Has Susan Whitcomb Gone Crazy?

If you ever have the opportunity to meet Susan Whitcomb from The Academies or hear her speak, it will only take you a minute to realize that she only offers high-quality content and top-of-the-industry instructors in her certification programs. (I know Susan well, having shared a 4x4' corner of the meeting room in Chicago in September -- our exhibit booths were right next to each other!)

But I think Susan may have gone a little bit crazy.

I heard from her team today that their flagship program, the Certified Career Management Coach course, will be offered starting at the end of this month. And if you register at least one week before the start of the class, you will receive an extra-generous Early Bird price - $500.00 off -- plus free registration for the social media job search course that Barbara Safani is teaching at the end of this month -- Social Media for Skeptics & Non-Social Media Enthusiasts!

For those of you who have never taken a course from The Academies, I believe you will find that the career coaching program checks all the boxes that you might have on your “wish list” for training:

• A new revenue stream that can double or triple your income while also allowing you to serve your clients more effectively
• Results that will equip you with tools, strategies, and confidence
• An instructor/mentor team with more than 30 years of coaching experience
• Live, interactive training where you’ll meet other inspiring colleagues
• 30 hours of training approved by the International Coach Federation, applicable toward earning or renewing an ICF credential
• More than 400 pages of proven, practical, and respected curriculum developed by author, thought leader, and “The Career Coach’s Coach” Susan Whitcomb 

 
If you’re considering coach training or thinking of referring someone to coach training, I invite you to explore The Academies’ Certified Career Management Coach program. 

The $500 Savings ends Jan. 21. Plus, when you register between now and the 21st and you’ll also receive the live program, “Social Media for Skeptics & Non-Social Media Enthusiasts!” taught by Barbara Safani.

Installment payments are available too. 

The Certified Career Management Coach program will be offered in three different sessions:

January 28th, 2014
15 consecutive Tuesdays
10:00 am – 12:00 pm EST
9:00 am – 11:00 am CST
8:00 am – 10:00 am MST
7:00 am – 9:00 am PST

OR

January 29, 2014
15 consecutive Wednesdays
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm EST
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm CST
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm MST
11:00 am – 1:00 pm PST

OR

January 28, 2014 (Christian Track)
15 consecutive Tuesdays,
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm EST
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm CST
11:00 am – 1:00 pm MST
10:00 am – 12:00 pm PST

I know 24 resume writers who have completed the CCMC program, and would be happy to put you in touch with one of them to talk about the program and what they got out of it or to answer any questions you have about the training.

And, if you mention me (Bridget Brooks) or Resume Writers' Digest when you register for this program, let me know and I'll offer you TWO special bonuses: 

• I'll write a news release for you when you receive your CCMC certification and help you distribute it for maximum impact. 
• I'll also help you put together, promote, and host a teleseminar to help you acquire your first coaching clients.

What better way to set the stage for a successful 2014 than acquiring this certification?

P.S. – Please don't tell Susan I called her crazy for offering this super low price and the Social Media class bonus!



DISCLOSURE: I am an affiliate for The Academies. If you purchase a training program as a result of this email, I will earn a commission. You will not pay more when buying anything through my link. In fact, I can sometimes negotiate a lower rate (or bonuses) not available elsewhere. Plus, when you order through my link, it helps me to continue to offer you lots of free stuff. :) Thank you, in advance for your support! (Want to learn more about how you can earn affiliate commissions by recommending services and products you trust? Email me!)

Which Resume Writing Certification Do You Recommend?

Which resume writing certification do you recommend: NCRW or CPRW?

Jennifer asked this question on LinkedIn, and I realized I should share my answer on this blog too.

When choosing a certification, it's really up to you to decide what you want out of certification (in other words, WHY do you want to get certified)?

I've written a couple of blog posts on the topic, and this is another reminder that I need to update my guide to resume writing certifications (mentioned in this blog post -- http://rwdigest.blogspot.com/2013/02/to-get-certified-or-not-to-get.html), but I will tell you that the most common certification is the CPRW (it's also the easiest to obtain), but the CPRW won't "teach" you anything about resume writing. The NCRW and the ACRW are probably the two that are geared towards both assessing skill level AND teaching you concepts of resume writing. Gayle Howard also teaches a program for Career Directors International that leads to a CARW certification. (Gayle is amazing, by the way.)

Some questions to ask yourself:
1. Am I already a member of an association that offers a credential? (CPRW for PARW, NCRW for NRWA, CARW for CDI, etc.). If so, your cost of acquiring the credential is lower, as membership is required to apply for certification. PARW also requires ongoing membership to keep your credential "current."

2. Speaking of keeping your credential "current" -- look at what the standards are for renewing your credential. Does it require continuing education? How much? How likely am I to be able to achieve the continuing education standards and therefore renew my credential?

3. Do I just want to test my mastery of resume writing, or do I want to learn principles and concepts of great resumes along the way? Again, the CPRW would be a "minimum competency" credential, while the MRW (Master Resume Writer) offered by Career Thought Leaders would demonstrate an elite level of competency.

4. Why do I want to become certified? If, for example, you want to subcontract as a resume writer and certification is required by the contracting writer or organization, ASK which credential(s) they accept, and which they prefer. If you're getting certified as a way of attracting interest from resume prospects, be aware that the vast majority of consumers don't understand the difference between the credentials, so becoming a "certified resume writer" is good enough for them ... they can't tell them apart.

5. If you are looking for more clients, being listed in certain organizational directories as a certified writer can help you get business -- I don't have concrete figures, but I believe the PARW website gets more traffic than the NRWA or CDI websites, and therefore, being listed in their certification directory would probably yield more leads. And again, if you're using it for business development purposes, once you're certified, join CertifiedResumeWriters.com and be listed in their directory too.

