Should You Consider Groupon?

On the NRWA E-List, Tiffany Benitez asked about using Groupon in her resume writing business.

Here is my response:

Groupon and similar services (LivingSocial, local daily deal sites, etc.) can be a great way to boost the visibility of your resume writing business and drive new clients and revenue. I personally know of one NLP (neurolinguistic programming) practitioner who secured 6,000 new clients to a membership program he promoted through Groupon.

A few years ago, I advised a marketing client on their local Daily Deal launch, and it was the Daily Deal site's most successful promotion to that date (and still ranks in the top 10 all-time), so this is a topic that I know something about! They sold out of their special offer, selling $30,000 in gift cards in under 12 hours, although the promotion was set to run for 72 hours (they netted $7,500 – the gift cards sold for 50% off their retail price, and they received 50% of the net revenues).

However, Groupon also has the potential to ruin your business. One-third of businesses who offer Groupon deals lose money on them. And really, you should look at it as a marketing expense, rather than a revenue generator. (There are better ways to jump start your marketing.) So tread carefully.

How do you know if Groupon (or similar services) are right for you?Services like this work best if you charge under $500 for your typical resume/cover letter package and/or you really need clients. Are you willing to use it as a lead generation service and work to build your mailing list in the hopes of converting some of these folks to full-price clients eventually?

Groupon *can* work for service businesses, but not how you would typically think of it. Instead of offering your typical resume and/or cover letter service as your Groupon special, instead offer a product or "fixed" service that can be a "lead-in" to your regular career communication services. Doing a resume for 65% off when it takes you 100% of the time and effort it normally does, doesn't work.

People who would be looking for a resume writer on Groupon aren't probably your "ideal" client. (However, you may attract some people who could *become* an ideal client.) And Groupon will either overwhelm you with customers (numerous photographers and other service businesses have almost been put out of business by Groupon, LivingSocial, etc.) or you won't get much interest at all (but the listing will stay out there "forever" and hurt your other marketing because it will show a seriously discounted rate you're willing to offer -- even though YOU know the trade-off for the low rate is visibility and exposure, potential clients will just see that you're willing to offer your services "at 65% off!")

However, you can use Groupon (and other services, like Fiverr.com) as a lead-generation tool. But you need to do it in a way that you're leveraging your time wisely.

So, consider offering one of these instead:

• Resume review (using a standardized template form) and ebook – regularly $79 (even if Groupon sells it for $39 -- you'd get around $20), you can do a review in 15 minutes (or, partner with a new resume writer to do the reviews and help serve resulting clients).
• Discounted registration for an online teleseminar/webinar on a career-related topic (something super meaty -- like Using LinkedIn in a Job Search). It can also be a good way to drive traffic to an in-person workshop or seminar. [Groupon can be used to promote events and workshops -- in fact, these are more likely to be approved.]
• Fixed-term membership program – for example, a 4-part course on writing your own resume. (As you know, lots of people who purchase self-help resources end up upgrading to a done-for-you service). Other fixed-term topics that may lead you into your full-priced resume services would be things NOT related to resumes/cover letters directly -- i.e., salary negotiation, interviewing strategies, making a career change, LinkedIn, or creating a brag book for your career.
• One-on-one coaching session (structured session on a specific topic -- like interview preparation or LinkedIn Summary Review or salary negotiation) or a discount on a multiple-session coaching package (like 4 or 6 coaching sessions).

Consider your price point for what you offer carefully. You are asked to discount what you're offering up to 90% (off retail pricing). Know what your time value is (base price you charge per hour, even if you don't actually bill clients an hourly rate) so that you're not overcommitting yourself. Take into consideration not just the time you're spending servicing clients, but also the time to set up the offer and provide customer service (including answer questions from prospective buyers).

Before submitting your application to Groupon, prepare yourself/your business. For example, if you want to do offer #1 above, you'd want to put up a page on your website with the $79 critique + ebook offer (so they can see you already sell this at FULL price -- even if you haven't sold any yet). You also need to write the ebook so you can show them a sample if they ask. If you wanted to do offer #2 above, you'd go ahead and put together the workshop curriculum and teach it at least once (even if it's offered as a bonus at no charge for existing clients) -- so you can record it and provide a copy of the recording to Groupon to show the value (if requested). And, most important, have the systems in place to facilitate a flood of orders, if it materializes.

When you're using Groupon as a lead-generating tool, it's really to build your mailing list. So you want to make sure you have a mechanism in place to capture their information when they redeem their Groupon voucher -- for example, using an autoresponder (like AWeber) with a form to enter their name and voucher number that returns an email requesting they send their resume as an attachment, and providing the download link for the ebook, and then has a series of emails that lead them into the purchase of your other services (resume and cover letter, LinkedIn critique, LinkedIn training program, etc.). Again, you want it as automated as possible.

Other tips:

• Limit the number of vouchers you sell. You can always extend the deal or offer it again, but a scarcity premise helps. (Groupon will have some input into the minimum number offered, but you can insist on a cap.)
• Let buyers buy one voucher for themselves and one as a gift.
• If you can, do *two* offers together -- one for a low-priced product (<$50) and one for a higher priced (>$150). This gives people a choice, so they can choose something they want. But make sure BOTH offers are on the same topic – like a "DIY" option for $49 and a done-for-you service for $199. (This also establishes the value of YOUR expertise -- they're paying you for your time.) 
• Research offers made by similar practitioners in other markets. This can also help with your application to Groupon by showing what's worked in other areas.
• Research what's being offered in YOUR area too. Look at past deals -- what sold well? What didn't?
• Market it yourself too! One of the best things Groupon offers is visibility and exposure. Leverage it by sharing with YOUR tribe too (your existing mailing list, on your social media platforms, etc.)

If you get turned down by Groupon, consider local daily deal sites instead. Two local newspapers in my area offer their own daily deal sites. Google "daily deal" and "your city" to find a local site.

Here was an offer made on a local Daily Deal site affiliated with a local university):

Also, you could consider offering your OWN daily deal. You can use a service like Constant Contact's "Offers" (which has a social marketing component), or Facebook Offers on your Page (as long as you have at least 50 Likes).

What are your thoughts about using Groupon in your resume writing business? Leave me a comment or question below.

