LLC)
• Writing Resumes for Technology Professionals (Stephen Van Vreede, ITtechExec)
• Writing Resumes for Military-to-Civilian Transitions & Federal Opportunities (Diane Burns, Career Marketing Techniques)
• Writing Resumes for Career Changers (speaker pending)

Wednesday, March 20, 2013 - Coaching & Career Management Day

• Thought Leadership in Social Media for Career Professionals (Joshua Waldman, Author of "Social Media for Dummies")
• Career Planning, Development, Reinvention & Renewal (Carol Vecchio, Centerpoint Institute for Life & Career Renewal)
• Thought Leadership in Personal Branding for Your Clients & Yourself (Susan Chritton, Pathways Career & Life Strategies)
• Necessary Endings in Jobs, Careers, Industries, Professions & Life (Michelle Carroll, University of Maryland & Career Development Alliance)

As always, each day will be followed by Colleague-to-Colleague discussion groups on very specific topics centered on each day's theme. These are always popular programs, allowing you to share your knowledge and your voice with others in small, facilitated group discussions.

There is so much more to share about the conference, and I will do that over the coming months. Today's message was simply to let you know about the 2013 conference and all it has to offer.

Change can be difficult. I'm certain that some of you are reading this and questioning the whole virtual conference concept. Let me assure you, virtual or not, the conference will be filled with networking opportunities and the "touch and feel" that is so important to all of us. We need the time each year with our colleagues, to renew and re-energize, and we WILL make that happen!

Feel free to contact me (wendy@careerthoughtleaders.com) or Louise (louise@careerthoughtleaders.com) with any questions you may have.
Wendy S. Enelow, CCM, MRW, JCTC, CPRW
Author, Trainer & Career Consultant

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Here are my thoughts:

• Conference attendance is expensive. Wendy and Louise say $1000-$2000 -- my research indicates an average of $1200 for a resume writer to attend an in-person conference. That's approximately $400 for conference registration; $300 for travel (airfare); $400 for a couple nights at the conference hotel; and $100 for meals and incidentals. Cutting your cost to get access to great information by 1/3 can be a significant incentive for more careers industry pros to attend. And, as Wendy and Louise point out, this has the potential to draw more attendees from outside the U.S.

• In-person opportunities for resume writers and career industry practitioners to meet up are declining. One of the primary benefits of in-person attendance is the networking component. I'm not sure how the virtual format will facilitate this, although Wendy and Louise do reference the use of social media tools, Live Q&A feature, Colleague-to-Colleague discussions and other "networking opportunities." But there's no substitute for the time spent meeting new colleagues at breakfasts, lunches, dinners ... or in the hotel elevator! Many a subcontracting relationship has begun at a resume industry conference.

• There's something to be said about exposing yourself to new places. One of my favorite parts of attending a conference is traveling to someplace. Many of my conference experiences have been to places that were completely new to me (Philadelphia, New Orleans, Toronto, Tampa, Savannah, Scottsdale ... and now Charleston.) I don't know that the CTL conference benefited from this, though, because it was always held in Baltimore. The Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC) conference was similar -- every three years, it was held in Tampa, because that's where the organization's headquarters are. It may be just a coincidence that neither of these organizations have in-person conferences anymore, but there is something to be said about going new places and how it can energize your work and your business. (Having a conference in a new place each year is a huge burden for the conference planner, however!!)

• The decline in in-person conferences is a concern for the resume industry overall. While the loss of trade shows and conferences has been significant since 9/11, the resume industry is now down to two major conferences -- the National Resume Writers' Association conference (coming up Sept. 19-22 in Charleston, SC) and the Career Directors International (CDI) conference in San Diego in October. Both of these in-person conference are held in the Fall; it will be interesting if either of them change their dates in the future to fill this gap.

• There are lots of online training opportunities. There is already a lot of "competition" in this space. One significant difference between conferences and other training programs used to be that they were held in person. There are certainly a lot more online training and certification programs than there were in the days when there were four industry conferences (NRWA, CDI, Career Masters Institute/Career Management Alliance, and PARW/CC). The advantage of keeping the conference in the three-day format (with single-day registration options available) is that it focuses the training, rather than having it held over multiple weeks, as is the case with many online certification training programs (including Wendy and Louise's flagship training program, the Resume Writing Academy.)

• Technology is improving. Susan Whitcomb's organization, The Academies, is having it's second annual virtual bootcamp (in November of this year). By all accounts, it's a well attended event. And technology has improved to the point where you can get many of the five senses fulfilled with an online training. (Although the technological requirements for webinar/video can be quite steep -- cross-platform access can be a challenge. For example, you may need to install certain software or plug-ins to access some of these services, which some folks might not want to do. Not saying that's the case with the CTL program...) I'll be interested to learn what technology Wendy and Louise are using to fulfill the virtual conference. But the fact still remains that there is a lot of "clutter" when using technology -- and it's subject to unexpected glitches. I've conducted dozens of teleseminars, and the distractions of everyday life (barking dogs in the background, resume writers who are working on other things while they "participate" online) are definitely a challenge to deal with. That brings me to my next point...

• For you to get the most out of the conference, you need to devote time to it. I've been in conferences where a few resume writers are on their computers writing resumes during the conference. This format may benefit those who find it difficult to be "out of the office" for days at a time. It sounds as if the programs may be recorded, which would be useful as well. You'll get more out of the virtual conference if you participate "live." Again, another value of in-person programs is the live feedback and participation. (I can tell you that, as a presenter, you get a lot more out of programs with active participants than when you feel like you're talking to yourself.)

