Business Card Resumes

Over the past 15 years, there have been many attempts to makes resumes "portable" -- from JIST Cards to Social Media Trading Cards to the "Business Card Resume."

Martin Yate's article this week on the topic, "The Business Card Resume" caught my attention.

While his article covers the basics, I thought the visual example he gave was lackluster:

If you're going to provide these cards to your clients, you need to make sure they have the same branding and identity (and look and feel) as the resume. And by all means, the "Performance Profile" has to be as distinctive as a branding statement on the resume. I don't know why Yate chose to abbreviate "Senior" in this example (did he really need to save the extra three letters?) or why his performance profile doesn't quantify ($$, %%, or ##) the real value the client can deliver to an employer.  (Shouldn't all senior A/R specialists be focused on the "identification, prevention and solution of recurring accounts receivable problems"? What sets this client apart? A 44% recovery rate of receivables past due more than 120 days? Expertise in reducing average time-to-collect by 23 days?

More "trendy" -- but not necessarily appropriate for all job search uses, are social media trading cards (thanks to Wendy Terwelp for pointing out her hometown's company, Meet-Meme).

These cards are certainly attention-getting! Another neat feature of the company's services is that QR codes on the cards direct to a personal online brand site, which can contain the full resume and portfolio.

No matter what format you recommend (or provide) for your clients, make sure that it's consistent with their personal brand and identity. Provide as much value as possible in the small space, but don't cram it with information. Consider adding a QR Code (like the ones on Meet-Meme's social media cards) to lead to the client's LinkedIn profile, or a personal website.

CDI Announces 2011 Career Innovator Award Nominees

Career Directors International has announced its 2011 Career Innovator Award nominees. This is the fourth year this award will be presented. The winner will be honored at the 2011 Global Career Empowerment Summit in Savannah, Georgia, in October.

Nominees include:

• Jennifer Rolles, IntRvue, Inc. The website allows job seekers to create multipage multimedia storyboards, enabling them to use storytelling techniques in the job search.
• Mary Elizabeth Bradford, The Job Search Success System.  A 10-step job search system for job seekers with 18 audio modules covering such key topics as internet job searching, "how to ace your interviews," networking without asking for a job, and finding and working with recruiters.
• Camille Roberts, "Create an Effective Federal Resume with the USAJOBS.gov Online Resume Builder." This 21-page free e-book, from Job-Hunt's Federal Job Search Expert, provides step-by-step guidance for clients looking to develop and upload their federal resume to the USAJobs website.
• Barbara Adams, CareerPro Global Inc. Barbara has introduced the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) principles to the resume writing and career services industry.
• Janine Moon, "Career Ownership: Creating 'Job Security' in Any Economy." Janine's 120-page book, available for purchase on Amazon.com, offers a roadmap for job seekers to take ownership of their career path and chart their course to success.

Congratulations to all the nominees!

Women for Hire Looking for Career Industry Pros for Fall Sessions

Women for Hire is looking for resume writers and career coaches to provide resume critiquing and mini-career coaching sessions at their Fall 2011 Career Expos.

There are six Expos scheduled:

Tuesday, Oct. 4 -- Cobb Galleria, Atlanta

Thursday, Oct. 6 -- Navy Pier, Chicago

Tuesday, Oct. 18 -- Four Points Sheraton at LAX, Los Angeles

Thursday, Nov. 3 -- Hilton New York, New York

Wednesday, Nov. 9 -- The Almas Temple at the Hamilton Crowne Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Tuesday, Nov. 15 -- Doubletree Hotel by Hilton, Dallas

They are looking for veteran expo participants -- or first-timers! While admission to the expos is free for job seekers, they must bring a resume for admission. For resume critiquing you must commit to arrive by 9:30 a.m. and stay until 2 p.m. (the event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

The expo includes:
*Power Seminars: Top tips and tricks on acing a challenging job search
*Mentor Match: Candid advice from another professional in the trenches
*Perfect Pitch: Nail your quick intro to wow everyone you meet
*Resume Reviews: Instant feedback on this all-important document
*The Interview: Experts will evaluate job seeker’s interview skills
*Engaging Employers: Access to the people who’ll get you in the door
*Exceptional Connections: Phenomenal talent to trade ideas and leads

When critiquing resumes, you will spend five to seven minutes with each jobseeker. The goal is to provide some general observations about a resume and make a few constructive suggestions. All resume critiquers are, of course, free to mention their services and provide contact information. But we like everyone to leave with specific tips and feedback. 

Lunch and beverages are provided.