Generate More Leads for Your Resume Writing Business With Social Media (Checklist)

Social media is an excellent tool to use to generate more leads for your resume writing business. At your fingertips you have access to thousands of people -- it's a networking event on steroids. But, how do you use social media to attract the right audience and generate the right leads for your resume writing business?

Here's a checklist of things to consider when using social media to attract prospective clients to your resume writing business:

• Know Your Audience. You have to know everything you can about your audience. Who exactly are they? What is their gender? How much money do they make? What are their fears and concerns? What problems do they have that you can solve? You can get to know your audience by going where they are and studying them. (One easy way to do this is to look at the LinkedIn Groups targeting jobseekers.)
• Spell Out Your Goals. You can't start any type of marketing without a goal. In this case, it's lead generation. How many leads do you want to generate -- and in what period of time? Exactly who do you want as a lead? What makes a perfect lead, and what would attract that perfect lead?
• Create a Content Strategy. Use content to capture clients. You'll need to create content for your website/blog and social media that has the point of your marketing campaign in mind: Getting more leads. (More prospects = more potential clients.)

After that, almost everything else rests on content to promote your lead capture pages.

• Create Compelling Content. If you want someone to trust you to give them information so that the lead can become a prospect, you're going to have to work for it. Great content uses images, video, audio, and is engaging and relevant to the audience.
• Put Sign-Up Forms on Social Media. You can put a sign-up form right on Facebook, and Facebook can become the landing page. When applicable, put the sign-up form where the content is so that you can get a higher conversion rate.
• Improve Your Social Media Profiles. Sometimes before someone clicks through your links they're going to check your profile. If you have a bad headshot, and a half-filled out profile, they're not going to go back and give you their email. Nope. They're going to click away, never to return. Don't let that happen. Improve your social media profiles -- always. (This is especially important if you offer LinkedIn profile development services!)
• Spend Some Money. If you've created an awesome content marketing strategy, but hardly anyone is seeing it, then it might be time to pay for sponsored posts on social media networks that have that offer. Capturing leads is one of the ways that you can use social media advertising without spending a fortune. 
• Offer Something Substantial. Giving away a freebie to get a lead's email address is standard practice -- but what you need to offer nowadays to get the prospect to opt-in has changed. You need to offer something of genuine value -- getting someone to opt-in to an email newsletter is no longer seen as valuable to potential clients. Instead, offer a special report, e-course, or teleseminar recording/transcript.
• Create Multiple Landing Pages. Create a new landing page for each social media network so that when your audience clicks through the link on your content, they are taken to a special page that welcomes them and makes them feel at home. 

With the number of people within your target audience using social media, making social media work for you as a lead generation tool is a no-brainer.

Want to learn more? Check out "Using Content Marketing in Your Resume Writing Business."

Coming Up With Content For Career Seekers

Content is one of the best ways to drive traffic to your resume writing business website, increase your visibility with targeted prospects, and increase your conversion rate for resume prospects becoming resume clients.

But sometimes it can be a challenge to come up with ideas for what to write about. Here are some ideas for helping you come up with interesting and compelling content ideas.

Read!
It might seem like a novel idea, but reading more can help your mind become more creative — even if you're reading fiction. Reading for enjoyment can open creative portions of your mind that you may have had closed for a while. This is especially true if you've been super focused on your resume writing business and not doing much in the way of recreation. Oddly, watching TV doesn't help. Reading uses more energy and more of your brain, while watching TV uses less energy than sleeping.

Exercise
If you feel stuck, get out of the house and do some exercise. If it's a nice day, take a brisk walk around your neighborhood; if it's not a nice day, go to an indoor mall or gym to walk around and don't think about your business or that resume you haven't started writing yet. Just think about breathing, and how your arms and legs feel while moving. A 10-minute brisk walk focusing only on your breathing and movement can open your creative mind faster than almost any other activity.

Reuse, Repurpose, and Repeat
If you've been blogging for a long time, it's likely that you feel like you've said it before. Well, if you posted about something five years ago, it's likely out of date. Take a little time once a week or so, or if you're stuck for ideas, and go back to an old blog post. Rewrite it and update it, especially if the advice is now old or irrelevant. In addition, you can take a bunch of old blog posts, move them to a Word document, edit and create an ebook. Any way that you can make the old new again is a good way to create fresh content.

Finally, remember to keep a note pad, or use your smartphone to write down ideas as they come to you. Don't believe for one moment you'll remember it later. Even if you're in the shower and come up with an idea, get out and write it down before it goes away. By tracking all your ideas, you'll easily be able to sit down anytime you have the time, look at your list of ideas and create fresh content on demand. (I use Evernote to keep track of blog post ideas.)

Jumpstart Your Writing With Pass-Along Materials

After describing Pass-Along Materials to one resume writer, she told me that she prefers to create her own content. Hey, I have no problem with that. But if you don't want to reinvent the wheel — or you just want a jumpstart on your writing, consider Pass-Along Materials. Here are just some of the topics you can access:

Brag About It! (Accomplishments Guide)
Jobseeker's Guide to Working with Recruiters
Jobseeker's Guide to Networking Your Way to Your Next Job
Jobseeker's Guide to Virtual Interviews
Jobseeker's Guide to Understanding Employment Law
So You Got Fired (Or You Think You're About To Get Fired)
Jobseeker's Guide to Developing a Brag Book
Jobseeker's Guide to Getting The Job Offer/Frequently-Asked Questions About Job Offers
Your 2014 Career Roadmap ($20)

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.

Why A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words on Your Blog

The truth is that content (articles, blog posts, social media posts) works to get you visibility for your resume writing business … and new clients. This is the content that will attract visitors via the search engine traffic that the keyword-rich content will generate when jobseekers make a search.

Studies show that blogging about your services at least 20 times per month will allow you to get 5 times more traffic than if you don't. This is according to a study done by HubSpot.com. You can literally double your website traffic in six months if you keep it up.

But, if you want the visitors to stick to your blog and read it more than once, it's important to make your blog posts visually pleasing. Putting images in your blog posts will break up the text to make your blog more attractive. In addition, it can help further explain the meaning of the content that you place on your blog. Taking the time to choose a relevant image will make your blog look more professional, too.

There are many ways you can find appropriate images.