• Content is still king. There's no doubt that Wendy and Louise put on content-rich programs. And I can guarantee you, it's not much less work for the "dynamic duo" to have to put together a rich schedule of training online versus in-person. Looking at the program lineup, it's evident there is a ton of value in the 2013 program. What will be interesting is the lineup in future years -- there is a certain segment of the speaking community that prefers to do in-person trainings versus online. (Conversely, however, you might have access to even more speakers who are less expensive or more available for online trainings than in-person events.)

What do you think? Did I miss anything? Feel free to leave a comment below.

"Write Where The People Are"

Note from Bridget: Here's an excerpt from my "Using Content to Capture New Career Clients" teleseminar last week. I'm finishing editing the transcript today, and it will be posted to the Expert Interviews Series page on BeAResumeWriter.com by the end of the day today. (Note: Bronze members have access to all previous teleseminar recordings and transcripts; Free level members have access to the recordings only.)

As you work to develop a content marketing strategy for your resume writing business, I’m going to advise you to start with this important piece of advice: “Write where the people are.” 

So, to start with, that’s probably not your own blog. Probably the number one challenge that I see from resume writers is they say, “I’m putting this stuff out here and I’m not getting the people to visit my blog.” You have a hard time getting momentum or traction when you’re shouting in an empty forest. Go to the city. Go to where the people are. And so from that standpoint, focus on putting content where people already are and driving that traffic to your website then, to build your mailing list.

So where are the people? It depends on the kinds of jobseeker clients that you target, but some ideas can include guest posting on another resume writer’s blog or teaming up with a couple of other resume writers and blogging on a joint site, like Career Thought Leaders does. 

Another idea is pay-per-click advertising—go to the sites that are already getting traffic, like Facebook and LinkedIn and Google and use pay-per-click advertising. You can also sign up for a site like Careerealism which allows you to subscribe to be able to provide content on their site, which is very heavily trafficked by job seekers. You can send out press releases like we talked about. You can post articles on LinkedIn groups that target your jobseeker clients, especially within specific niches. You can post on article directories, although the caveat there is that they require unique content and that they don’t drive as much traffic to websites as they used to. And you can create joint venture partnerships.

The most important thing to remember, though, is to "Write where the people are." Before you can build your own tribe (followers, members, subscribers), start building a following.

Choosing a Professional Conference to Attend

A resume writer asked me yesterday about attending a professional conference. I believe that professional resume writers should be committed to their continuing education, and conference attendance is a part of that. I've attended a half-dozen conferences over the years, although it's been several years since my last one. I'm hoping to attend at least one in 2012.

With the cost to attend a professional conference now averaging $1300 ($400 registration fee; $350 hotel; $325 transportation, $125 food/beverage, $100 miscellaneous) -- not to mention income lost from being out of the office, you want to choose your conference wisely.

When evaluating conference attendance, consider these things:

Program: Is there a topic or program in particular that interests you? Review the conference program outline and decide which sessions you'd like to attend. Is there a particular area of your business or services that you want to learn more about? (i.e., LinkedIn profile development? Writing federal resumes?) See if there is a conference offering training on that subject area.

Organizer: Which organizations are you already a member of? As a member, you'll get a discount on their offerings. However, consider if you're going to get new ideas or information from this organization? If you’ve been participating in their other programs/offerings, you may find that the conference offers “more of the same” instead of new ideas and information.

Location: How easy/hard is it to get there from here? This can also be a factor in the cost. Can you drive? Flying? Airline travel can be unpredictable nowadays, so allow plenty of time to get to your destination in the event your flight is delayed or rescheduled.

Networking Opportunities. One of the strongest outcomes of conference attendance is the people you will be able to meet and connect with. Evaluate the speaker roster — are these folks within the industry who are sharing their expertise? How new is the information they are sharing (have you seen them presenting on this topic before at other conferences)? Then, consider the attendee roster. How many people typically attend the conference? What is the makeup of conference attendees? Are these the folks you want to connect with? For example, you might find that for one conference, attendees are 25% self-employed professionals, 20% military transition specialists, 40% career office staff (either government or educational institutions) and 15% “other.” Another might be 55% self-employed professionals, 30% career office staff, 10% military transition specialists, and 5% “other.” Consider who you want to connect with!

Consider attending a conference in 2012. Here are some of the upcoming offerings:

March 12-14, 2012 – Career Thought Leaders, Baltimore, MD

September 19-22, 2012 – National Resume Writers' Association, Charlotte, SC

October 11-13, 2012 – Career Directors International, San Diego, CA

Trends in Resumes and Career Marketing Communications

Where is the resume field headed? Get some insights on "Trends in Resumes & Career Marketing Communications" from Career Thought Leaders Deb Dib and Louise Kursmark.

I've been a resume writer since 1996. Certainly, a lot of things have changed in the careers industry during that time -- and things will continue to change in the future. But the need to assist job seekers with clarifying their job search goals and strategies and developing messaging content to fulfill that role will continue to be needed, both now and well into the future.

But even with changes in technology, the job search is still fundamentally about people. Connecting with the people with the authority to hire you. (There's a resurgent interest in networking -- both with and without social media -- which is interesting, because it's always been about connecting with other people.)