We have found that giving candidates a one-page list of standard resume tips cuts down on repetition. This document is also a great place to provide information about your services, including a contact number or email address. Many participants receive referral business this way.

Note: If you would like to receive the Resume Writers' Digest Resume Critique Form (customizable!), send an email to editor(at)rwdigest.com (subject: Critique Form).

Genevieve Geany is your contact at Women for Hire to sign up. Genevieve says, "In all of our extensive marketing efforts, we promote free resume reviewing as a key component to our events. Since we know your time is valuable, we include your name and contact information in the directory that is distributed to all attendees. This packet includes a list of participating employers as well as any additional offerings from last season. Last year, some resume critiquers also spent some time evaluating job seekers' interview skills with a new feature called The Interview. They also chose to partake in Perfect Pitch to help jobseekers perfect their 30-second elevator pitch. Please let me know if this interests you."

Contact Genevieve at Genevieve(at)womenforhire.com or call her at (212) 290-2600.

9/11 Inspired "Ten Steps to a Federal Job"

Author Kathryn Troutman shared the story over the weekend about how the 9/11 tragedy inspired her book, "Ten Steps to a Federal Job." I requested permission from her to reprint the story on my blog. Here it is:

"Starting on the day after the attack, concerned citizens were calling our office at The Resume Place, Inc. to ask for help with applying for federal positions. We saw that Americans needed a quick, step-by-step guide to federal jobs in order to understand the complex application process and successfully apply for the anti-terrorism, emergency management, and law enforcement careers (that resulted from the attacks). I wrote and published the first edition of "Ten Steps to a Federal Job" (Bridget's note: link is to the third edition, which was just published this month) within months after Sept. 11, 2001.

U.S. citizens would call and say, "I want to have a job that will make a difference. I want to help protect our nation's security. I don't want to sell computers, or cars, or financial services anymore. I want a job with a federal agency that can make a difference for America. I don't know anything about federal jobs, but I want a job where I can help make America more secure, somehow, some way."

Job seekers were in a hurry to land a job where they could make a difference in America against terrorism. They wanted jobs where they could contribute their skills to new careers in security, safety, disaster preparedness, analysis, data, and communications to increase information about and reduce terrorism toward America.

Financial job seekers from New York City's financial district were calling to find new careers using the financial background that they had developed for many years in NYC. Their businesses were gone, many colleagues were lost during the attacks, and thousands of jobs were wiped away. We helped many financial analysts and financial specialists to relocate and redirect their careers into financial services in government agencies. Hundreds of new public service job seekers were asking about first-time federal jobs where they could make a difference.

Agencies and jobs that were of the most interest for first-time federal job seekers to help protect our nation's security included:

• FBI: Police and law enforcement officials wanted to help the FBI track terrorists.
• TSA: This agency was formed very soon after 9/11, and many retired police personnel, security, and law enforcement personnel flocked to TSA.
• FEMA: Emergency preparedness, disaster preparedness, and EMT personnel were seeking positions to take care of emergencies that may occur in America following this day.
• CIA/NSA/NGA: People from all walks of life were interested in intelligence positions, including language specialists (especially Arabic language speakers).
• DHS (including CIS, CBP): People wanted to be a part of change in immigration, customs, and boarder work to help monitor those who came into the country safely.
• HHS/CDC: Public interest spiked in epidemiology, biology, and forensics, as it related to possible terrorism in America.
• Military Services: Thousands of brave Americans volunteered for the active duty and reserve services and would deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan for many tours over these past 10 years to protect America.

The Next Step:

Now, Certified Federal Job Search Trainers are helping thousands of first-time job seekers today who are public service-oriented!

Ten Steps to a Federal Job gave thousands of patriotic, public service-oriented Americans the steps they needed to try to begin a public service career that could help improve our watchful eye against terrorism, to serve expert skills in counter-terrorism, to assist with emergency preparedness, to design continuity plans, and to help manage disasters that we hope won't occur.

The "Ten Steps to a Federal Job" curriculum is still being taught on military bases around the world to military personnel and spouses who are currently serving America to ensure the safety and security of U.S. citizens.

A message of sincere appreciation goes out to the military personnel who have served for the last 10 years and sacrificed so much to protect America in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We at The Resume Place, Inc. are dedicated to helping the military and public servants continue to protect the security of Americans.

**************************************************************************

Resume writers: If you are interested in obtaining training to become a Certified Federal Job Search Trainer, click here for more information.

Kathryn Troutman Photo courtesy of Emily Troutman, Photographer.