You're Only as Good as Your Samples

I'm reminded of a comment Louise Kursmark once made at a resume writing conference -- it was something about the shoemaker's kids not having shoes — meaning, resume writers are often the worst when it comes to updating their own resumes ... and, in my case, their samples.

I was thinking about this today as I sent off a quote for a prospective new client and pasted in my usual list of sample resume links from the template quote response e-mail I use (samples of which can be found in my Write Great Resumes Faster book). The client loved them, and committed to the project, but my inner voice reminded me that it's been a while since I updated the samples. Another item for the to-do list.

I've written before about resume samples -- including whether you should or should not include them on your web site ... but the fact of the matter is, you'd better have samples of your work because SOMETIME a client is going to ask for them. You may do all of your work from referrals (hey, those are your samples talking too — only they're not fictionalized!), but not everyone is going to believe that you can transform their dull, ordinary resume into something extraordinary.

That's another of my goals — to create a set of before-and-after resumes. I've got plenty of the “befores” (I request the client’s existing resume as part of the quoting process), but I haven’t taken the time to match them up with the “afters” and update my sample portfolio. Yet another item for the to-do list.

Take a look at the samples you're using. Are they from two years ago? Are they out of date? Now may be the time to work on that. That may have to be the subject of a future post for new resume writers — how to fictionalize samples.

Another Perspective - Resume Samples

Recently, on the PARW E-List, Frank Fox expressed his opinion that resume writers should not post resume samples on their website. He wrote, "Samples simply invite every visitor to be a critic!" He compared this to CPAs posting client tax returns on their website to demonstrate the tax refunds they were able to get for their clients. He asked, "Do those samples in any way provide assurance that you will have lots of deductions no other CPA would have uncovered...and that you, too, will get a really big refund?"

The problem with this analogy is that the federal government uses a standardized tax form, while resumes are highly customized. And, believe it or not, at least here in Nebraska, accountants *do* talk about how they are able to obtain bigger refunds for their clients. They might not show the actual tax form, but I've seen several of them provide a list of "actual" deductions they've been able to identify for their clients, compared to their competitors.

In fact, H&R Block is running a national campaign for their "Second Look" service:

A tax review service from H&R Block, is helping taxpayers maximize their refunds. With a Second Look review, H&R Block’s tax professionals check returns that were self-prepared or prepared by other tax professionals for missed tax benefits. Last year, H&R Block found bigger refunds for more than half of clients who received a Second Look review. The average additional refund was more than $1,300 for those who re-filed with H&R Block.

Regardless of who prepared their returns, taxpayers can bring in their current and previous three years’ returns for review by an H&R Block tax professional, who confirms the accuracy and ensures that all eligible credits and deductions have been claimed. In addition, the return is covered by the unique H&R Block Guarantee, which provides audit assistance and pays for any penalties and interest owed to the IRS due to an H&R Block error on a return. Last year, H&R Block tax professionals found errors in more than 80 percent of returns it reviewed as part of its Second Look service.

Is "showing rather than telling" more effective? In many cases, yes.

I'm still a huge proponent of including resume samples on your site -- just as I am in favor of resume writers publishing their work in books. Both of these techniques are proven business-builders.

Should clients just believe that we're as good as we claim? Well, it would be nice, but it's not realistic. As I've said before, if you don't post your resume samples because you think someone will just come to your website and steal them, it's true -- that MIGHT happen. But MORE likely is that they're seeking out your site -- and your services -- because they want your help. If your samples reflect the diversity of clients you work with -- and a unique look and content for each -- they will see what you mean by "custom" job search assistance.

There will always be people who want something for nothing. They're going to get it -- whether it's from your site or just Googling "free resume."

But there is a large group of people out there who are legitimately interested in hiring a resume writer -- and they don't know the difference between their lackluster, ineffective resume and your shining examples until they see if for themselves. (Of course, if your work sucks, don't put up samples!)

Frank writes, "Anyone coming to your site should assume that you can write a resume without showing a few samples to prove that you can. The only thing that really matters is the resume you will write for them!"

In response, I would say what I say to all my clients: "The best predictor of future performance is your past performance." If prospective clients see what you've done with your past clients (I love before-and-after examples with accompanying case histories for best showcasing your samples), they will believe you can do the same for them. I'd love to hear what you think about this issue -- e-mail me at rwdigest@aol.com or post a comment on this thread.

Free Resume Examples

A few months ago, I blogged about "Free Resume Samples On Your Website-Yes or No." My feelings on the subject are "generally, yes."

To take this idea a bit further, a while back, many of us in the careers industry received a solicitation from a website looking for resume samples -- FreeResumeExamples.net. The pitch was that we'd be able to expose our work to prospective clients, at no charge to us. Their business model was simple -- attract visitors to their site by offering them free resume samples, and make money off the traffic by cashing in on Google ads.

Wanting to know if this was a solid lead generation idea for professional resume writers, I e-mailed a couple of colleagues whose work is featured on the site.

