Project Management for Resume Writers

Although most resume writers work individually on their work, every once in a while, you get a chance to work collaboratively with other careers industry professionals -- for example, on a book project.

Whenever you kick off a new project, you should do so starting with a "new project meeting." In this meeting you'll lay out the objectives, the methodologies you'll be using, the various roles in the team and last but not least, the ground rules. The ground rules are the operating agreements that keep the project on task as things move forward.

Here are some project management guidelines that can help you make sure you keep your team of careers industry professionals on track.

If Something's Off Course, Let the Group Know
It can be very tempting to try and hide things that aren't going well. It can be especially easy to do so if all the person has to do is not mention it. They're not "lying," they're just neglecting to share something.

This undermines the team. Instead, aim to create a culture where people honestly share mistakes without blame. People should feel comfortable bringing up problems and resolving them as a group.

One Person Per Task
Every task or project should be owned by one person. That person is ultimately responsible for that task being done on time.

This person is free to bring in outside help to help get things done on time. They can even "outsource" aspects of the task to other team members or people outside the team.

However, if mistakes happen or if the task doesn't meet a deadline, that person is still responsible for it.

Ask Before Going Off Course
You should have a game plan for the project as a whole. The game plan should include what IS and what ISN'T included in the project. If someone wants to do something that isn't included in the project, ask first.

This helps prevent time and money from being spent on things that aren't integral to success. Sure, having more things done is great, but make sure they should be done first before spending resources on it.

Have a Clear Chain of Communication
Who is keeping track of the communication? Who manages reporting? Who sets up the meetings? How are disputes handled? Whose permission is necessary to go above budget?

Lines of communication should be clarified before you begin any project.

Setting these ground rules for operating the project before you get started can help you save a lot of time and energy in the long run.

Quick Ideas for Resume Writers to Maximize Your Online Profile

I'm a bit of a social media "junkie," and wanted to give you some ideas for maximizing your online presence.

First off, your personal Facebook profile is where you're likely to get most of your initial business. After all, these are your friends and family, and maybe former colleagues, neighbors, etc. (depending on your personal policy about accepting friend requests andyour privacy settings). But sharing job search-related tips on your personal profile (as well as talking about projects you're working on for clients) can be a good way to spark some referrals. (I average a couple referrals a month from my Facebook friends...from my personal profile!)

The next step is to set up your Facebook Business Page for your resume writing business. It can be tricky to get your business page Profile picture and Timeline cover graphic to look just right, but you can find someone to help you on a site like Fiverr.com (and it's just $5). You'll find that it takes time to build your "Likes" to your Business Page (most resume writers average around 75 "likes" for their page -- but there are many with as few as 5 "Likes" and a few with 100+). While "quantity" is your eventual goal, quality is a great way to start. Share tips and ideas, link to interesting articles (don't just post the link -- comment on it!), and share your client success stories (not by NAME specifically unless your client says it's ok -- more like: "Just got a call from Ann K. who received three calls for interviews within 2 days of sending out her new resume. Nice!"

On the subject of getting the most out of your social media presence, there's Twitter. As I remarked to a colleague today: You either love Twitter, or you don't understand it. A lot of people set up Twitter profiles and don't do anything with it. The key with Twitter is: The more you do on Twitter, the more you'll get out of it. I admit, it has kind of a steep learning curve to begin with. There's the whole follower thing (i.e., you can Tweet at anyone with an unprotected Twitter account, but you can only get Direct Messages from someone you're also following) ... there's "Twitter-etiquette" -- like acknowledging retweets (RTs) and mentions (MTs), the phenomenon of #FollowFriday (and the whole explanation of hashtags #) and how/when to use them ... and, of course, how to manage the Twitter stream (as it relates to time management).

The easiest thing to do with Twitter is to set up your Twitter account to interface with your Facebook Business Page (it's quite easy, actually) and have everything you post to your Facebook Business Page automatically post to Twitter. Also, check in for 10-15 minutes a week on Twitter to respond to Tweets and DMs, follow people who are following you, etc. You can also set it so that Twitter automatically posts to your LinkedIn account.

You can learn more about how to use social media for client acquisition in my "Introduction to Social Media for Your Resume Writing Business" special report, available to Bronze members on BeAResumeWriter.com this month (June 2012).

