As I collect the results of the 2007 Industry Survey, I've been sharing results from previous years' surveys. Here's an excerpt of the article announcing the results of the 2004 Industry Survey:
Being a professional resume writer isn't getting any easier.
Thanks to the Internet, individuals seeking the services of a resume writer now have thousands of choices instead of a dozen or fewer firms found in the local Yellow Pages.
Self-employed resume writers find increased challenge -- or opportunity -- in the leveling of the marketplace. Some establish very specific niches and are able to attract a following from a highly targeted audience. Others compete on price, offering the "low overhead" of country living as an alternative to their more urban counterparts.
Many issues identified in the survey are constant from year to year -- the difficult "mechanics of formatting attention-getting resumes," isolation and the challenge of educating clients on job search strategy or resume pricing. Marketing -- getting clients -- remains a top priority, as the balance between writing and marketing shifts more towards the administrative, and away from the creative.
Is it enough to make the resume writer hang up her pen? Or will she find a way to win over those new clients?
According to the survey, the "average" writer produces four resumes per week, at an average cost of $250. That's $4,000 per month in revenue -- before accounting for marketing expenses, taxes, equipment and supplies, phone and Internet connections, or personal benefits. Even when that income is supplemented with updates and other services (career coaching, career testing, desktop publishing, etc.), the typical resume writer, after taxes, probably nets around $30,000.
They're more connected to colleagues online, but less connected to clients in person. Seventy-five percent of resume writers in our survey work from home. While a large number of them see clients in person at least some of the time (83%), the number of resume writers who report they only work with clients by phone, fax, and/or Internet has increased to 21%. (It was 14% in 2003, and 15% in 2004.)
Without the in-person appointments, virtual resume writers must work harder to connect -- with each other, with their community, and with clients (both actual and potential).
The average resume writer:
So who is the typical resume writer, and what can we learn about the resume writing industry from this survey?
She (respondents are overwhelmingly female) is in her late 40s or early 50s and is self-employed full-time. She has been writing resumes, on average, for 12 years. She works from home and sees clients in person or works with them virtually (by phone, fax, or Internet).
More likely than not, she's certified as a resume writer, but also offers job search coaching (but is not certified as a coach). She writes approximately 17 hours per week (including client consultations, research, and writing), and is a member of two or more professional organizations for resume writing.
-- Source: January/February 2005 Resume Writers' Digest newsletter
Want to compare these results to previous years? See the 2003 survey results and 2001 and 2002 survey results.
Ideas, information, and resources for professional resume writers.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Tips for Writing IT Resumes
I work with a lot of technical folks writing IT resumes, based on my
Engineering and Programming background. It can be difficult to write for some technical folks if you do not understand the technology — and sometimes it is better to find someone who has the experience.
However, based on my experience working with these folks, I have found the following tips that have worked for me.
The format of the resume and the amount of technical information to include depends on the level the client is targeting and the niche they are in. You need to know that before you attempt to write the resume. If the resume is for someone interested in management (a difficult transition sometimes for IT folks), I actually tone down much of the technical stuff for the managerial stuff, and the resume looks much like a traditional manager or executive resume. I will usually include a technical skills section at the end of the resume.
At a senior management or department management level, the IT manager will already have been assumed to have the technical skills and his or her soft skills are much more important. For these resumes, in many cases, I remove version numbers (from specific software applications) unless the client is selling their expertise in a particular product in a senior role (such as SAP business analysts).
If a person is at a lower level — up to the level of a Project Manager / Project Leader / Team Leader, I will concentrate on how what they did adds value. I start with a summary, then list the technical skills in great detail (very organized into sections like Hardware, Software, Programming Languages, etc. — you need to have some understanding of the technology and lingo here — the sections depend on the client's expertise) and then list each assignment the person has done. There can be some creativity here if the person has been a contractor forever. I also list achievements as in any other resume. For these folks, most are fixated on the version numbers and technical details — and you must include much of it in your resume — or they will not be happy with it.
For both managers and lower level folks, you need to highlight certifications as well in the resume. Degrees are also important.
In many cases the difficulty I find in writing IT resumes is the person is more into the details of what they do — rather than the value of what they do is to the prospective employer. I find the following questions help ascertain the value. I find most IT folks can answer these questions— and they do help in developing their resumes.
For each job answer, I ask them to answer this for the top jobs they did in the position. I ask this for most IT folks — except if they are already at the executive level).
Which job?