Take Photos Yourself
You can produce perfectly good images by using your iPhone to take relevant pictures. If you have a digital camera, that is another way to take pictures.

Get Creative
An image doesn't have to be a photograph; it can be an attractive arrangement of a quote from your blog post made into a .jpg file with a beautiful and colorful background. This is a great way to add interest as well as call out an important point within your blog post. It looks attractive and helps explain meaning to your readers.

Hire Someone
There are plenty of graphic designers on sites like Fiverr, as well as other sites that you can hire to help you come up with appropriate graphics for your blog posts. They may be better at coming up with ideas than you, and it's perfectly okay to hire someone.

Look on Stock Photo Sites
There are quite a few stock photo sites that you can use to find appropriate images to use on your blog. My favorite is Fotolia.com. Some of the sites are free, and some are paid. Just check the license rules to ensure that you have a right to use the image. It's also good practice to give credit for images. You'll notice I use the Fotolia link on my blog post images (it also includes my affiliate link).

You want to use images, but don't go overboard with them. Remember to consider loading time, so use smaller images. As well as that, remember to use the "alt" tags on the images so that if the image doesn't show up for some reason it will tell the reader what the image is. This is also another way to alert search engines about the subject of your website.

RESOURCES:
You can purchase individual graphics from a site like Fotolia.com
Or subscribe to a service like Image Monthly from Kelly McCausey

Yes, I Am A Resume Writer

Photo of me from 2001.

Twice last month I had the opportunity to talk to a couple of resume writing colleagues, and both of them asked, "Bridget, do you still write resumes?"

Of course! I started out as a resume writer, and I still write resumes. Not as many as I did a few years ago when I was a subcontract resume writer, but yes, I still write resumes, cover letters, bios, and even LinkedIn profiles.

I was reading an article in the February 2014 issue of Inc. about "origin stories" and thought I should share mine here, so you can understand where Resume Writers' Digest and BeAResumeWriter.com came from.

You probably already knew that I wrote my first resume at age 12, but you might not know that Jon and I started our business right out of college in the spring of 1996. In fact, I remember calling to arrange an appointment to see an office space while sitting in the hallway at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (my alma mater) between classes our senior year.

We started our business with the goal of serving SOHO clients -- Small Office, Home Office businesses. Soon, we'd change that to helping individuals and small businesses market themselves -- people with resumes, and businesses with newsletters and other print pieces.

In high school, I had taken second place in the "Job Interview" category at the Future Business Leaders of America State Leadership Conference. Students were asked to write a resume and cover letter for a job at "Merit Corporation" and then interview with businesspeople who volunteered as judges at the conference. My "genius moment" was when I decided to specify what Merit Corporation was. Usually, students created a very generic resume and cover letter to this "mystery" employer. I decided it would be more effective to identify the type of business Merit was through my cover letter and resume so that the employer could have a more realistic interview. After all, he or she was supposed to be representing Merit -- and yet, most interviews were extremely generic, because neither the student nor the interviewer had anything specific to talk about. (Somewhere around here I have the floppy disk with the resume and cover letter I wrote.) In examining my scores from the judges, I learned that what kept me from winning the category was my attire -- my first lesson in the importance of dressing for success. (I wore a black-and-gold skirt and jacket -- the judges were expecting blue or black only).

Anyway, my Yellow Pages ad was a client magnet, and I was writing a couple of resumes a week. But I was young (21) and knew there was a lot I didn't know. In 1998, I wanted to pick the brain of some of the industry's leaders -- people like Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark -- but I didn't think if I just asked them directly that they would talk to me. (I have since learned that people in our industry are some of the most generous you'll find anywhere!) But at the time, I thought, "Well, I could interview them for a publication, and then they'll talk to me!" (I had a few magazine articles published in national publications while I was in college while I had majored in journalism/public relations.) So I decided to start a trade newsletter, Resume Writers' Digest, to get answers to the questions I had as a resume writer. In time, it grew to several hundred subscribers, paying $60/year for six print issues.

In 2004, I got distracted by other things in my life and business, and decided to stop publishing the newsletter. I brought it back as an occasional online publication starting in 2007, because I was still writing resumes … and I still had questions!

Then, in 2011, I decided to start a membership site for resume writers to share the content I was creating for my own clients. I figured other resume writers could use the information with their clients too — so I license the content to subscribers to use with their clients. Instead of starting from scratch, resume writers can take the Pass-Along Materials and use them "as is" or customize them. Most of the ideas for the Pass-Along Materials come from my work with my clients.

So yep, I'm still writing resumes.

"I Showed The Resume You Wrote To My Friend and She Said..."

Ugh...there are few statements that elicit that feeling of dread for a resume writer than the one that starts with, "I showed the resume you wrote to my friend and she said..."

I received an email from a resume writing colleague today. She wondered what to say to a client who had circulated her resume to friends and family and received "mixed reviews."

Here was my response:

You tell your client, "I appreciate you showing your resume to others for their feedback. Everyone has an opinion about resumes, and sometimes the feedback can be useful and we can use it to improve your resume. I am happy to discuss any feedback you receive, including explaining the strategy behind why the information was presented the way that it is in your current resume. However, the ONLY opinion that matters when it comes to your resume is the hiring manager for the kind of job you're targeting. If you're submitting your resume for the kinds of jobs you and I targeted with this resume, and you're not getting interviews, then we need to chat. Otherwise, I'm confident that the document we've collaborated on is going to be effective in helping you reach your dream job."

If the client persists with wanting changes based on opinions from family and friends, you will agree to make changes — on two conditions:

1. This will be considered an "additional version" of the resume, and you will charge them your hourly rate to make any changes (payable in advance) AND
2. They will need to sign a hold-harmless statement that you are making the changes to their document against your professional judgment and that you will not stand behind that document like you would their original document (including any guarantees or warranties, either expressed or implied).

The most common reason for a jobseeker to ask others for feedback is fear and doubt. They are anxious about their job search and they are seeking reassurance from their friends and family members. Unfortunately, the people they are soliciting feedback from aren't the best judge of what they need in their job search. They may unintentionally sabotage the jobseeker because they want to "help."

Recognize that your client is operating from a place of uncertainty. Reassure them that they have made the right decision by engaging the services of an expert to help them in their job search — but that they need to trust your experience and expertise in order to be successful.

