Ideas + Action = Prosperity

One of the best things about publishing Resume Writers' Digest, I think, is the opportunity to bring the "best practices" of our industry's best and brightest to light, so that we can all share in the rewards.

But sometimes you may be thinking to yourself as you read the newsletter, "That would never work for me."

Author Mark H. McCormack gives a tip for how to put some of those seemingly unworkable ideas into practice in his book, "Never Wrestle With a Pig":

"An "idea" has to be more than a suggestion that someone else can pick up and run with. At the minimum in business, an idea must be a clever recombination of two seemingly disparate concepts into a larger concept that no one else has considered before."

If you can't make that idea into something "no one else has considered before" -- you can certainly think of a way to implement it to your advantage and have it work for YOU in a way YOU had never considered before.

Take a look at this six-page special section on the 2001 PARW Conference in St. Petersburg, Florida. Then find ONE idea you can adapt and put into practice for yourself -- and DO IT!

Conferences are great inspiration. It's not too late to register for the Career Directors International Conference next month (Oct. 18-20) in San Antonio, Texas.

Recruiters: "Competition" for Resume Writers?

I wrote the following in 2002:

There was a comment made in the Recruiter's Panel at the CMI Conference (now the Career Management Alliance) in San Diego in 2002 that sometime in the future, recruiters may get into the résumé-writing business. I would argue, some already have.

For the sake of argument, permit me to comment on this.

POSITIVES:
• Most recruiters already make 100K and don't need the income from resume writing to make a living. Therefore, they probably won't troll in the same "waters" we do for clients. (However, they might employ staff for this role, as it might not be a task they want to offer THEMSELVES but want to offer as a firm.)
• Two can play that game. What keeps resume writers from taking on recruitment roles? (There are already several resume writers who are excellent role models for this within the industry.)
• There might be an opportunity for resume writers to more closely affiliate with recruiters who want to offer this service, but don't want to take on staff or do it themselves.
• Recruiters might increase their appreciation of resume writers as they see how difficult our part of the job is. (I certainly have a respect for how difficult THEIR job can be.)

NEGATIVES:
• It's easier for recruiters to find the prospects -- people are always sending resumes to recruiters; if they're bad, they're in a perfect position to recommend that their resume needs to be redone.
• Recruiters don't need to make money off the resumes they do; their primary profit centers are the fees paid to them by employers. Ergo, they can/will underprice most resume writers.
• Unlike most resume writers, recruiters know the target EXACTLY. (Resume writers can usually get it about 98% right *grin*). When they create the resume, they also know what to emphasize to get that particular job. Almost every time.

Keep an eye on this topic -- it's going to be hot in the next couple of years.

All right, it's five years later. What's the reality?

I know of several resume writers who subcontract write for recruiting firms. I know of a few resume writers who also do recruiting. For the most part, the status quo has reigned. But that's not to say that things won't change in the next five years. Stay tuned. I'll have more for you on this topic.

Keep In Touch Marketing

My birthday is in September, and I'm amazed at the volume of mail I'm getting from businesses to honor this special day. I don't think many of my family members will send a card, but I've received cards -- and even a small plastic bottle -- from the Nebraska Lottery, Canfield's Sporting Goods, and two local restaurants, among others. Real estate and insurance agents are masters of it: Keep in touch marketing.

It's the art (and science) of keeping your name in front of clients, prospects, referral sources, and the media. It's not difficult -- although it does take a commitment. It's not expensive, but it does require an investment of your time.

The goal of keep in touch marketing is to put something in front of your target audiences 6-8 times per year.

As Lois K. Geller, author of "Response! The Complete Guide to Profitable Direct Marketing" writes:

quote:

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One of the best ways to develop customer loyalty is to establish ongoing communication with the people who are most important to your business. One of my favorite methods of ongoing communication is to offer customers education. Another method of continuing communication with your customers is to send them something they can use throughout the year to keep your name in front of them. It can be as simple as a refrigerator magnet or a pen with your name inscribed on it."

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She goes on to say:

quote:

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"Not all communication has to be offer-driven. You can write to give people information, to thank them for buying, to let them know you haven't heard from them in a while, or just to say hello. Of course, if you want to add an offer, that's fine too."

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Other forms of communication programs include:
• Fliers
• Newsletters
• Educational Materials
• Birthday Cards
• Holiday Greetings
• Thank-you Notes
• Personalized Letters

Start planning your Keep in Touch marketing program today!

New Issue of Resume Writers Digest

It's ready! The first issue of Resume Writers' Digest published since June of 2005.

If you have already signed up for the double opt-in mailing list (using the form at the top right-hand corner of this blog), you'll receive your issue tomorrow (Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007).

In this issue:
• Knowing Just the Right Thing to Say: Using Keywords Correctly in Resumes (Cover Story)
• Top 30 Keywords Recruiters Use
• Never Lend (and Lose!) A Book Again -- Plus, Make Money at the Same Time
• Calendar of Events
• Position, Rate, and Elevate The Resumes You Write
• The Publicity Hound: Let Bloggers Create Publicity For You
• Program Offers Opportunity to Help Clients "Get Hired Now!"
• Overview of the "Get Hired Now!" System
• "The Back Page" -- a new feature with excerpts from this blog