10 Questions with Anne Barnwell

Get to know the other resume writers in our community with our “10 Questions” series!

Today’s profile is Anne Barnwell of The Write Resumes.

Anne has been a professional resume writer for two years. She is a Nationally Certified Resume Writer with the National Resume Writers’ Association and a Certified Professional Resume Writer through the Professional Association of Resume Writers (PARW/CC). Anne is currently pursuing a certification in federal government resumes. Anne works with clients from C-suite to college students and, as a former stay-at-home mom, has expertise in helping professionals relaunch their careers.

1. Why did you decide to become a professional resume writer?
I was trained in resume writing and critiquing many years ago when I was a college student. (Many, many years ago…) I thoroughly enjoyed working with people and it was something I did well. I don’t know why it took me so long, but it wasn’t until two years ago when I thought that perhaps, this was a missed opportunity. My plan was to start slowly but it’s kept me busy ever since.

2. How did you get into the career industry? What did you do before?

I still work full time in Corporate Communications for a financial services company and work with clients to build their resumes as my side business. Most of my experience is in communications — corporate, executive, nonprofit, social media, public relations, and media relations.

3. What do you typically wear when you’re working?
Whatever I want to wear! When I work with clients I am rarely on camera because I am focused on listening and capturing information. Most often I am wearing workout clothes.

4. What is your best habit, and what is your worst?

Best habit: Taking care of my health. Healthy body, healthy mind.

Worst habit: I am too attached to my phone.

5. What’s your favorite object in your office? Why?

My running medals. For my day job I am usually on camera (and not in workout clothes) and my medal holder is on the wall behind me. It is quite the conversation starter.

It also includes an amazing Marilyn Monroe quote: “Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.”

6. What is your “go to” technique or secret when you get stuck when you’re writing a resume? How do you get unstuck?
Keep moving forward by putting some language down, and then I highlight it in green. A green highlight indicates that I need to return to that action and fix the language. Yellow highlights indicate a question for my client.

7. What’s the best career advice you ever got?
From my parents, who immigrated to the United States: Work hard and don’t complain. And if work isn’t going well, work even harder.

8. How do you unplug?
Running, knitting, and football. Go Bills!

9. What ONE thing would you change about your business or the career industry, if you could?
Although it gives us more business, I dislike the ATS software. At a time when Diversity & Inclusion is paramount to moving our country forward, I believe that ATS software hinders our ability to address bias within the system.

10. What are your favorite social media accounts to follow?

The Muse – https://www.facebook.com/thedailymuse (Facebook)

Extra Shot of Leadership – https://www.facebook.com/HeyExtraShot/ (Facebook)

Humu – https://www.linkedin.com/company/humuhq/ (LinkedIn)

iRelaunch – https://www.linkedin.com/company/irelaunch

Connect with Anne on Linkedin here: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/annembarnwell

Find her company on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWriteResumesBarnwell

Did you miss our last 10 Questions profile, featuring Brianna Watts?

You can read it here!

10 Questions with Brianna Watts

Get to know the other resume writers in our community with our “10 Questions” series!

Today’s profile is Brianna Watts of Brianna Watts Consulting and Services LLC.

Brianna is the newest of the resume writers we’ve profiled as part of the “10 Questions” series. She has been a professional resume writer for two years. Her educational and professional background is in higher education administration, and she is a proud member of the Society of Elite Resume Writers.

1. Why did you decide to become a professional resume writer?
I became a professional resume writer on accident. My initial goal was simply to provide knowledge from my own resume writing experience to my peers for them to conduct a successful job search and land the role of their dreams right out of graduate school. After witnessing my own — and their — success through interviews and job offers, I took my offers to my personal Instagram, which gained a lot of attention and turned into a high demand for me to provide resume writing services. That is when I began to take things seriously. I invested in trainings and sought out mentorship to develop my writing skills. After finding a mentor and learning that there was an entire industry and business for resume writers, I took heed and started my own career consulting company.

