Telework/Work-at-Home Opportunities

Following up on my previous post on Homeshoring, telework and work-at-home (legitimate ones!) are a growing area of interest for many clients.

Read this article from HotJobs for more information.

Also, blogger Rosalind Mays chronicles telecommuting opportunities on her blog, Telecommuting Millionaire?

Upcoming Careers Industry Conference

Back in the day of the Resume Writers' Digest print publication, we often provided gavel-to-gavel conference coverage. We're a big proponent of attending conferences -- they provide much more than information ... there's networking, subcontracting opportunities, referral relationship-building, and of course, a vacation!

I want to personally encourage you to attend the Career Directors International conference. I won't be able to attend it due to a prior conflict, but the lineup of speakers is incredible!

Oct. 18-20, 2007
Career Directors International
5th Annual Conference
www.careerdirectors.com
San Antonio, Texas

Have a training opportunity to promote? E-mail me at RWDigest@aol.com.

Author + Resume Writer = Careers Expert

As a resume writer myself (and editor of several publications), I can tell you that editors are dying for quality content for their publications. Money, health, marriage and CAREERS are the top four areas of interest for readers.

So how can you tap into this expertise? It's easier than you think. (Thanks to Robert Middleton, www.actionplan.com, for ideas on this).

Your objective in an article is to share useful information that can help people solve a problem. As Middleton says, "You're not trying to prove how smart you are, you're trying to help someone."

1. Start by making a list of topics that fit your business.
– How to _______ (How to Get Your Resume In the Hands of the Hiring Manager)
– ___ Ways to ________ (10 Steps to a New Job in the Next Month)
– ___ Ways NOT to ______ (3 Ways NOT to Make a Good Impression in an Interview)
– ___ Top _____ (10 Top Mistakes Made by Job Searchers)

2. Prioritize your list.
– Can you think of some examples for the articles above? Use the ones you think you can flesh out into an article.

3. Figure out where you'll send your article when you're finished with it. (Newspaper? Association Newsletter? Radio? TV?)

When writing the article, consider this format:
1. Problem
2. Solution
3. Examples
4. Wrap-Up

For example:
1. Your resume isn't generating interviews. Common reasons why this might be so.
2. You need a better resume. Good resumes have the following things in common.
3. Examples of taking an "obituary" resume and turning it into a "results" resume.
4. Resume writers can get you the results you want. Here's how to get a free critique of your resume.

I'll share more ideas on becoming a career expert in the future. In the meantime, if you'd like some possible article ideas (and to see a news release sample), download this pdf:
http://www.rwdigest.com/2002PRReport.pdf

More on Naming Your Business

Like looking at your newborn for the first time, you want to make sure that the name you select for your business is a good one.

There are some key considerations, of course -- like NOT choosing a name someone else already has (see my previous post on this), and not choosing a name too close to another business name (because the website you want will likely NOT be available.

In fact, I hate to say it, but website name availability should probably be the most important part of your decision. Why? Well, it is possible to overcome a good website name, but you'll spend more time and money making that happen than if you plan ahead and pick a really good business name with a really good domain name to match.

What you're ideally looking for is either a) a good "benefit" oriented name ("Interview-Winning Resume Services," or "Get-The-Job Resume Services" or b) A completely unrelated word that you will then "associate" with "Resume Service" ("Apple Career Service" or "Dayspring Resume Service") or c) a geographically-oriented name -- presuming you never want to move -- ("Nebraska Career Services" or "Tri-City Resume Service" or "River City Resume & Career Coaching Service.")

Or, there's the "bandwagon" name -- in my case, that would be "Husker Career Services" because in Nebraska, there are literally *hundreds* of businesses with "Husker" in them (because of the University of Nebraska football team, the "Cornhuskers"). But I'm pretty sure most, if not all, of them are supposed to be paying royalties.

My best recommendation is [A], a descriptive name. A check of the thesaurus, and a couple of handy books I have called "Words That Sell" (and its companion "MORE Words That Sell" reveals some ideas:
Complete, Comprehensive, Ultimate, Acclaimed, Qualified, Ace, Professional, Awesome, Aspire, Acquire, Abundance (plenty), Abundant (plentiful), Acclaim (praise), Accord (mutual understanding), Actuate (put into motion), Acuity (sharpness), Acute (perceptive), Adduce (prove, show), Adroit (skilled), Advance... the list goes on and on.

Normally, you'd also want to pick a name at the beginning of the alphabet, because that will show up early in online, alphabetized search results (say, in an online directory), or at the top of a category in a printed Yellow Pages book.

You decide. Just be sure to make sure the domain is available, and most important, PRACTICE saying your business name -- like you're answering the phone, or introducing yourself to a prospect in line at the grocery store.