2014 Toast of the Resume Industry Award Nominations Announced

2014 TORI Nominees

In no particular order: 

Best International Resume

  

Victoria McLean, City CV Ltd.
Rosa Vargas, Career Steering
Ashleyanne Spencer-Smith, Consilium Careers
Sandra Ingemansen, Résumé Strategies
Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume

Best New Graduate Resume

Tamara Dowling, SeekingSuccess.com
Sandra Ingemansen, Résumé Strategies
Adrienne Tom, Career Impressions
Sharon Williams, JobRockit
Rosa Vargas, Career Steering

Best Creative Resume

Ashleyanne Spencer-Smith, Consilium Careers
Laura Gonzalez, Masterwork Resumes
Rosa Vargas, Career Steering
Cheryl L. Simpson, Executive Resume Rescue
Marlene Cole, Pilbara Resumes

Best Accounting & Finance Resume 

  

Donald Burns, Donald Burns' Career Defense
Kimberly Robb Baker, Movin' On Up Resumes
Freddie Rohner, iHire, LLC
Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume
Michelle Dumas, Distinctive Career Services, LLC 

Best Information Technology (IT) Resume

Michelle Dumas, Distinctive Career Services, LLC
Adrienne Tom, Career Impressions
Ken Docherty, Docherty Career Management
Kimberly Robb Baker, Movin' On Up Resumes
Donald Burns, Donald Burns' Career Defense 

Best Executive Resume

Ken Docherty, Docherty Career Management
Sandra Ingemansen, Résumé Strategies
Kimberly Robb Baker, Movin' On Up Resumes
Rosa Vargas, Career Steering
Michelle Dumas, Distinctive Career Services, LLC 

Best Sales Resume

Karen D'Anna, Write On Resume Services
Cheryl L. Simpson, Executive Resume Rescue
Rosa Vargas, Career Steering
Leeza Byers, Byers Workforce Solutions
Donald Burns, Donald Burns' Career Defense 

    

Best Healthcare / Medical Resume

Kristin Johnson, Profession Direction
Sharon Williams, JobRockit
Kimberly Robb Baker, Movin' On Up Resumes
Rosa Vargas, Career Steering
Michelle Dumas, Distinctive Career Services, LLC 

Best Cover Letter

Barbara Safani, Career Solvers
Sharon Williams, JobRockit
Leeza Byers, Byers Workforce Solutions
Laura Gonzalez, Masterwork Resumes
Rosa Vargas, Career Steering

2014 TORI JUDGES & AWARD DIRECTOR    Special thanks to CDI's Director of Awards for coordinating the TORIs again this year: Robin Schlinger, Robin's Resumes ® Special thanks to 2014 tier one and tier two judges for their hard work this year:  Annemarie Cross - Advanced Employment Concepts Laurie Berenson - Sterling Career Concepts, LLC Erin Kennedy - Professional Resume Services Jeri Hird Dutcher - Workwrite Audrey Prenzel - Resume Resources Grant Cooper - CareerPro of New Orleans / Strategic Resumes Susan Guarneri - AssessmentGoddess.com Barb Poole - Hire Imaging, LLC Laura Labovich - The Career Strategy Group Marty Weitzman - Gilbert Resumes Michael Kranes - Resume Slayer Melissa Cooper - RezBiz, LLC Jill Kelly - Outplacement Australia / Career Edge

Are You An Award-Winning Resume Writer?

Are you an award-winning resume writer? Do you want to be?

It's that time of the year again -- time to enter the Career Directors International's "Toast Of the Resume Industry" (TORI) awards contest.

This year's contest is a bit different than in past years — offering some new rules (one new one I think is very significant), new categories, and new prices.

The TORI Awards Director and CDI Board of Advisors have selected the categories which will be used in this year's contest. They include:

• Best Accounting/Finance Resume. Encompasses any level of accounting and/or finance professional, from clerk to CPA, and up through CFO. (New category this year.)
• Best Sales Resume. Encompasses any level of sales, business development, or producing sales management.
• Best Information Technology (IT) Resume. Encompasses information technology professionals and managers, etc.
• Best Healthcare/Medical Resume. Encompasses resumes written for medical technicians, doctors, surgeons, medical transcriptionists, laboratory staff, administrators, pharma, etc.
• Best Executive Resume. Encompasses any executive-level position in any industry.
• Best International Resume. Encompasses resumes written for any profession within a non-US market.
• Best Creative Resume. Encompasses creative-style resumes in full-color, unusual layouts, artistic writing styles, etc. Very open to interpretation.
• Best Cover Letter. Encompasses any discipline, industry, or career level.
• Best New Graduate Resume. Encompasses any discipline, industry, or career level as long as the focus is on leveraging a recent degree as the career target.

