10 Questions With Evelyn Salvador

Get to know the other resume writers in our community with our “10 Questions” series!

Today’s profile is Evelyn Salvador of Creative Image Builders.

 

Evelyn is a certified resume writer and career coach, a personal branding pioneer, and author. She has been a professional resume writer for 28 years. She describes herself as the “World’s leading resume product innovator,” and looking at her portfolio of products for resume writers, it’s hard to argue with that description.

1. Why did you decide to become a professional resume writer?
Ad agency bred, when I first started my business in 1990, I developed branding materials for businesses (such as logos, brochures, fliers, content writing, websites, and the like). In 1992, when asked by my friends to do their resume, I figured I’d give it a shot. When they got interview calls immediately, I thought it was luck or they were in the right place at the right time.

But when that happened time and again, I realized I was onto something … Most resumes were written like job descriptions, but because I was accustomed to branding my business clients, I automatically capitalized on my personal clients’ brands, benefits, competitive edge, value proposition, and return on investment, along with their matching achievements — both visually and verbally — in their resumes. Not knowing it then, I became a Personal Branding Pioneer (the phrase wasn’t coined until 1998); and this became the start of my resume writing practice.

2. How did you get into the career industry? What did you do before?

Previously, I was an Operations Analyst for two banks, and was promoted to Assistant Vice President of Policies and Procedures where I was in charge of documenting the procedures for three merged banks.

After that (in 1990), I decided to engage in my passion of graphic design and worked first for a printing firm and then for an advertising agency, both as a Graphic Designer. In 1992, while freelancing at the ad agency, I started my own business branding firm, Desktop Publishing Plus, and later changed its name to Creative Image Builders when I was branding for both businesses and individuals.

3. What do you typically wear when you’re working?
Nice clothes.

4. What is your best habit, and what is your worst?

Best and worst (LOL): Obsessive compulsive when I am working on any writing, design, or photography project. It’s not done until I feel it is the absolute best I could make it. Sometimes I get a little too carried away and spend way too much time.

5. What’s your favorite object in your office? Why?

Awards.

6. What is your “go to” technique or secret when you get stuck when you’re writing a resume? How do you get unstuck?
I use some of my own resume writing products, specifically the Career Worksheets and Resume ClipBullets. When I get brain-drain, I come back to and finish it the next day.

7. What’s the best career advice you ever got?
When the founder of NRWA and CDI were astounded by the Designer Resumes I created for my clients and requested I share them with other resume writers, this became my first resume product, followed by many others, and I am so grateful for that.

8. How do you unplug?
I take time to myself either taking and viewing photos, reading and posting on Facebook, conducting research, watching my favorite TV shows in the evening, and playing games on my phone.

9. What ONE thing would you change about your business or the career industry, if you could?
I really want to get into my dream profession of art and photography, but first have to finish everything I am in the throes of! I have 10 niche websites (for resume writing, business branding, art, and photography) — all of which are in an old format and not locatable on Google. I just did launch my ResumeProducts.com site and am in the midst of consolidating all of my other sites into my new business site. (It is not done yet, but the staging link is https://creativeimagebuilders-staging.b12sites.com/index).

Then I have to go into the next stage of making everything downloadable. I also have to finish writing and publishing my 26 resume and career books (7 are published, 7 more are with the publisher, and the remainder are all in process). I so wish everything was done because I’m not getting any younger!

10. What are your favorite social media accounts to follow?

Art and Photography and Resume Writer group forums.

You can follow Creative Image Builders on Facebook here: Facebook.com/CreativeImageBuilders. Connect with Evelyn on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelynsalvador

Her resume products are available here: ResumeProducts.com

Did you miss our last 10 Questions profile, featuring Annette Richmond? 

You can read it here!

Why Resume Writers Always Need New Referral Sources

 

Many veteran resume writers say they get a large percentage — maybe even a majority — of their clients through referrals. If that's the case for you, it's important to remember that even though you have a strong referral base, you need to constantly be looking for new referral partners.

Why?

• Referral sources are constantly changing. Referral sources may stop sending you clients for a variety of reasons: people leave the industry, or retire, or die, or get mad at you.

• Referral sources forget fast. If referral sources do not see you or hear from you on a regular basis, they tend to forget you. Remember, they are bombarded with information all the time. You may not be on their mind all the time. (In fact, it's highly likely that you are not!)

• Referral sources will not know you exist if you don't let them know you are out there. Marketing strengthens your business. Continual communication enhances your reputation, your reliability, and the confidence people have in you.

• Marketing enables you to maintain your independence. An abundant supply of clients allows you flexibility in choosing who you work with, and which referral sources to continue to nurture.

• When economic conditions deteriorate, resume writers who consistently market new referral sources will have a better chance of staying busy and surviving.

• Marketing is an anti-depressant. Marketing is empowering. Resume writers who wait for clients to call them are more likely to go through periods of depression and self-doubt. Depression is caused by a sense of powerlessness and helplessness. Taking action by cultivating new referral sources helps psychologically as well as financially.

It’s not enough to be a good resume writer. It’s not good enough to provide your clients with great service. The people with the busiest businesses are the best marketers, not necessarily the best resume writers. 

10 Questions With Annette Richmond

Get to know the other resume writers in our community with our “10 Questions” series!

Today’s profile is Annette Richmond of career intelligence Resume Writing and Career Services.