What do you think of these questions? Which certification do you have -- and what do you think of it? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Resume Writers: Don't Be a Hater

Today's blog post challenge is to write about something that irks me.

Here's one. There are enough people dissing resume writers out there without us tearing each other down. Are there good resume writers, and not-so-good resume writers? Sure. But instead of writing Facebook status updates and blog posts about how you have to rewrite the work of other resume writers, why not reach out to the original writer (if you know who it is -- and that's not often hard, if you check the "Summary Info" section of the Word document) and offer some assistance?

With millions of potential clients out there -- and surrounded by pundits who say you don't need a resume writer, or do-it-yourself resources -- when you publicly tear down the work of other resume writers, it makes the public doubt all members of the profession. That may not be your intention -- but that's the perception it creates.

It's hard for many people to decide to work with a resume writer, and it's even harder for them to judge what makes a "good" resume writer. I believe the fact that someone is asking for help at all is going to make them more successful. In my experience, there are few resume writers who will actually make a client's resume worse -- so if they take a client's resume that is a "two" and they make it a "six or seven," that client is going to benefit, even if it's not a "ten." And, frankly, most of these clients are not going to be unhappy, because having their resume worked on will give them more confidence.

YES, there is a difference between a $50 resume and a $5,000 resume. But there are clients who can't afford even a $500 resume. I've said it before -- there are resume writers who are not certified who are charging $100 for a resume that is better than some certified resume writers who charge $500. Our goal should be to elevate the profession. To encourage each other to continue our professional development. To share best practices. To educate one another. To educate prospective clients on what a good resume looks like ... and how to find those writers.

Next time you come across a poorly written professional resume, do two things:

• Research the original writer (again, you can often find this in the "Summary Info" section of the Word document). Google the person/firm. Reach out to the original writer and introduce yourself. Explain that the client came to you seeking a rewrite. (You may get some interesting information from the writer about the client that will help you serve him/her better.) Encourage the writer to join a professional association in the industry.

• Instead of writing a status update or blog post criticizing the work of that writer, turn it around and use the opportunity to educate the public about what DOES make a good resume. ("Are you making these four mistakes on your resume?" or "Is Your Resume Working?") Don't point out that the mistakes were made on a "professionally" written resume. After all, it's likely that do-it-yourselfers are making the same mistakes.

I believe there is enough business for everyone. We don't have to tear others down to build ourselves up. One of the things that impresses me most about the resume writing industry -- overall -- is that we are colleagues, not competitors. PLEASE keep this in mind the next time you are tempted to post something negative about another resume writer.

What are your thoughts on this?

Put Innovation On Your Calendar for 2014

In December's special report, "Make Your Resume Business Better," I talk about how to reignite your passion for your resume writing business. One of the ways to do that is to think about how you can introduce innovation and creativity into your daily -- or weekly -- routine.

Smart business owners devote at least a small portion of their working time to innovation and creativity. At big companies like Facebook and Google, employees are allowed to spend a percentage of their time on their own projects. This helps keep their creative fires burning, and some of these projects turn into major successes for their employers.  

You can do the same in your resume writing business. It is important to devote some time to coming up with new products and/or services or even delving into something outside of your comfort zone to take your business to a whole new level.

Here are some ideas to help you put this idea into action.

• Dedicate time for innovation and creation. Just like you mark on your calendar the things you will do today, schedule a block of time devoted to "creation and innovation." You can do an hour a day, or 1/2 a day a week, or some other timeframe that works for you. But it’s important that it’s an actual calendar item and that you know how you’re going to devote that time to creative pursuits. This item on your calendar should be just as important as any other to-do item on your calendar. 

• Bring in a creative partner. Sometimes a fresh perspective can open up doors you never before thought were possible to get through. You don’t have to bring in a permanent partner -- you can work on joint ventures with different people on just one project at a time. Start with something small and work your way up to larger ventures. Bringing in a partner will not only spark your creative side, but it will also make you feel challenged -- and maybe a little obligated -- to be a good partner. 

• Change your location. One way to open the creative floodgates is to get out of your office. Go to the coffeehouse down the street; go to the park. In the summer, I like to work outdoors on my front porch. (And someday, I'm going to live in Arizona, so I can do that in December too.) Get unplugged and use a paper and pen instead of technology. Turn off the music, turn off the TV, turn off the noise, and get out of your comfort zone. Even a nice walk in the park with a way to record your thoughts can go far in helping you unleash your innovative and creative side. 

• Let go of your fears. You might think you’re the only person with fears, but you’re not. Every business owner has expressed fear or felt fear. Even very famous people have had fear about doing something new or different. The only difference between them and you is they felt the fear and did it anyway. You can be just like them by just changing that one thing and just going for it. Just do it. Work through the fear. Channel that fear into motivation to succeed. 

• Read industry news. You can use Google Alerts to search for keywords and you'll get an email alert when a story is published. Also join at least one industry association and read the daily e-mail list. Being up to date on what's going on in the resume writing industry can keep you from falling behind. While the resume isn't dead (yet!), that doesn't mean you can bury your head in the sand and pretend you know it all.

• Study your competition. A really good way to get the creative juices flowing is to study what other resume writers are doing. I love looking at resume books — especially the Expert Resume series by Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark. You don't want to steal from other resume writers (no plagiarism, please -- even in designs), but it's possible something you see in one of these books will spark your creative energy in a new way outside of anything you’ve ever considered previously. 

By taking out time from your busy work schedule to be innovative and creative, you will create a long-term business that will fill your life with passion and profits while never becoming mundane and boring.