Ideas, information, and resources for professional resume writers.
... Should you just start calling names in the phone book?
Of course not. You need to target your clientele a little more specifically.
Who do you PREFER to work with?
• Unemployed?
• Currently employed seeking better jobs?
• First job (i.e., students?)
• Returning to workforce?
• "Underemployed"
Young? Old? Specific professions?
Once you've identified your target audience, you can figure out how to reach them.
These are some myths I've encountered in more than 14 years of writing resumes professionally. Sound familiar?
1. You must know everything. No one can know everything. You must know what you need to know to write an effective resume to get your client a job. I've met resume writers who could know absolutely nothing about a field and write an incredible resume. For me, I need at least a passing familiarity with the industry -- and I do a lot of research to get myself up to speed. But I also tell my clients they need to help assure I incorporate in the correct terminology and keywords.
2. We are in the "resume writing" business. Nope -- we're in the "helping our clients get a job" business. The resume is simply the tool. Sell your clients a solution, not a product.
3. You can't give stuff away and still charge for it. This is one of the biggest myths around. Think of the giveaways as "free samples." These can include things like written critiques; samples on your web site; free seminars (even on "resume writing.")
Just some random thoughts off the top of my head … (based on creativity exercises in a book I'm reading)... If you're doing any of these things, I might profile you in an upcoming issue of Resume Writers' Digest. Drop me an e-mail at RWDigest@aol.com.