Annette has been a professional resume writer for six years. She is a former magazine journalist who “fell into the career field” after earning an MA in Psych. She is a former contingency recruiter, a 5x certified resume writer and is one of fewer than 50 Certified Master Resume Writers (CMRWs) worldwide.

1. Why did you decide to become a professional resume writer?
After almost two decades in the career field, I decided to combine my experience as a writer and perspective as a former recruiter to help my clients move forward in their careers.

2. How did you get into the career industry? What did you do before?

After earning a BA in English, I landed my dream job as a writer for a national 4-color magazine. My interest in people led me to return to school to complete a MA in Psych. The first job I found was as a vocational counselor in a nonprofit training and placement facility. Twenty-plus years later, here I am.

3. What do you typically wear when you’re working?
T-shirts and leggings, primarily black.

4. What is your best habit, and what is your worst?

Best: Riding my Peloton.

Worst: Trying to multitask.

5. What’s your favorite object in your office? Why?

Photos of our 4-legged kids, Emma and Katie.

6. What is your “go to” technique or secret when you get stuck when you’re writing a resume? How do you get unstuck?
When I’m at a standstill writing the content, I switch to something fun like design. If that doesn’t work, I walk away for a couple of hours.

7. What’s the best career advice you ever got?
Ask for help when you need it. I’m not exactly sure where that came from, but it’s true. I’ve changed careers a few times, and the only way I succeeded in any of them was because people helped me along the way. I try to pay that forward wherever I can.

8. How do you unplug?
As a business owner, I work a lot. In my downtime, I turn to movies (lots of classics), fiction (mysteries, classics), sports (primarily football), and relaxing with my husband and our 4-legged kids.

9. What ONE thing would you change about your business or the career industry, if you could?
There’s a lot of misinformation out there, some of it from well-known career professionals. I wish there was some type of regulation to help the public understand the difference between solid advice and noise.

You can follow career intelligence on Facebook here: Facebook.com/careerintell or on Twitter @careerintell. Connect with Annette on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annetterichmond/

Smarter Career Moves podcast – available on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and wherever else you access your podcasts: https://careerintelligenceresumes.buzzsprout.com

 

Career Intelligence Resume Writing – YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw7L2jtuuwEULjoYDNy4mDA

Did you miss our last 10 Questions profile, featuring Holly Genser? You can read it here!

10 Questions With Holly Genser

 

Get to know the other resume writers in our community with our “10 Questions” series!

Today’s profile is Holly Genser of HollyGenser.com.

Holly Genser helps frustrated professionals and leaders with integrity who want to find meaningful work that fits their values. She is a Certified Career Transitions Coach (CCTC), Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW), and Nationally Certified Online Profile Expert (NCOPE).

As an introvert herself, Holly also specializes in helping introverts develop gentle job search and interviewing strategies.

She is a member of the National Resume Writers Association (NRWA), is an NRWA Ask An Expert Blog Contributor, and a member of Career Directors International (CDI).

Prior to becoming a career coach and resume writer, Holly earned a MA in Training and Development from The Ohio State University. She also held several roles in Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and higher education, including project manager, consultant, instructor, instructional designer, success coach, and learning center director.

1. Why did you decide to become a professional resume writer?
I became a career coach because, as a child, I felt sad and frustrated as I saw the pain of my mother’s career mismatch and my father’s discouraging job search during a recession. Then, I also felt drained in my job as a training consultant after graduate school, even though I liked it.

When I taught Career Coaching for Supervisors and Career Development for Employees at AT&T, I felt I’d come home to my career interest. I learned about being an introvert and what I needed in my work environment and applied my knowledge and skills to my own difficult planned and unexpected job and career changes. 

It took me several years to fulfill my desire to ease the way for others — first, part-time, and then full-time.

2. How did you get into the career industry? What did you do before?
I learned about career development when I was a training consultant at AT&T and I was asked to get certified to teach their Career Coaching for Managers and Career Development for Employees workshops.

Then I developed the Selection Interviewing for Supervisors and Interview Skills for Employees workshops at Sprint.

I used the skills for my own job and career changes, but it wasn’t until 2012 that I became a Certified Career Transitions Coach (CCTC) and resume writer.

3. What do you typically wear when you’re working?
A colorful, cotton knit shirt, silver jewelry, and black or navy pants.

4. What is your best habit, and what is your worst?
My best habit is focusing for long periods of time. I get into the flow and get a lot done.

My worst habit is also this deep focusing. I don't get up often enough for good health.

5. What’s your favorite object in your office? Why?I love the big Georgia O’Keeffe print I see when I enter my office. I love the colors. A bit of it shows behind me in my photo.

6. What is your “go to” technique or secret when you get stuck when you’re writing a resume? How do you get unstuck?
What works for me when I get stuck writing is to leave my desk — or, at least the project — and come back a few hours to a few days later. 

I get new ideas when I’m doing something else and a fresh perspective when I return to the project after a hiatus. Even working on a different project helps to gain perspective. 

7. What’s the best career advice you ever got?
Learn about yourself and find work that fits your personality type, interests, and values.

8. How do you unplug?
I mediate, listen to music, exercise, watch good shows or movies, and draw freely with colored markers and artist’s crayons.

9. What ONE thing would you change about your business or the career industry, if you could?
Have industry regulation to eliminate the unqualified resume providers who provide cheap services based on generic job descriptions without any client differentiation.

For resources and information, visit Holly's website at HollyGenser.com. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/HollyGenser/

Did you miss our last 10 Questions profile, featuring Lori Jazvac? You can read it here!