Members of Career Directors International may enter one resume in each category. Entry fees are $40 each (for initial purchase of 1-2 categories); $30 each (for 3-6 categories purchased at once); and $25 each (for 7-9 categories purchased initially). If you've already purchased one or more categories, you can purchase additional categories later for $35 each.

Best Sales Resume – 2013 TORI Awards – Laura Smith-Proulx

View the full resume here:
http://www.careerdirectors.com/members/tori_winners/2013/Smith-Proulx_Laura_Sales1st.pdf

One way to improve your skills is to benchmark yourself against your colleagues. Take a look at last year's TORI award-winning resumes and see how you compare. Be sure to read the final page of each winning submission to learn the client situation and strategy.

I mentioned a rule change in this year's contest — this one is significant. This year, the contest rules state, "TORI entries must be created solely through your own efforts and the input of your client. However, utilizing a third-person proofreader is acceptable."

In previous years, without this rule in place, there was discussion in the resume writing community about resume writing contractors who were taking credit for their subcontract writer's work by submitting those entries as their own. There were also resume writers who were hiring graphic designers to produce their TORI submissions — so while the writing was their own, the formatting was well beyond what the actual client received, or what they were capable of.

I feel that the change in rules is a good one. Feedback from some writers I've spoken with expressed concern that these "incredible" winning entries were beyond what the majority of clients would receive when working with the nominated writers. In fact, I've had a few winners say that they sometimes need to temper client expectations about what their resume will look like, because they want theirs modeled on a specific winning entry, even if their situation and the strategy wouldn't be a good fit.

I can also see the downside to the rules change from the perspective of the TORI award entrant. In your own resume writing business, you are free to outsource any piece of the resume development process you choose — from working with subcontract writers to develop the content to working with a Word expert or designer to craft an attention-getting design. Why should you be handcuffed when it matters most?

We'll have to see how the rules change manifests itself in entries received this year.

Speaking of entries, the deadline to register yourself and receive entry instructions is Monday, June 16, 2014. Entries are due Wednesday, June 18, 2014 by 5 p.m. Pacific.

Interested in learning more? Visit the TORI contest page.

Although I've never entered the contest myself, what I've heard from other resume writers is that the entry requirements are rigorous — so DO NOT WAIT until the week entries are due to put your submission together.

Congratulations to the 2013 TORI Award Winners!

Career Directors International has just announced the winners of the 2013 TORI (Toast of the Resume Industry) Awards!

Winners include:

Best International Resume 1st Place - Kimberly Mohiuddin, Movin' On Up Resumes 2nd Place - Brenda Bernstein, The Essay Expert LLC 3rd Place - Cheryl L. Simpson, Executive Resume Rescue Best New Graduate Resume 1st Place - Victoria McLean, City CV Ltd. 2nd Place - Michelle Riklan, Riklan Resources 3rd Place - Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume Best Creative Resume 1st Place - Michelle Lopez, One2One Resumes 2nd Place - Rosa Vargas, Career Steering 3rd Place - Miriam Cha, Metro Resumes Best Re-entry Resume 1st Place - Sandra Ingemansen, Résumé Strategies 2nd Place - Gayle Howard, Top Margin Career Marketing 3rd Place - Christine Robinson, Professional Designs Writing Service Best Information Technology Resume 1st Place - Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume 2nd Place - Maureen McCann, ProMotion Career Solutions 3rd Place - Diane Murphy Goldstein, MG Resume & Coaching Services Best Executive Resume 1st Place - Cheryl L. Simpson, Executive Resume Rescue   2nd Place - Sandra Ingemansen, Résumé Strategies 3rd Place - Amy L. Adler, Five Strengths Career Transition Experts Best Sales Resume 1st Place - Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume 2nd Place - Kimberly Mohiuddin, Movin' On Up Resumes 3rd Place - Tom Albano, All Star Career Services Best Healthcare/Medical Resume 1st Place - Kimberly Mohiuddin, Movin' On Up Resumes 2nd Place - Ann Baehr, Best Resumes of New York 3rd Place - Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume Best Cover Letter 1st Place - Donald Burns, Donald Burns' Career Defense 2nd Place - Sandra Ingemansen, Résumé Strategies 3rd Place - Michelle Lopez, One2One Resumes