Clients Are Less Concerned About Price If They Get Value

Many resume writers tell me that their clients are price-sensitive. But they may not actually be price-sensitive … they may be value-sensitive.

Why can some resume writers charge $2,000 for a resume, when you have a hard time getting $350? The answer isn't necessarily in the skill of you as a resume writer, or the financial situation of the client.

More likely, the difference is the value that the client perceives from his or her investment.

What is the first question people often ask when they want to purchase something? "How much does it cost?" And, that's only after we've turned the object over and over looking for the price tag.

Price is simply a dollar amount assigned to an item or service. You may have even set your resume writing prices arbitrarily — lots of other people are basing their resume writing services on an hourly rate of $50/hour, and according to the 2011 Resume Writers' Digest Annual Industry survey, and nearly a third of resume writers charging $300-$499 for a resume, so (you think to yourself), I'm going to charge $350.

As a business owner, you want to stay competitive without alienating your resume clients. It's a matter of profit as well. If you come in too low, then you're leaving money on the table. (And, some clients may actually be turned off if you charge too little!)

While the concepts of price and value have gotten trapped together, they are not synonymous. Two resume prospects may initially seem very similar. Both are account executives in their mid-30s, making a salary of $45,000 a year. Their personal situations are similar — both married, with a young child at home. But when you quote a price of $600 for a resume to both of them, and one books, and the other one doesn't.

One values the impact that a professionally written resume can have on his ability to meet his career goals. Therefore, value must appeal to a prospect's needs.

Value refers to the significance that we apply to a good or service. It is tied into the perception of your business brand. Honda has built a reputation as a solidly made car. As such, people will invest more in one because it will keep their families safe and they can drive it for a long time. The decision, to buy, moves beyond mere price to what is perceived as the additional benefit that comes along with purchasing this kind of car. 

Translating Value
As you work to present your services to the prospective resume clients, consider how you will translate the value of your brand as well as the price. Time and time again, business owners who reach their customers on a more personal level with their marketing strategies are delivering value along with their price. If a customer feels that they will get value from your services (beyond the price they pay), they will buy — and continue to buy — from you.

So, how do you do that? Look at your services and ask yourself a few questions. What can you do for your clients that they can't do for themselves? In many instances, it's write an interview-winning resume. And the "interview-winning" part is the key. Lots of people can write a resume. Fewer of them can write one that engages the hiring manager or recruiter to call immediately.

What It Comes Down To
Is price or value more important? They are not the same, but communicating the value of your services to customers can keep them buying, even if the price is higher than the competition.

Loyalty may also run deeper when you build your brand on value rather than just price.

Coming Up With Content For Your Blog Isn't Hard With These Blog Post Ideas

Coming up with content for your blog can sometimes seem difficult, especially if you're not aware of all the different types of content you can create into a blog post. These 13 ideas can spark an idea for your next blog post the next time you're stuck!

1. "How To" Posts. Teaching jobseekers a tip or technique is a great type of post to create. If you're not sure where to start, always choose to start at the beginning. You can offer "how to" tips about resumes, LinkedIn, cover letters, interviewing, finding employers to contact, and more.

2. Lists Posts. Creating lists is a great way to create a useful blog post. A list can be anything from a resource list, to a list of do's and don'ts. Even a list of products that you like to use (using your affiliate links of course) is a great way to put content on your blog. Your readers will be interested in any relevant lists that you can create.

A list post can also position you as an expert. For example, you might identify the top Twitter resources in the niche you serve (be sure to include yourself!).

3. Long Blog Posts. Most blog posts that you create will usually be 500 words or so, but on occasion, it's good to write a really long post. A blog post that goes very in-depth and is about 1,500 words long is a great way to include hard-hitting, relevant content on your blog.

4. Tutorials. This is kind of like the "how to" post but it goes more into it by using photos and maybe even video to demonstrate how to do something within your niche. Make sure it's something your audience wants to learn to do. A great example would be a video about how to customize a cover letter.

5. Videos. All blog posts don't have to include text. You can create a two or three minute video blog instead of a text blog post. Include a text description, post it on YouTube, and embed it into your blog for more traffic possibilities via the YouTube audience. You can also use your videos in other places, like in your LinkedIn profile.

6. Images with Commentary. Infographics are a great way to provide interesting content for your blog. You can create images using stock photos or you can make them yourself using a quote in attractive text. It's a good idea to include some commentary because search engines do not pick up text that is on an image. Use both the "alt" tags as well as some text to describe the image. Another great idea is a "before-and-after" resume case study.

7. Short, Focused Posts. Create a very short post — 300 words or so — about one very focused issue or topic for jobseekers. If you have a short update, it's okay to put a short blog post on your website.

8. Blog Post Round-Ups. You can collect blog posts from other people who write about job search, or you can do a round-up of blogs that were on your site during a specific time period (such as "most viewed" posts this month) or important bits of information that you don't want your audience to miss. Be sure to only put a short blurb and a link to the blog posts that you did not write, because you don't want to steal someone else's work.

9. Product and Book Reviews. If you get paid or get a product free in exchange for doing a review, you must disclose it. But if you can, also purchase the products yourself and use affiliate links to earn some money for products you review and recommend. Reviewing books within the job search niche on Amazon is also a great way to get traffic to your blog, by the way.

10. Critiques and Commentary. Some of my most popular blog posts have been on controversial topics. Read something that you want to comment about online? You can give a short synopsis of the blog post, and then link to the actual blog post or article, and then you can comment on it on your blog. Be careful if your commentary is negative or critical, though, because people can get quite upset.

11. Surveys and Polls. Not sure what to write about? Make a survey or poll right on your blog to ask your readers what they'd like to read about. You can also ask their opinion about a topic in question. You can use a service like SurveyMonkey.com to create simple (free) to complicated (paid) surveys with statistics. (I personally use QuestionPro, but it's a paid service.)

12. Case Studies. This works especially well for resume writers. Collect stories about how clients succeeded taking your advice and post them on your website in a blog post. You can also conduct interviews using Skype or FreeConferenceCall.com and record it and post it as a podcast.

13. Q & A.You can answer questions sent to you via social media or email right on your blog. It's a great way to create a new blog post and help fill in your FAQ. (You'll see that a lot of my blog posts start as an answer to a question I've received from a resume writer.) If no one emails you yet, you can still find questions to answer about your niche by checking out Groups on LinkedIn and questions asked on social media.