Name of Project:
Description of the Project:
Why was the project important:
Your challenge in doing the project:
What you did to accomplish the project:
Your results:
Your role (i.e. leader or team member):
Technologies used:
Project budget:
Dollar value of product (product sales) if applicable:
Number of users:
These are the typical questions I ask my clients, which really helps when doing IT resumes. It is very directed, which IT folks need. I have used other questionnaires for technical folks but I find the answers to the questions above get me 80-90% of the technical information I need.
Note: If the client cannot answer the dollar value questions or why the project was important, I immediately know they are not ready for management and I write a highly technical resume.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
2003 Industry Survey Results
Profile of a Resume Writer
The average professional resume writer, according to this year's survey, is a female small business owner (61 percent are self-employed full-time; 23 percent part-time) who has been writing resumes 10 years, on average.
She works from home and meets with clients mostly in person, although she also works with some clients virtually. More likely than not, she is certified as a resume writer.
The typical resume writer charges $81.50 per hour -- but more important, she charges an average of $279 for a resume. Spending approximately 20 hours per week on client consultation, research, and writing, she writes an average of four resumes per week.
Our analysis of the industry finds that there are approximately 3,500 to 4,500 professional resume writers in the U.S. (Although there are approximately 6,000 firms nationwide offering resume writing services, this figure includes companies such as Kinkos and Copymax, both of which offer mostly resume typesetting).
Despite increasing awareness of the four major professional associations (Career Masters Institute, National Resume Writers' Association, Professional Resume Writing & Research Association, and the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches), it appears as if fewer than one-half of all resume writers belong to an association (although those who do belong to at least one association are very likely to belong to more than one).
Another interesting trend is the number of home-based resume writers who still meet with clients in person. The statistics remain virtually unchanged from the 2001 figures. At that time, only 13% of resume writers worked with clients by phone, fax, and Internet only -- in 2002, that increased to 15%; in 2003, it's 14%.
It seems the access to technology is being integrated into the client management process -- not replacing face-to-face interaction.
Key Statistics:
Where Do You Work From (more than one response allowed)
Work From Home – 75%
Work From "Business" Office – 30%
House Calls/Client Premises - 3%
Are You Certified as a Resume Writer?
Yes – 58%
No – 42%
Do You Use Questionnaires With Clients? (more than one response allowed)
Yes – 40%
No – 28%
Sometimes – 32%
Compare these results with the 2001 and 2002 industry survey results.
The average professional resume writer, according to this year's survey, is a female small business owner (61 percent are self-employed full-time; 23 percent part-time) who has been writing resumes 10 years, on average.
She works from home and meets with clients mostly in person, although she also works with some clients virtually. More likely than not, she is certified as a resume writer.
The typical resume writer charges $81.50 per hour -- but more important, she charges an average of $279 for a resume. Spending approximately 20 hours per week on client consultation, research, and writing, she writes an average of four resumes per week.
Our analysis of the industry finds that there are approximately 3,500 to 4,500 professional resume writers in the U.S. (Although there are approximately 6,000 firms nationwide offering resume writing services, this figure includes companies such as Kinkos and Copymax, both of which offer mostly resume typesetting).
Despite increasing awareness of the four major professional associations (Career Masters Institute, National Resume Writers' Association, Professional Resume Writing & Research Association, and the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches), it appears as if fewer than one-half of all resume writers belong to an association (although those who do belong to at least one association are very likely to belong to more than one).
Another interesting trend is the number of home-based resume writers who still meet with clients in person. The statistics remain virtually unchanged from the 2001 figures. At that time, only 13% of resume writers worked with clients by phone, fax, and Internet only -- in 2002, that increased to 15%; in 2003, it's 14%.
It seems the access to technology is being integrated into the client management process -- not replacing face-to-face interaction.
Key Statistics:
Where Do You Work From (more than one response allowed)
Work From Home – 75%
Work From "Business" Office – 30%
House Calls/Client Premises - 3%
Are You Certified as a Resume Writer?
Yes – 58%
No – 42%
Do You Use Questionnaires With Clients? (more than one response allowed)
Yes – 40%
No – 28%
Sometimes – 32%
Compare these results with the 2001 and 2002 industry survey results.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Resume Writers Digest 2007 Industry Survey
We have launched an online survey to collect data for the 2007 Resume Writers' Digest 2007 Industry survey. If you are not subscribed to the Resume Writers' Digest newsletter and would like to participate in the survey, please e-mail me at RWDigest@aol.com and I will send you the link.
Here are some results from our previous industry surveys:
2001 Industry Survey
An analysis of the industry in 2001 shows there are approximately 900 to 1300 professional resume writers, with up to 6,000 firms nationwide offering resume writing services (this includes companies such as Kinkos and Copymax, which offer mostly resume typesetting).