2013 TORI JUDGES & AWARD DIRECTOR    Special thanks to CDI's Director of Awards for coordinating the TORIs this year: Robin Schlinger, Robin's Resumes® Special thanks to 2013 judges for their hard work this year:  Barb Poole, Hire Imaging, LLC Darlene Dassy, Dynamic Résumé Solutions   Laura Labovich, Aspire! Empower! Career Strategy Group Susan Guarneri, AssessmentGoddess.com   Audrey Prenzel, Resume Resources Marty Weitzman - Gilbert Resumes Jennifer Hay - IT Resume Service Jeri Hird Dutcher - Workwrite Grant Cooper - CareerPro of New Orleans / Strategic Resumes Kimberley Bethke - Surcorp Resume Solutions Norine Dagliano - ekm Inspirations

Career Directors International Announces 2012 TORI Award Nominees

Each year, CDI hosts a resume writing competition for the Toast of the Resume Industry (TORI) award.

Winner announcements will take place at CDI's award ceremony at the 2012 Career Empowerment Summit in October in San Diego.

Here are the 2012 TORI Nominees, in no particular order:

Best International Resume

Barbara Safani, Career Solvers

Victoria McLean, City CV Ltd.

Kimberley Bethke, Surcorp Group/Resume Solutions

Amanda Andrews, Professional Resume Services

Gayle Howard, Top Margin Career Marketing

Best New Graduate Resume

Adrienne Tom, Career Impressions
Brenda Bernstein, The Essay Expert LLC
Kornelia Telesz, Surcorp Group/Resume Solutions

Victoria McLean, City CV Ltd.

Jennifer Rushton, Keraijen

Best Creative Resume

Tina Nicolai, Resume Writers' Ink, LLC®
Cheryl Simpson, Executive Resume Rescue
Kristin Johnson, Profession Direction
Patricia Duckers, Prism Writing Services, LLC/CareerPro Global, Inc.

Barbara Safani, Career Solvers

Best Re-Entry Resume

Brenda Bernstein, The Essay Expert LLC

Kimberley Bethke, Surcorp Group/Resume Solutions

Wayne Pagani, W.P. Consulting & Associates

Surranna Sandy, Surcorp Group/Resume Solutions

Amanda Andrews, Professional Resume Services

Best Technical Resume

Richard Coombes, Itouch Professional Resume Writing
Sandra Ingemansen, Emprove Performance Group, LLC
Alexander Kofman, Resume Pros 4 Less
Surranna Sandy, Surcorp Group/Resume Solutions

Barbara Safani, Career Solvers

Best Executive Resume

Surranna Sandy, Surcorp Group/Resume Solutions

Amy L. Adler, Five Strengths Career Transition Experts
Sandra Ingemansen, Emprove Performance Group, LLC

Jennifer Rushton, Keraijen

Donald Burns, DonaldBurns.com

Best Sales and Marketing Resume

Laurie Berenson, Sterling Career Concepts, LLC
Kimberly Mohiuddin, Movin' On Up Resumes
Jennifer Rushton, Keraijen
Sharon Williams, JobRockit
Barbara Safani, Career Solvers

Donald Burns, DonaldBurns.com

Best Military Conversion Resume

Amanda Andrews, Professional Resume Services

Alexander Kofman, Resume Pros 4 Less

Fran Sheridan, CareerPro Global/21st Century Resumes

Sandra Ingemansen, Resume Strategies

Diana Dryden Smith, Federal Resume Resources

Best Cover Letter

Kimberly Mohiuddin, Movin' On Up Resumes

Wayne Pagani, W.P. Consulting & Associates

Gayle Howard, Top Margin Career Marketing
Kevin R. Morris, CareerMobile
Donald Burns, DonaldBurns.com

Sandra Ingemansen, Emprove Performance Group, LLC

Robin Schlinger, of Robin's Resumes, coordinated the TORI awards this year.

Judges included:

Barb Poole, Hire Imaging, LLC

Darlene Dassy, Dynamic Resume Solutions

Laura Labovich, Aspire! Empower! Career Strategy Group

Annemarie Cross, Advanced Employment Concepts

Jill Kelly, Career Edge

Susan Guarneri, AssessmentGoddess.com 
Michael Kranes, Resume Slayer
Audrey Prenzel, Resume Resources

To learn more about the TORI awards, click here.