Using these types of blog posts as ideas, you can have a never-ending stream of content for your blog.

Has It Been a Tough Week? Here's Some Encouragement

Because January is always the busiest month for resume writers, I thought today might be a good day to send you a message of encouragement.

Whether you've been in business for two months or ten years, there's one common denominator: Being a self-employed resume writer is hard work. It requires patience, perseverance, and persistence. But let's face it, sometimes the desire to persevere can wane. You might lose your momentum and your business mojo from time to time. (It probably feels like you're losing your mind.)

That's to be expected. So let me share a little encouragement -- and some ideas -- with you today.

1. Ask Yourself: Why Do You Want It? It's much easier to be persistent if you know why you want it. Why are you self-employed? What is your goal -- and what is the motivation behind the goal? If you're unsure of your motivation, then take a few minutes to figure it out. This is important. If you don't know your why, then your how, what, and when are much more difficult to follow through on. I'd really encourage you to write your why down -- or, if you prefer, create a vision board (a visual illustration of your goals).

2. One Step At a Time. One of my favorite sayings when I'm overwhelmed is, "There's only one of me." That's a reminder to me -- and others -- that there's only so much I can do. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. It's much easier to take many small steps towards a goal than to try to achieve a handful of monumental steps. If I get overwhelmed by a client project, I just start on it and work on it as long as I can. If I can't get started, I set my phone timer for 10 minutes and tell myself I'll just work on it until the timer goes off. Once I get started, I can usually keep going.

3. Support Matters. One of the best things you can do for yourself as a resume writer is to come up with processes and systems for yourself and your work with clients. Every project is harder to tackle if you feel like you're starting from scratch with each client. If you can come up with a standard support system for your work, it makes each step you take along the way easier to manage.

Attitude is essential for perseverance. Perseverance is the ability to stick with it and to follow through, even when times are tough. It's an entrepreneurial requirement. Get clear on your reason for being a self-employed resume writer. Accept that there will be difficult days. And, when possible, create support systems to help you along the way.

You can do it. I believe in you.

Are Your Clients Confused About Using Social Media In Their Job Search?

Are your resume clients confused about how to use social media in their job search?

A better question is: Are YOU confused about what your clients should be doing to use social media in their job search?

If so, mark Thursday, Jan. 30 on your calendar.

In one 90-minute session taught by social media expert Barbara Safani, you'll get a solid understanding of the power of LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ to help your clients land their dream job. Here are details on the program (offered by The Academies):
 

Social Media for Skeptics & Non-Social Media Enthusiasts!

Perhaps you realize that social media has become an important part of a job search strategy and your clients have begun to ask if you can help them with their LinkedIn profiles. Or maybe, up until now, you’ve dabbled on LinkedIn or perhaps Facebook or Twitter, but haven’t taken the full plunge. You’re still trying to figure out which site is good for who and why. You’re not alone. Dissecting the myriad of social networking sites can be daunting, confusing, and time consuming.

Join us for: Social Media for Skeptics & Non-Social Media Enthusiasts! In this 90-minute class, you will gain a solid understanding of the four top social networking sites and learn how to incorporate high-level job search strategies across all four sites. More specifically:

1. LinkedIn: Keys to writing a stand-out, optimized LinkedIn profile, and getting decision makers to listen to what your clients have to say.
2. Facebook: How to transform Facebook from a network of friends to an army of advocates for a client’s job search.
3. Twitter: Methods for taming the noise on Twitter and focusing strategically on the influencers that can help your clients’ careers soar.
4. Google+ Why Google+ is not just another social network and how your clients can leverage it to create a top-notch online identity.

Thursday, January 30th, 2014

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Eastern/New York
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Central
11:00 am – 12:30 pm Mountain
10:00 am – 11:30 pm Pacific/California

Only $97 (Or it's free if you register for the CCMC training I told you about last week.)

Register here.

Questions? Call Shelly at The Academies at (877) 659-3769 extension 1 or email Shelly@theacademies.com.

I'm planning on taking this training myself. Even though I'm very social media savvy, anytime I can learn something new to help my clients in their job search, I invest in the training.

Remember, if you mention me (Bridget Brooks) or Resume Writers' Digest when you register for this program, let me know and I'll send you a special bonus.




DISCLOSURE: I am an affiliate for The Academies. If you purchase a training program as a result of this email, I will earn a commission. You will not pay more when buying anything through my link. In fact, I can sometimes negotiate a lower rate (or bonuses) not available elsewhere. Plus, when you order through my link, it helps me to continue to offer you lots of free stuff. :) Thank you, in advance for your support! (Want to learn more about how you can earn affiliate commissions by recommending services and products you trust? Email me!)

Has Susan Whitcomb Gone Crazy?

If you ever have the opportunity to meet Susan Whitcomb from The Academies or hear her speak, it will only take you a minute to realize that she only offers high-quality content and top-of-the-industry instructors in her certification programs. (I know Susan well, having shared a 4x4' corner of the meeting room in Chicago in September -- our exhibit booths were right next to each other!)

But I think Susan may have gone a little bit crazy.

I heard from her team today that their flagship program, the Certified Career Management Coach course, will be offered starting at the end of this month. And if you register at least one week before the start of the class, you will receive an extra-generous Early Bird price - $500.00 off -- plus free registration for the social media job search course that Barbara Safani is teaching at the end of this month -- Social Media for Skeptics & Non-Social Media Enthusiasts!

For those of you who have never taken a course from The Academies, I believe you will find that the career coaching program checks all the boxes that you might have on your “wish list” for training:

• A new revenue stream that can double or triple your income while also allowing you to serve your clients more effectively
• Results that will equip you with tools, strategies, and confidence
• An instructor/mentor team with more than 30 years of coaching experience
• Live, interactive training where you’ll meet other inspiring colleagues
• 30 hours of training approved by the International Coach Federation, applicable toward earning or renewing an ICF credential
• More than 400 pages of proven, practical, and respected curriculum developed by author, thought leader, and “The Career Coach’s Coach” Susan Whitcomb 

 
If you’re considering coach training or thinking of referring someone to coach training, I invite you to explore The Academies’ Certified Career Management Coach program. 