The average survey respondent is a self-employed sole proprietor who works full-time (35-50 hours per week) from a home office. She (the respondents were overwhelmingly female) has been in business for nearly nine years. Her top challenges are sales and marketing issues, working with difficult clients, managing her time effectively, handling the "craft" of resume writing, and, of course, wearing the many hats required of r small business owner.
Although there is a perception that resume writing is becoming "less local," just 13 percent of resume writers say they do business only by phone fax, and Internet. That's a lot of resume writers still meeting with clients in person.
There is a good mix of newbies and veterans. The length of time an individual has been a resume writer averages out to 8.9 years, although responses ranged from 8 months to 22 years.
Key statistic:
– Home-Based Writers - 72.9%
– Office-Based Writers - 27.1%
– Source: November/December 2001 Resume Writers' Digest
2002 Industry Survey
Who is the typical professional resume writer? According to the survey? She (the majority of survey respondents -- and members of the professional resume writing industry in general -- are female), is a self-employed individual who has been writing resumes for 10 years, on average. Most work from a home office (67%), while another 6.5% have both a home and business office-based practice. She averages 21 hours of resume writing per week (including client consultation, research and writing).
"Virtual" providers remain a rarity in the industry, with only 15 percent of respondents saying they work with clients exclusively by phone or Internet (a small increase from our 2001 survey results). Eighty-five percent of resume writers surveyed say they still work with at least some clients in person. Fifty-four percent of those who responded said they have achieved this credential.
One significant item to note this year is that we have upped our estimates on the number of professional resume writers. While some sources list up to 6,000 resume writing "firms," these numbers include copy shops which provide resume typesetting services. We believe a closer estimate is that there are between 3,500 and 4,400 resume writers in the United States.
What to charge clients is often a hot topic of debate among resume writers. The survey provides some interesting answers. The "average" resume sale among respondents was calculated to be $245.
Key Statistics:
Certified as a Resume Writer:
Yes – 54%
No – 46%
Type of Resume Writer:
Part-Time Self-Employed 31%
Full-Time Self-Employed – 56%
Source: January/February 2003 Resume Writers' Digest
I'll report on the 2003 and 2004 industry survey results in a future post.
Here are some results from our previous industry surveys:
2001 Industry Survey
An analysis of the industry in 2001 shows there are approximately 900 to 1300 professional resume writers, with up to 6,000 firms nationwide offering resume writing services (this includes companies such as Kinkos and Copymax, which offer mostly resume typesetting).
The average survey respondent is a self-employed sole proprietor who works full-time (35-50 hours per week) from a home office. She (the respondents were overwhelmingly female) has been in business for nearly nine years. Her top challenges are sales and marketing issues, working with difficult clients, managing her time effectively, handling the "craft" of resume writing, and, of course, wearing the many hats required of r small business owner.
Although there is a perception that resume writing is becoming "less local," just 13 percent of resume writers say they do business only by phone fax, and Internet. That's a lot of resume writers still meeting with clients in person.
There is a good mix of newbies and veterans. The length of time an individual has been a resume writer averages out to 8.9 years, although responses ranged from 8 months to 22 years.
Key statistic:
– Home-Based Writers - 72.9%
– Office-Based Writers - 27.1%
– Source: November/December 2001 Resume Writers' Digest
2002 Industry Survey
Who is the typical professional resume writer? According to the survey? She (the majority of survey respondents -- and members of the professional resume writing industry in general -- are female), is a self-employed individual who has been writing resumes for 10 years, on average. Most work from a home office (67%), while another 6.5% have both a home and business office-based practice. She averages 21 hours of resume writing per week (including client consultation, research and writing).
"Virtual" providers remain a rarity in the industry, with only 15 percent of respondents saying they work with clients exclusively by phone or Internet (a small increase from our 2001 survey results). Eighty-five percent of resume writers surveyed say they still work with at least some clients in person. Fifty-four percent of those who responded said they have achieved this credential.
One significant item to note this year is that we have upped our estimates on the number of professional resume writers. While some sources list up to 6,000 resume writing "firms," these numbers include copy shops which provide resume typesetting services. We believe a closer estimate is that there are between 3,500 and 4,400 resume writers in the United States.
What to charge clients is often a hot topic of debate among resume writers. The survey provides some interesting answers. The "average" resume sale among respondents was calculated to be $245.
Key Statistics:
Certified as a Resume Writer:
Yes – 54%
No – 46%
Type of Resume Writer:
Part-Time Self-Employed 31%
Full-Time Self-Employed – 56%
Source: January/February 2003 Resume Writers' Digest
I'll report on the 2003 and 2004 industry survey results in a future post.
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