Read the CDI news release about the TORI award nominees.

Career Directors International Announces 2011 TORI Nominees

Each year, CDI hosts a resume writing competition for the Toast of the Resume Industry (TORI) award.

Winner announcements will take place at CDI's award ceremony at the 2011 Career Empowerment Summit this October.

Here are the 2011 TORI Nominees, in no particular order:

Best International Resume
Barbara Safani, Career Solvers
Donald Burns, DonaldBurns.com
Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume
Sandra Ingemansen, Resume Strategies
Maureen McCann, ProMotion Career Solutions

Best New Graduate Resume

Ginger Korljan, Take Charge Coaching
Rosa Elizabeth Vargas, Career Steering

Cheryl Simpson, Executive Resume Rescue
Kevin R. Morris, CareerMobile
Surranna Sandy, Surcorp Resume Solutions, Resume Solutions

Best Creative Resume
Rosa Elizabeth Vargas, Career Steering
Michelle Riklan, Riklan Resources
Tina Nicolai, Resume Writers' Ink, LLC®
Cheryl Simpson, Executive Resume Rescue
Brenda Bernstein, The Essay Expert LLC

Best LinkedIn Profile
Karen Siwak, Resume Confidential
Donald Burns, DonaldBurns.com
Maureen McCann, ProMotion Career Solutions
Melanie Lenci, Resume Relief
Cheryl Simpson, Executive Resume Rescue

Best Technical Resume
Leeza Byers, Byers Workforce Solutions
Alexander Kofman, Resume Pros for Less
Kevin R. Morris, CareerMobile
Jennifer Hay, IT Resume Service
Donald Burns, DonaldBurns.com

Best Executive Resume
Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume
Holly S. Reslink, EmpowerLink, LLC
Cheryl Simpson, Executive Resume Rescue
Surranna Sandy, Surcorp Resume Solutions, Resume Solutions
Michael Kranes, Resume Slayer

Best Sales and Marketing Resume
Surranna Sandy, Surcorp Resume Solutions, Resume Solutions
Rosa Elizabeth Vargas, Career Steering
Gayle Howard, Top Margin Career Marketing
Sharon Williams, JobRockit
Victoria McLean, City CV Ltd.
Sandra Ingemansen, Resume Strategies

Best Military Conversion Resume
Lee Kelley, CareerPro Global, Inc.
Jennifer Rushton, Keraijen
Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume
Nancy Segal, Solutions for the Workplace, LLC
Joseph L. Tatner, CareerPro Global, Inc.
Fran Sheridan, CareerPro Global, Inc.

Best Cover Letter
Kevin R. Morris, CareerMobile
Maureen McCann, ProMotion Career Solutions
Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume
Gayle Howard, Top Margin Career Marketing
Rosa Elizabeth Vargas, Career Steering

Robin Schlinger, of Robin's Resumes, coordinated the TORI awards this year.

Judges included:
Barb Poole, Hire Imagine, LLC
Darlene Dassy, Dynamic Resume Solutions
Laura Labovich, Aspire! Empower! Career Strategy Group
August Cohen, Get Hired StayHired, LLC
Annemarie Cross, Advanced Employment Concepts
Jill Kelly, Career Edge
Susan Guarneri, AssessmentGoddess.com 

Career Directors International 2010 TORI Award Nominees/Winners

Each year since 2000, Career Directors International (CDI) has sponsored the Toast of the Resume Industry(tm) (TORI) resume writing competition. Here are the 2009 winners.

The director of the TORI Awards is Gayle Howard, of Top Margin Career Marketing.

First-tier judges include:
Cheryl Lynch Simpson, Executive Resume Rescue
Robin Schlinger, Robin's Resumes
Tamara Dowling, SeekingSuccess.com
Barbara Safani, Career Solvers

Second-tier judges are:
Susan Guarneri, AssessmentGoddess.com
Tony Deblauwe, HR4Change
Susan Joyce, Job-Hunt.org
Marty Weitzman, Gilbert Resumes
Sharon Williams, JobRockit

The 2010 Toast of the Resume Industry Nominees and Winners are...