The $500 Savings ends Jan. 21. Plus, when you register between now and the 21st and you’ll also receive the live program, “Social Media for Skeptics & Non-Social Media Enthusiasts!” taught by Barbara Safani.

Installment payments are available too. 

The Certified Career Management Coach program will be offered in three different sessions:

January 28th, 2014
15 consecutive Tuesdays
10:00 am – 12:00 pm EST
9:00 am – 11:00 am CST
8:00 am – 10:00 am MST
7:00 am – 9:00 am PST

OR

January 29, 2014
15 consecutive Wednesdays
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm EST
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm CST
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm MST
11:00 am – 1:00 pm PST

OR

January 28, 2014 (Christian Track)
15 consecutive Tuesdays,
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm EST
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm CST
11:00 am – 1:00 pm MST
10:00 am – 12:00 pm PST

I know 24 resume writers who have completed the CCMC program, and would be happy to put you in touch with one of them to talk about the program and what they got out of it or to answer any questions you have about the training.

And, if you mention me (Bridget Brooks) or Resume Writers' Digest when you register for this program, let me know and I'll offer you TWO special bonuses: 

• I'll write a news release for you when you receive your CCMC certification and help you distribute it for maximum impact. 
• I'll also help you put together, promote, and host a teleseminar to help you acquire your first coaching clients.

What better way to set the stage for a successful 2014 than acquiring this certification?

P.S. – Please don't tell Susan I called her crazy for offering this super low price and the Social Media class bonus!



DISCLOSURE: I am an affiliate for The Academies. If you purchase a training program as a result of this email, I will earn a commission. You will not pay more when buying anything through my link. In fact, I can sometimes negotiate a lower rate (or bonuses) not available elsewhere. Plus, when you order through my link, it helps me to continue to offer you lots of free stuff. :) Thank you, in advance for your support! (Want to learn more about how you can earn affiliate commissions by recommending services and products you trust? Email me!)

Which Resume Writing Certification Do You Recommend?

Which resume writing certification do you recommend: NCRW or CPRW?

Jennifer asked this question on LinkedIn, and I realized I should share my answer on this blog too.

When choosing a certification, it's really up to you to decide what you want out of certification (in other words, WHY do you want to get certified)?

I've written a couple of blog posts on the topic, and this is another reminder that I need to update my guide to resume writing certifications (mentioned in this blog post -- http://rwdigest.blogspot.com/2013/02/to-get-certified-or-not-to-get.html), but I will tell you that the most common certification is the CPRW (it's also the easiest to obtain), but the CPRW won't "teach" you anything about resume writing. The NCRW and the ACRW are probably the two that are geared towards both assessing skill level AND teaching you concepts of resume writing. Gayle Howard also teaches a program for Career Directors International that leads to a CARW certification. (Gayle is amazing, by the way.)

Some questions to ask yourself:
1. Am I already a member of an association that offers a credential? (CPRW for PARW, NCRW for NRWA, CARW for CDI, etc.). If so, your cost of acquiring the credential is lower, as membership is required to apply for certification. PARW also requires ongoing membership to keep your credential "current."

2. Speaking of keeping your credential "current" -- look at what the standards are for renewing your credential. Does it require continuing education? How much? How likely am I to be able to achieve the continuing education standards and therefore renew my credential?

3. Do I just want to test my mastery of resume writing, or do I want to learn principles and concepts of great resumes along the way? Again, the CPRW would be a "minimum competency" credential, while the MRW (Master Resume Writer) offered by Career Thought Leaders would demonstrate an elite level of competency.

4. Why do I want to become certified? If, for example, you want to subcontract as a resume writer and certification is required by the contracting writer or organization, ASK which credential(s) they accept, and which they prefer. If you're getting certified as a way of attracting interest from resume prospects, be aware that the vast majority of consumers don't understand the difference between the credentials, so becoming a "certified resume writer" is good enough for them ... they can't tell them apart.

5. If you are looking for more clients, being listed in certain organizational directories as a certified writer can help you get business -- I don't have concrete figures, but I believe the PARW website gets more traffic than the NRWA or CDI websites, and therefore, being listed in their certification directory would probably yield more leads. And again, if you're using it for business development purposes, once you're certified, join CertifiedResumeWriters.com and be listed in their directory too.

What do you think of these questions? Which certification do you have -- and what do you think of it? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Resume Writers: Don't Be a Hater

Today’s blog post challenge is to write about something that irks me.

Here’s one: There are enough people dissing resume writers out there without us tearing each other down. Are there good resume writers, and not-so-good resume writers? Sure. But instead of writing Facebook status updates and blog posts about how you have to rewrite the work of other resume writers, why not reach out to the original writer (if you know who it is — and that’s not often hard, if you check the “Summary Info” section of the Word document) and offer some assistance?

With millions of potential clients out there — and surrounded by pundits who say you don't need a resume writer, or do-it-yourself resources — when you publicly tear down the work of other resume writers, it makes the public doubt all members of the profession. That may not be your intention — but that's the perception it creates.

It’s hard for many people to decide to work with a resume writer, and it's even harder for them to judge what makes a “good” resume writer. I believe the fact that someone is asking for help at all is going to make them more successful. In my experience, there are few resume writers who will actually make a client’s resume worse — so if they take a client’s resume that is a “two” and they make it a “six or seven,” that client is going to benefit, even if it’s not a “ten.” And, frankly, most of these clients are not going to be unhappy, because having their resume worked on will give them more confidence.

YES, there is a difference between a $10 resume and a $10,000 resume. But there are clients who can’t afford even a $750 resume. I’ve said it before — there are resume writers who are not certified who are charging $250 for a resume that is better than some certified resume writers who charge $1000. Our goal should be to elevate the profession. To encourage each other to continue our professional development. To share best practices. To educate one another. To educate prospective clients on what a good resume looks like…and how to find those writers.

Next time you come across a poorly written professional resume, do two things:

• Research the original writer (again, you can often find this in the “Summary Info” section of the Word document). Google the person/firm. Reach out to the original writer and introduce yourself. Explain that the client came to you seeking a rewrite. (You may get some interesting information from the writer about the client that will help you serve him/her better.) Encourage the writer to join a professional association in the industry.

