Why We Do What We Do

I ran into a client today out "in public" -- he had just taken his first look at his draft and he chased me down to tell me this: "I read the draft and I'd love to meet the guy you wrote about." It was a compliment. He went on to tell me how great he thought the resume was -- how I captured exactly what it is he does (which was hard for me, because he's in IT, and I do *not* enjoy doing IT resumes) and what he has to offer his next employer.

That's what it's all about, isn't it? It's why we do what we do (besides the money, of course) -- it's the amazed look on the client's faces ... the excited phone calls when they get the job (especially, as one client recently told me, "Making more money than I've ever made before") ... and the relief when they figure out that you can help them. It's what makes up for the 2 a.m. I've-got-to-finish-this-draft-before-I-go-to-bed sessions, the PIA clients, the hassle of being our own boss.

Don't have a "kudos" folder yet? I recommend you start one. Look through it when you are working with a particularly difficult client, to remind yourself why we do what we do.

Intellectual Property Law

The ChillingEffects.org website (The Chilling Effects Clearinghouse) provides advice on trademarks, copyrights, web contents etc. Includes information on "whistleblowers," stealers of trade secrets and so on.

The site notes, "Chilling Effects aims to help you understand the protections that the First Amendment and intellectual property laws give to your online activities.

Why First Impressions Are So Important

I've been helping my aunt get her house ready for sale, and it's given me some insight into the resume writing process, believe it or not. Like their homes, people have an emotional attachment to their work history. That's usually the case with a PITA (Pain-in-the-you-know-what) clients. They could be insecure about some aspect of their work history, defensive about their age, reluctant to speak too highly about their former contributions so their next employer won't "expect too much." Or, they might just be nervous about the job search process, and any excuse to postpone finalizing their resume (even if they initiated contact in the first place) means they actually have to confronth fs and start looking.

I was originally going to write in this blog post about why first impressions on the resume are so important -- but I almost think it's more important for you to pay attention to first impressions with your clients.

Is it a wife calling for a husband? Does the person mention feeling unsure about their prospects for work after being employed with the same company for a number of years? Do they seem unfocused, or unsure of their job target? All of these are first impressions -- and how you handle them will be critical to your success with the client.

Identifying Client Skills

I've always struggled with this a bit. What is a skill, exactly? I found some clarity in The Quick Resume & Cover Letter Book.

Author J. Michael Farr identifies several types of skills, including job-related skills, basic skills, and "key transferable skills." For both types of skills, it's important to list them, but then provide justification to "back up" your assertion that your client has these skills.

Job-related skills are the ones the client needs to perform his/her job effectively.
For example--
Auto mechanic: tune engines, repair brakes
Accountant: create a general ledger

Basic skills include:

• Basic academic qualifications
• Accepting supervision
• Following instructions
• Getting along well with coworkers
• Meeting deadlines
• Punctuality
• Good work ethic
• Productivity
• Honesty

Key transferable skills include:

• Instructing others
• Public speaking
• Managing people
• Managing money/budgets
• Meeting the public
• Working effectively as part of a team
• Negotiating
• Organizing/managing projects
• Communicating orally and in writing
• Organizational effectiveness and leadership
• Self-motivation and goal setting
• Creative thinking and problem solving
  

You can also find relevant skills from job postings for the types of position the client is seeking. For example:

"Business management position requiring skills in problem solving, planning, organizing, and cost management."