How to Write Great Resumes Faster

* Create a "writing routine." Most professional writers overcome "writer's block" by creating rituals and using props to help them get into the writing "state of mind." Some common writing "crutches" include a favorite beverage, a special pen, familiar music, or writing at a certain place or time.

• If you can't start at the beginning, start in the middle. It's said that Ernest Hemingway always finished his day in mid-sentence so he could just pick up where he had left off without much thought.

• Create an outline and fill in the easy stuff first. Start by setting up the relevant headings (education, affiliations, associations, licenses, etc.) and then fill in the information under each heading. Start with the easiest sections (i.e., "Education") first.

• Write first, organize later. One of the most difficult parts of resume writing is often getting started. So just start typing whatever information you have; whatever comes into your head as you go through your client notes. Then go back through and organize it.

These tips are excerpted "Write Great Resumes Faster," available from Image Building Communications - Order here.

WANT MORE TIPS? Buy the book! You'll get more than three dozen actionable ideas, including how to develop a "write faster mentality," using technology to write faster and better, and more than a dozen strategies to help you overcome a blank page. Plus, dozens of alternate section headers (looking for a different phrase than "Work Experience?" We've got 15 alternatives); hundreds of accomplishment-stimulating verbs (alphabetized), dozens of personality traits and profile descriptors, hundreds of keywords -- and much, much more!

So Is it Spelled "Blogue" in Canada?

Developing a career document for a non-English-speaking client? Identify what text needs to be changed (i.e., "catalog" vs. "catalogue") by following these simple instructions:

In Microsoft Word, select all of the text (Control-A). Choose "Language" from the "Tools" menu, and select the appropriate language.

The spell check will then make sure all the language-related differences are identified for you.

Write and Speak About What You Do

Speaking is a great way to build your business. Possible career angles for speeches, workshops and articles include:

• The best time to look for a job is when you have one;
• Careerjournaling (tracking responsibilities and accomplishments);
• How often to update a resume;
• New technology and the job search;
• Choosing a resume writer;
• What you should include in a resume -- and what you shouldn't;
• Tapping into the "hidden" job market;
• How to transition into a new career;
• The post-military job search;
• Networking your way to a new job;
• First jobs for college graduates;
• Job search strategies for executives;
• The role of the portfolio in the job search;
• Alternative work styles and careers;
• Retaining employees: What your employees tell their resume writer as they prepare to leave your company; and
• Job-hunting online.

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.