• Instead of writing a status update or blog post criticizing the work of that writer, turn it around and use the opportunity to educate the public about what DOES make a good resume. (“Are you making these four mistakes on your resume?” or “Is Your Resume Working?”) Don’t point out that the mistakes were made on a “professionally” written resume. After all, it’s likely that do-it-yourselfers are making the same mistakes.

I believe there is enough business for everyone. We don’t have to tear others down to build ourselves up. One of the things that impresses me most about the resume writing industry — overall — is that we are colleagues, not competitors. PLEASE keep this in mind the next time you are tempted to post something negative about another resume writer.

What are your thoughts on this?

Put Innovation On Your Calendar for 2014

In December's special report, "Make Your Resume Business Better," I talk about how to reignite your passion for your resume writing business. One of the ways to do that is to think about how you can introduce innovation and creativity into your daily -- or weekly -- routine.

Smart business owners devote at least a small portion of their working time to innovation and creativity. At big companies like Facebook and Google, employees are allowed to spend a percentage of their time on their own projects. This helps keep their creative fires burning, and some of these projects turn into major successes for their employers.  

You can do the same in your resume writing business. It is important to devote some time to coming up with new products and/or services or even delving into something outside of your comfort zone to take your business to a whole new level.

Here are some ideas to help you put this idea into action.

• Dedicate time for innovation and creation. Just like you mark on your calendar the things you will do today, schedule a block of time devoted to "creation and innovation." You can do an hour a day, or 1/2 a day a week, or some other timeframe that works for you. But it’s important that it’s an actual calendar item and that you know how you’re going to devote that time to creative pursuits. This item on your calendar should be just as important as any other to-do item on your calendar. 

• Bring in a creative partner. Sometimes a fresh perspective can open up doors you never before thought were possible to get through. You don’t have to bring in a permanent partner -- you can work on joint ventures with different people on just one project at a time. Start with something small and work your way up to larger ventures. Bringing in a partner will not only spark your creative side, but it will also make you feel challenged -- and maybe a little obligated -- to be a good partner. 

• Change your location. One way to open the creative floodgates is to get out of your office. Go to the coffeehouse down the street; go to the park. In the summer, I like to work outdoors on my front porch. (And someday, I'm going to live in Arizona, so I can do that in December too.) Get unplugged and use a paper and pen instead of technology. Turn off the music, turn off the TV, turn off the noise, and get out of your comfort zone. Even a nice walk in the park with a way to record your thoughts can go far in helping you unleash your innovative and creative side. 

• Let go of your fears. You might think you’re the only person with fears, but you’re not. Every business owner has expressed fear or felt fear. Even very famous people have had fear about doing something new or different. The only difference between them and you is they felt the fear and did it anyway. You can be just like them by just changing that one thing and just going for it. Just do it. Work through the fear. Channel that fear into motivation to succeed. 

• Read industry news. You can use Google Alerts to search for keywords and you'll get an email alert when a story is published. Also join at least one industry association and read the daily e-mail list. Being up to date on what's going on in the resume writing industry can keep you from falling behind. While the resume isn't dead (yet!), that doesn't mean you can bury your head in the sand and pretend you know it all.

• Study your competition. A really good way to get the creative juices flowing is to study what other resume writers are doing. I love looking at resume books — especially the Expert Resume series by Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark. You don't want to steal from other resume writers (no plagiarism, please -- even in designs), but it's possible something you see in one of these books will spark your creative energy in a new way outside of anything you’ve ever considered previously. 

By taking out time from your busy work schedule to be innovative and creative, you will create a long-term business that will fill your life with passion and profits while never becoming mundane and boring.

You Know What You Do ... But Can You Explain It?

© Studio-54

Do you know what you do?
That may sound strange to say. Of course you know what you do. Well, do you? If someone asks you what you do, are you ready with a 2-minute explanation of what you do? 

I find if I say, "I write resumes," people say, "For other people? You actually do that?"

On the other hand, if I say, "I help people find jobs," that prompts questions — which is a good thing. Usually the response is, "How?" or "Are you a recruiter?"

You should be able to answer the question, "So, what do you do?" With a list of problems that you solve -- the most direct one being the "I help people get the job of their dreams" or a similar response.

Define what you do in terms of the problems you solve and the benefits it gives your target audience and you’ll be ahead of the game. You’ll automatically release the passion of what it is that you do and why you do it. 

You can use this fill-in-the-blank formula to help you:

I __________ for/with ______________ so (my target audience) can ____________.

For example, a resume writer might say:

I write compelling resumes and LinkedIn profiles for jobseekers so they can get an interview for their dream job!

A career coach might say:

I work with people who are lost or stuck in their current job so they can figure out how to be more happy and fulfilled in their careers.

Remember — it’s all about them and what you do to make their lives easier and solve their problems. When you take the focus off the features of your service and place it on the client and the benefits you offer, it will actually make your resume writing business more enjoyable. It will become better because you’ll have a much better definition of what you’re doing and a better way to focus your marketing.

No More Feast or Famine in Your Resume Writing Business

On yesterday's call for "Make 2014 Your Best Year Yet," I got a question from Laura in New Jersey about how to handle the "feast or famine" aspects of running your own resume writing business.

Laura: I’m a new résumé writer. I’m going into my third year. And many of my clients are getting jobs and getting hired and I’m so excited. But my biggest goal is just getting more business. That’s the key for me. I can do the work. It’s just getting the business and that’s, I guess, my biggest dilemma, my biggest goal.

Me: I talked earlier in the presentation today about CJ Hayden’s program, “Get Clients Now.” 

She has a book that you can work your way through, or I’ve actually been through her coaching program for it that’s a four-week class. And you put together a 28-day action plan that’s oriented around marketing activities like speaking and writing and referrals and those sorts of things. And like I said, her emphasis is on taking specific actions and doing them repeatedly because they’ll lead you to results. And that’s probably one of the biggest challenges we have as resume writers is that it’s kind of “feast and famine.”

So you’re like “Okay, right now it’s December and I need clients. I’m going to start working on these marketing things.” And then all of a sudden, we’ll get calls on Thursday, January 2nd, and your phone is going to ring off the hook for about 35 days with people who have New Year's Resolutions to get a new job, and you’re just going to be writing and consulting with clients and doing drafts and all this stuff. And then you’re going to get to the middle of February and there is a drought. And then you’re like “Okay, I’m going to get back on track with my marketing here” and then all of a sudden all the new grads come in April, wanting their resume. So C.J. talks about really creating the systems in place so that you’re just doing even 10 minutes of marketing a day to help even out that feast and famine cycle.