"I'll market myself anywhere if it's free," says Greg Faherty, CPRW, of A Perfect Resume. "Every bit of exposure helps. Unfortunately, I don't have exact numbers for how many people actually ordered resumes from me after seeing the resume samples posted there -- maybe five or six?"

It was Greg's Military Conversion resume sample that caught my attention -- according to FreeResumeExamples.net, that resume has registered more than 1,000 views since being added in August 2007. Considering Greg pays nothing for the exposure, generating 5-6 sales (at an average fee of $200) is an extra $1,000. Not bad.

Another satisfied participant is Courtney Pike, with JobBound.

"We have received a significant amount of traffic on jobbound.com due to FreeResumeExamples.net. We track our clients and sales, and many customers have found JobBound through Internet searches," Pike noted. "We think JobBound's work speaks for itself, so we saw this site as a great venue to showcase our expertise."

Pike said they would "do it again" as the partnership has improved their web site statistics.

Another resume writer, Margaret Burkholder, of Advantage Writing in Tucson, hasn't had much luck with the site.

"I have not gotten any business from the site. All of my business has been generated locally from personal efforts, the Yellow Pages, and 'word of mouth,'" she notes. "I received an email soliciting resume samples and I responded, thinking I'd have nothing to lose and only something to gain."

Samples On Your Web Site - Yes or No?

Resume Samples On Your Web Site --
Should You or Shouldn't You?

A subscriber asked me for feedback on her web site recently. One of my comments to her was that she should think about including samples on her site so prospective clients could see examples of her work.

In her e-mail reply to me, she expressed concern about putting her samples up on the web where they could be "stolen" by individuals wanting to create their own resume.

Here is my response:

Basically, you have to think about it two ways:
1. Is a prospect REALLY a prospect if they would think they could get a resume that will work for them effectively if they just copied what you had on a sample?

I don't worry about sharing samples because anyone who thinks a resume that isn't customized for them will still WORK for them is delusional. The resume writers in this industry who write books will tell you that it is the single largest LEAD BUILDER you can find, because more likely, people will look at the resume and say, "Wow! I could never write that myself. But because 'JANE RESUMEWRITER' can write like that, I want her to do it for me too!"

Sure, we've all heard of people who "modified" resumes they see to fit their situation (they've even taken the resumes of our CLIENTS and modified them -- how DARE they!!). But if you put your samples on the web, or fax them -- they're just out there with all the MILLIONS of other examples out there. Worried about them taking your keywords? Wendy Enelow's got a book full of them they can "steal" ("1500+ Keywords for $100,000 Jobs" ). They can go to the bookstore and get 100s of samples (FABULOUS ones, written by our colleagues) in dozens of books ("Sales and Marketing Resumes for $100,000 Careers" by Louise Kursmark, "Expert Resumes for Teachers and Educators" by Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark … and others).

Remember, these are the people who use Microsoft's "Resume Wizard" when it comes time to write their résumé.

(The reason why I buy these kind of books is to use them as "idea starters" for particular careers. It's not like looking at a sample is going to help my next client's resume "write itself" for me. I still have to find the relevant keywords, accomplishments, and work experience descriptions to match the client's exact needs.)

The kind of people who would look at your samples and steal them are not your clients anyway. Chances are, if someone is coming to your site or asks for samples, he or she is not looking to steal your work, but to judge the quality of your services. In the 5% of cases where this is not the case, think of it is a blessing that he or she chose to steal your work instead of retaining your services. They probably would have been a pain-in-the-butt client anyway!!

2. If I were a consumer, would I buy the services of a professional without being able to judge the quality of the work? Would I buy a car without taking a test drive?

Do you ever go to the bookstore and read a section of the book before you buy it? Does it make you any less likely to buy the book? (In my case, it usually makes me more likely to buy the book, because I'm convinced it's perfect for me if I'm hooked into reading more than a couple pages.) Look at the popularity of Amazon.com's "Look inside" feature!

People who click on your samples or -- better yet -- ask to see samples are interested consumers!! They are in a buying mentality. They want to see if you've done resumes for people like them -- and if so, what that might look like. After all, you're asking them to commit to a service that they don't know what the end result will look like. Reassure them -- help them see that they will be receiving custom products.

If it helps you, do two things:

1. Put a copyright notice at the bottom of all samples and a line to the effect of "DO NOT REPRODUCE."

2. Note that these are samples, created specifically for individual clients based on a marketing strategy designed to help this specific individual get interviews. All (your company name) documents are customized for the individual customer and this sample is for illustrative purposes only.

Basically -- I look it like this. If 10 people visit my web site and click on my samples, I figure 5 of those people want to buy and want to see my work to make sure they're making the right decision (or having an existing resume that isn't working and are wondering what is in a professional resume that isn't in their existing resume). The other 5 are "trolling for ideas" for what to put in the resume they plan to do themselves (and aren't planning to pay anyone -- not just you -- to do). Yours will be just one of the places where they plan to "steal" ideas from (they're visiting all of our sites, looking for a "fit" for what they do). I don't worry about them -- I worry about how to sell the 50% who are really in the market for my services.