2. How did you get into the career industry? What did you do before?

Prior to becoming a full-time resume writer and business owner, I worked in higher education and student affairs. My focal points within student affairs were always leadership and professional development. I always had a knack for career services.

3. What do you typically wear when you’re working?
Being that I work from home full-time, I wear comfortable branded loungewear. I have to look like something to make myself feel good enough to work.

4. What is your best habit, and what is your worst?

My best habit is when I am in my zone and focused, I tend to check off everything on my to-do list for the day, and even sometimes start on tomorrow’s to-do list.

My worst habit is when I procrastinate.

5. What’s your favorite object in your office? Why?

My favorite object in the office is my speaker. I love to play my music at the loudest volume sometimes. Music sets my vibe for the day and gives me the motivation and energy I need to power through the day or my task list.

6. What is your “go to” technique or secret when you get stuck when you’re writing a resume? How do you get unstuck?
I will first review former clients’ resumes in the same or similar industry to see what I wrote in their resume. If that doesn’t work, I will turn to my resume writing community and ask my sisters for their help and expertise. If all else fails, I just take a break and revisit it the next day.

7. What’s the best career advice you ever got?
To interview the company and persons who are part of the interview as much as they are interviewing you. A supervisor can make or break your experience, so choose wisely. Ask as many questions as you can and conduct extensive research.

8. How do you unplug?
I take food breaks. I will go for a drive. I will pour a glass of wine. I also like to hang out with family and friends.

9. What ONE thing would you change about your business or the career industry, if you could?
I would hope that one day prospects would fully understand the value of a resume writer and career coach. The work that we do as resume writers and career coaches is worthy of high ticket prices. A lot goes into our skills and development.

10. What are your favorite social media accounts to follow?

Milano Di Rouge – iammilanrouge (Instagram)

Cardi B – iamcardib (Instagram)

Girl CEO – girlceoinc (Instagram)

KIT – kit___life (Instagram)

Megan Thee Stallion – @theestallion (Instagram)

Connect with Brianna on Linkedin here: 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/brianna-watts-consulting-and-services-llc/

Her website is: https://www.briannanwatts.com

You can connect with Brianna on Twitter at @briannanwatts

Did you miss our last 10 Questions profile, featuring Laura Slawson?

You can read it here!

The “Persistence Effect” and How It Can Help You Fill Your Appointment Book in 2021

 Have you heard of the “Persistence Effect”?

There is a direct connection between the level of effort you put into marketing and the results you get, even when it seems the results are completely unrelated to your efforts.

But it can be hard to figure out what marketing you SHOULD be doing. Should you advertise? Post on social media? Write articles or a blog? Work on networking? Cultivate new referral sources? Start a podcast? Do videos on YouTube?

I have the answer for you:



Yep, sounds simple. It doesn’t matter so much WHAT you do as THAT you do.

But it works. 

It’s like that saying: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
How do you fill your appointment book? One action at a time.

Do one or two simple things each day … consistently.
(The consistency part is important.)

You may look at your resume writing colleagues and wonder: Why does that person seem to have all the business they can handle, and I’m struggling with “feast and famine”? The Persistence Effect is one answer. Even if the things you’re doing aren’t DIRECTLY bringing you new business, the fact that you’re doing SOMETHING can bring you results.

I asked my Bronze members what they’d like to learn more about and the answer was how to get more clients. So I put together a mini course to help: 5 Simple Strategies for Securing More Sales.

In the course, you’ll discover three things you may be doing now that might actually be preventing you from getting clients, you’ll learn how the Persistence Effect can dramatically transform your marketing, and one simple habit that you can begin TODAY that may bring you all the clients you ever need.

Because it’s a mini-course, you can get through it quickly. It’s also designed to help you get results right away. There’s one 25-minute video and two homework assignments. It’s something you can start before the new year. (Although you can save the homework until Jan. 4 if you want.) 

The mini-course is regularly $27 but because I just launched it, you can enroll for just $18 through Dec. 31.

It’s a gift to give yourself to get 2021 started on the right foot. It’s partly about mindset, but there are also practical, actionable strategies you can implement to start filling your appointment book for next year.