Using Article Marketing as a Client Acquisition Strategy

I was inspired to write today's blog post by a request for help in the LinkedIn "Resume Recipes for Success" forum for careers industry colleagues. Krista wanted to know:
"Has anyone published online? I am almost done with a blog that I think could be an article. Is there a website that anyone recommends?"

You can read my response to Krista's question here.

But I also wanted to share some ideas for other resume writers who are looking to use article marketing or article publishing as a client acquisition strategy.

Content is king! Jobseekers are looking for information to help them navigate a difficult job search. People looking for a job just can't get enough information on various subjects related to their search -- writing resumes and cover letters, salary negotiation, company resource, using social media -- the list goes on and on. Providing this kind of information -- through articles -- is a great way to drive visitors (traffic) to your website.

You can use a keyword suggestion tool like the Google Keyword Tool to see how many searches are done for certain keywords. WIth these keywords are typed into search boxes of search engines like Google and Bing, indexed websites containing those keywords are displayed. And these links can provide traffic to websites ... including your resume writing business website!

Here are some benefits that writing articles can give your resume writing business.

1. It's absolutely free.
All you need is your thoughts, your computer, and your hands. If you have those, nothing will stop you from typing words that will make you complete that article for your website. Sure, it takes your time, but if you're not currently working on a resume project, you should be spending some time on marketing!

2. Your website can be noticed in a short period of time.
Submit that article of yours to article directories that get the most web traffic and in no time your web site will be "crawled" or indexed, because you'll have included your link to your website in your "resource box," the 2-3 lines at the end of the article that tells a little bit about you and your resume writing business.

3. You can obtain backlinks automatically.
When you submit your articles to directories, they can be published by any other website or blog, as long as you are given attribution, including the link to your website (if you provided one -- and you should!). When the article is published on other websites, it exposes it to people who haven't heard about you, and they can click through your your website (these are backlinks, because they "link back" to your site).

4. Improve your reputation.
Sometimes, it can be a challenge to convert resume prospects into clients. You need to increase your "know, like, and trust" factor with jobseekers. And what better way to do that than by writing articles that will teach jobsearchers how you can help them, and how knowledgeable you are.

If you are looking for more information on how to use content marketing to acquire new resume clients, check out the "Using Content to Capture New Career Clients" -- teleseminar recording and transcript. Just $5 from Resume Writers' Digest.

Resume Writing in the Summer Months

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Summer is right around the corner and that means summer vacation. Children are home from school. Vacation plans are pending, and resume clients begin to alter their schedules too. Some jobseekers take the summer off from looking for a job. Here are some thoughts on preparing your resume writing business for the summer months.

Step #1:  Take a Look at Your History
What happened last summer? Did sales go up? Did profits decline? Did you have trouble relying on subcontract writers? Did you have way too much free time on your hands? History often repeats itself. If you can document what occurred last year by looking at the data and your analytics, then you may be able to use that information to plan ahead.

Most resume writers report that the summer months are slow for them. After the push of Spring graduations, there's usually a lull until late August. Some of that is due to the resume writer taking some time off, but it's true that many jobseekers (especially those with children) cut back on their job searches during the summer.

Knowing this information, you can plan ahead. You might launch a special offer during the slow months, or use that downtime to take a vacation. You can also use slow periods to build your mailing list, update your website, or create an information product to generate passive income.

Step #2: Schedule Ahead and Automate
If you’re busy during the summer months, then scheduling ahead is extremely important. And there are many things you can do right now so your summer is relaxed and easy. For example, you can write your blog posts now and schedule them for the summer. You can do the same for your email messages and social media communications (using a service like Hootsuite). You don’t have to lift a finger.

Step #3: Get Help
You can also simply schedule downtime. Many solo resume writers simply take a hiatus or time away from their career service business. You can also bring on a subcontract resume writer to help with the workload while you take a break, instead of taking an extended vacation. You run the risk of losing clients if you’re gone too long.

Summer will be here before you know it. Taking steps now will help you enjoy the warmer months while still growing and managing your resume writing business. It’s smart business and it’ll save you future stress and anxiety.