Best Career Change Resume Nominees
Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume
Mary DeLuca, Preferred Résumé® Group, LLC
Maureen McCann, ProMotion Career Solutions
Wayne Pagani, W.P. Consulting & Associates
August Cohen, Get Hired Stay Hired, LLC

Best Cover Letter Nominees
Holly Reslink, EmpowerLink, LLC
Karen Bartell, Best-in-Class Resumes
Patricia Duckers, CareerPro Global Inc.
Surranna Sandy, Resume Solutions
Camille Roberts, CC Career Services
Doug Morrison, Career Power

Best Creative Resume Nominees
Rosa Vargas, Creating Prints
August Cohen, Get Hired Stay Hired, LLC
Jeri Hird Dutcher, Workwrite
Kris Plantrich, ResumeWonders Writing and Career Coaching Services
Michelle Riklan, Riklan Resources

Best Executive Resume Nominees
Alexander Kofman, Resume Pros 4 Less
Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume
Rosa Vargas, Creating Prints
August Cohen, Get Hired Stay Hired, LLC
Erin Kennedy, Professional Resume Services
Holly Reslink, EmpowerLink, LLC
Jennifer Rushton, Keraijen

Best New Graduate Resume Nominees
Ginger Korljan, Take Charge Coaching
Jennifer Rushton, Keraijen
Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume
August Cohen, Get Hired Stay Hired, LLC
Barb Poole, Hire Imaging, LLC

Best International Resume Nominees
Beverley Neil, d'Scriptive Words
Debra Mills, Pro-CV Writing Services
Kim Mohiuddin, Movin' On Up Resumes
August Cohen, Get Hired Stay Hired, LLC
Peter Hill, P.H.I. Consulting

Best Military Conversion Resume Nominees
Mark Holmes, CareerPro Global, Inc.
Michael Kranes, Resume Slayer
Terrie Osborn, Resumes Etc.
Camille Roberts, CC Career Services
Debra Mills, Pro-CV Writing Services
Fran Sheridan, CareerPro Global, Inc.

Best Sales/Marketing Resume Nominees
Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume

Surranna Sandy, Resume Solutions

Karen D'Anna, Write On Resume Services
Holly Reslink, EmpowerLink, LLC
Jennifer Rushton, Keraijen

Best Technical Resume Nominees
Cheryl Milmoe, Career Management Solutions
Jennifer Rushton, Keraijen
Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume
August Cohen, Get Hired Stay Hired, LLC
Alexander Kofman, Resume Pros 4 Less

* * * *

Winners were announced at CDI's Award Ceremony at the 2010 Career Empowerment Summit last October in San Diego. First-place winners are identified in bold-italics (above).

Learn more about the TORI Award competition.

TORI Awards Nominations Extended

The deadline for entering the "Toast of the Resume Industry" (TORI) awards has been extended by Career Directors International to Sunday, May 18.

2008 List of TORI categories include:

Best International Resume - encompasses resumes written for a non-US market.

Best Technical Resume - encompasses scientists, engineers, technicians, mechanics, etc.

Best Creative Resume - encompasses creative-style resumes in full-color, unusual layouts, artistic writing styles, etc. Very open to interpretation.

Best Executive Resume - encompasses any executive-level position in any industry.

Best Cover Letter - encompasses any discipline, industry, or career level.

Best Retiree/Second Career Resume - encompasses any discipline, industry, or career level as long as the focus is on a career change for a mature adult.

Best Sales & Marketing Resume - encompasses any level of sales and marketing professional who focuses on business development.

Best New Graduate Resume - encompasses any discipline, industry, or career level as long as the focus is on leveraging a recent degree as the career target.

Best Military Resume - encompasses any discipline or career level as long as the focus is on a military job seeker transitioning to the civilian sector.

Don't wait! The deadline to enter the TORIs is May 18, 2008!

The first entry in each category is free and each additional category is only $15 each.

Entry is extremely easy, requiring that you fictionalize your entries, gain approval from clients for their use, name resumes as directed in CDI instructions, and upload using our online PDF converter. As Gayle Howard says in the testimonial on the left, "It is little work for great rewards."

When you enter, the TORI Award Committee Director will ensure all submissions appear anonymous to the committee so that fair and equitable judging can take place.

The distinguished awards committee will select up to five (5) TORI nominations in each category. The CDI Leadership Team will then select the best of the best from the nominations in each category for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

Nominees are typically announced in late August and winners are recognized and awarded at our Annual Conference Banquet and Award Ceremony, which will take place in Downtown Seattle, Washington on Saturday, October 18, 2008. Attendance is not necessary to win.

Nominees will receive a special logo for print / web marketing as well as a certificate of recognition. Winners will receive a logo, certificate of recognition, and award medal (gold, silver, or bronze for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place).

Entry is open to CDI members only.