I received a note back today from a resume writer who recently retired. I asked her whether she had tried to sell her business, instead of just closing it, and she was kind enough to respond back to me, and provide this tip for resume writers too:
"It's practically impossible to sell. Or at least I found it impossible. So I just closed it up. In Rhode Island, there's only one other person who really made a difference in the resume writing market, and she figured she'd get people from me simply because I wasn't there, so she turned [the opportunity to buy the business) down.
However, if you're signed up for umpteen months in the Yellow Pages, they have an "Out of Business" office that will allow you not to pay for the remainder of the year if you can prove that you've cut off your phone and are actually no longer in business. It took me a long time to find this out, so I'm passing it on to you."
I believe that it is possible to sell your business, and this is a topic that I will be exploring in the future. If you have insight into the matter, e-mail me! (rwdigest@aol.com).
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Surveying Your Clients
Today, I will respond to a reader question.
Q. Do you have a possible list of survey questions for me to send to my clients? I would like to get feedback about my business and what improvements I can make. Occasionally, a client sends me kudos, but I would like more specifics.
– S.F.
Bridget's Answer:
Surveying your clients can be a great way to not only collect testimonials, but also find out how the client's job search is going and identify opportunities for additional services you can provide.
I typically use two surveys with my clients: a "How Did We Do?" one initially, and a "How Are You Doing" as a follow-up 2-3 weeks later. I send them both by "snail mail," although you could certainly use an online survey program if you wanted to. Links to download the surveys in Microsoft Word form at below each survey.
How Did We Do? Survey
~ Please complete and return this brief survey and let us know! ~
We recently provided resume services to you. How did we do?
(Rate on a three-point scale from "Satisfied" to "Dissatisfied")
1. I was able to schedule an appointment when I wanted to...
2. Personal attention was paid to my needs
3. I feel my documents accurately reflect my skills, qualifications and accomplishments
4. I feel my documents will do a good job of "selling me" to a prospective employer
What have you done with the resumes?
What have you done with your resumes? (Specific mailings? Apply for jobs online? Passing resumes out to friends, networking contacts?) [I leave several lines]
VALUE
What do you think of your investment in your personal marketing documents?
Value for the money invested: __ Excellent __ Good __ Fair __ Poor
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
I would be interested in the following additional services:
(please note: there is an additional fee for these services)
Resume distribution to: __ Recruiters __ Targeted Employers __ Venture Capitalists
FRIENDS & FAMILY
Would you recommend us to friends/family/co-workers? __ Yes __ No __ I already have!
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL OTHERS ABOUT US? (We need your testimonials!)
[I leave several lines]
_ You have my permission to use my testimonial (names will be disguised, i.e., "Angela B., Omaha" unless you give us permission to use your full name.)
COMMENTS
[I leave several lines]
Use the enclosed postage-paid return envelope or mail to:
Image Building Communications • PO Box 241621, Omaha, NE 68124-5621
===================================================================
Download the "How Did We Do?" survey at http://www.buildimage.com/IBCFirstSurvey.doc
===================================================================
How Are You Doing? Survey
~ Please complete and return this brief survey and let us know! ~
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE RESUMES?
Specific mailings? Responded to any ads? (Where did you find the ad? Which company was it for?) Apply for any jobs online? (Which web sites did you use? Which companies did you apply at?) Did you pass any resumes out to friends, networking contacts?
[I leave several lines]
RESULTS
What has been the result of the resume services you received (what kind of response have you received -- phone calls, letters, interviews, etc.)??
[I leave several lines]
INTERVIEWS
Have you been on any interviews? __ Yes _ No
What has been the results of these interviews? (Second interviews, job offers?)
[I leave several lines]
COMMENTS
[I leave several lines]
Use the enclosed postage-paid return envelope or mail to:
Image Building Communications • PO Box 241621, Omaha, NE 68124-5621
===================================================================
Download the "How Are You Doing?" survey at http://www.buildimage.com/IBCSecondSurvey.doc
===================================================================
Q. Do you have a possible list of survey questions for me to send to my clients? I would like to get feedback about my business and what improvements I can make. Occasionally, a client sends me kudos, but I would like more specifics.
– S.F.
Bridget's Answer:
Surveying your clients can be a great way to not only collect testimonials, but also find out how the client's job search is going and identify opportunities for additional services you can provide.
I typically use two surveys with my clients: a "How Did We Do?" one initially, and a "How Are You Doing" as a follow-up 2-3 weeks later. I send them both by "snail mail," although you could certainly use an online survey program if you wanted to. Links to download the surveys in Microsoft Word form at below each survey.
How Did We Do? Survey
~ Please complete and return this brief survey and let us know! ~
We recently provided resume services to you. How did we do?
(Rate on a three-point scale from "Satisfied" to "Dissatisfied")
1. I was able to schedule an appointment when I wanted to...
2. Personal attention was paid to my needs
3. I feel my documents accurately reflect my skills, qualifications and accomplishments
4. I feel my documents will do a good job of "selling me" to a prospective employer
What have you done with the resumes?
What have you done with your resumes? (Specific mailings? Apply for jobs online? Passing resumes out to friends, networking contacts?) [I leave several lines]
VALUE
What do you think of your investment in your personal marketing documents?
Value for the money invested: __ Excellent __ Good __ Fair __ Poor
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
I would be interested in the following additional services:
(please note: there is an additional fee for these services)
Resume distribution to: __ Recruiters __ Targeted Employers __ Venture Capitalists
FRIENDS & FAMILY
Would you recommend us to friends/family/co-workers? __ Yes __ No __ I already have!
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL OTHERS ABOUT US? (We need your testimonials!)
[I leave several lines]
_ You have my permission to use my testimonial (names will be disguised, i.e., "Angela B., Omaha" unless you give us permission to use your full name.)
COMMENTS
[I leave several lines]
Use the enclosed postage-paid return envelope or mail to:
Image Building Communications • PO Box 241621, Omaha, NE 68124-5621
===================================================================
Download the "How Did We Do?" survey at http://www.buildimage.com/IBCFirstSurvey.doc
===================================================================
How Are You Doing? Survey
~ Please complete and return this brief survey and let us know! ~
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE RESUMES?
Specific mailings? Responded to any ads? (Where did you find the ad? Which company was it for?) Apply for any jobs online? (Which web sites did you use? Which companies did you apply at?) Did you pass any resumes out to friends, networking contacts?
[I leave several lines]
RESULTS
What has been the result of the resume services you received (what kind of response have you received -- phone calls, letters, interviews, etc.)??
[I leave several lines]
INTERVIEWS
Have you been on any interviews? __ Yes _ No
What has been the results of these interviews? (Second interviews, job offers?)
[I leave several lines]
COMMENTS
[I leave several lines]
Use the enclosed postage-paid return envelope or mail to:
Image Building Communications • PO Box 241621, Omaha, NE 68124-5621
===================================================================
Download the "How Are You Doing?" survey at http://www.buildimage.com/IBCSecondSurvey.doc
===================================================================
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Industry Survey 2004
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.
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.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Tips for Writing IT Resumes
Robin Schlinger, CARW, CFRW, of Robin's Resumes, gave permission to share her response to another resume writer's question about writing IT resumes. Prior to becoming a resume writer, Robin was an engineer and a programmer.
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.
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