Laura: In other words, instead of waiting for the drought, market as you go.

Me: Exactly. She talks about creating a pipeline of prospects. And one of the big programs that I want to put together for 2014 from my side of things is list building because I’ve talked about this on a couple of previous calls and it’s one of my staples that I really emphasize to resume writers — building an email list of your clients and prospects so that you can turn on that pipeline when you need more business and then you can kind of turn down the volume of the flow. You always want to keep your pipeline flowing so that you constantly have existing clients coming back for updates and making referrals of new clients, but you want to have a steady flow of leads and prospects that are coming your way, and one of the easiest ways to manage that is to get them into your email system and provide them with information.

Obviously one of the biggest benefits of the BeAResumeWriter.com Bronze membership is the content that I give you that you can use with these clients. And I have a lot of the Bronze subscribers who don’t put this stuff out publicly to the world. They’re not putting the content on their blog or their website. What they’re doing is packaging it and sending it to their existing email list. It might be excerpting it or it might just be putting a cover on it and sending it out as an e-book, but using that content to keep in contact with your prospects and your existing clients and the people that they have referred.

And again, C.J. talks about this a lot. You’re more likely to get business from people who know, like and trust you. And one of the biggest ways to do that is through content marketing because it establishes your expertise and it gives you a reason to be contacting you via email. I know that it’s hard to think, when you’re looking at your email box, “Oh my gosh. There is so much stuff in here.” But aren’t there some people that you really look forward to seeing what they have to say? And so, being that kind of person is going to help solidify that pipeline so that you’re keeping in contact with the existing clients and the past clients, you’re encouraging them to make referrals, and if somebody contacts you but they’re not ready to start working with you right away or maybe price is a barrier initially, putting them on that email contact list helps you develop that reputation as a credible expert and a trusted authority so that when it’s time for them to pull the trigger and actually have somebody work with them on their resume and LinkedIn profile and all that…

Laura: They’ll remember you.

Me: They remember you — "top of mind marketing." So I think you really might benefit from CJ’s book. And like I said, if you need a little bit more hands-on instruction, then you go through the course with a trained facilitator and a group of accountability buddies. I didn’t really talk a lot about accountability buddies today, but that’s a big part of it too is just having somebody on your team who is going to keep you accountable. That might be a colleague or it might be a friend or a family member — somebody who you can put this stuff out there to and have them make sure that you’re on track for your goals.

Laura: Thank you very much. And I do use the Pass-Along Materials. I put them in a binder when I send [the finished] resume out to them, but I’m thinking now maybe that should be an email marketing project.

Bridget: I would say digital use of it is probably more cost-effective. I love the value that you get when you send it out hard copy because it really has a high perceived value, but just from the standpoint of making them accessible to more people since you’re only sending them out to folks who are getting the finished documents, you might consider putting them in digital format too so that you can just either give them access to a special page on your website where they can look at [them] or excerpting them in the emails or just having a special folder on your computer where you’re like “Okay, I’m going to send people a link to this Pass-Along Material this month.”

Six Questions Every Resume Needs to Answer

After listening to Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark on last week's "6-Step Process for Writing Extraordinary Resumes" E-Summit, I've identified six questions that every resume you write needs to answer.

These are six questions you must be able to answer before you write the resume, or ask yourself the questions after you've written the resume to make sure it will be effective.

The resume must answer these six questions:

1. Who are you?
2. Where have you been?
3. What have you done?
4. What can you do for me?
5. What sets you apart from everyone else?
6. What kind of job are you seeking?

The resume needs to answer these questions clearly and directly. The answers must be apparent in a six-second scan of the document, and also provide greater depth and detail upon closer review.

Certification or No Certification?

  

This is one of the most common questions I get asked by resume writers: Should I get certified? And, if so, which certification should I go for?

In the resume writing industry, there is no requirement that you get certified, but there advantages to investing in certification. However, I know some outstanding resume writers who have never pursued certification. And, unfortunately, there are some certified writers who aren't that great. And because some certifications don't require ongoing continuing education, someone who was certified in 2004 might not have the skills of someone who was certified in 2012. 

Certification itself does not necessarily indicate quality or proficiency (although you would think that would be exactly what certification would promise!). Ultimately the decision whether to get certified or not depends entirely on your own goals and needs.

There are a lot of experienced resume writers who do not believe that it's important to get certification. After all, they have demonstrated their competency through years and years of satisfied clients. A few of the existing resume writing certifications, however, are not "teaching" oriented programs — they only measure competency; they don't teach it. Instead of pursuing certification, you might instead take resume writing courses. Don't discount what you can learn by taking a really good course when it comes to resume writing. You might learn something that turns your entire business around.

As an unregulated profession, getting certification will make you look legitimate and may help you continue resume writing if ever certification becomes a requirement. You'll be ahead of the game. (I don't see the industry ever being that regulated, however, that a certification will be required.)

While it's true that some clients will be impressed by a resume writer who took the time and invested the money to become certified, it's also true that many won't even ask. And, because of the large number of certifying bodies and credentials offered, probably 99% of clients don't know the difference between a CPRW and an ACRW. But showcasing your certification (and educating prospective clients about the process involved in certification — especially the benefit to them from working with a certified writer who is committed to continuing education and knowledge development) can be something that sets you apart from other resume writers.

Ultimately, to be successful in resume writing, you don't need a certification. What you do need is:

• An understanding of different types of career document writing (resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, bio, etc.)
• Strong listening skills and the ability to gather information from clients effectively (whether through questionnaires, review of previous client documents, client interviews, or a combination of these).
• Solid insight into the hiring process and how employers review resumes and assess candidates.
• Knowledge of best pricing and billing practices (you won't stay in business long if you can't figure out how much to charge, and how to collect from clients!)
• Understanding of tax and legal obligations, including structuring an effective contract
• Proficiency in technology — with a focus on Microsoft Word
• The ability to plan and implement marketing techniques to attract clients
• A commitment to continuing education (this industry is always changing!)

What do you think about certification?