10 Questions With Laura Slawson

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

Today’s profile is Laura Slawson, MRW, CCM, CPRW of The Creative Advantage, LLC.

Laura has been writing resumes since 2009. She has been featured on CNBC, Stewart, Cooper & Coon, and WTBQ radio. She is a Credentialed Career Manager (CCM) and Master Resume Writer (MRW) with Career Thought Leaders, a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches, and an “Ask the Experts” contributor with the National Resume Writer’s Association (NRWA).

1. Why did you decide to become a professional resume writer?
I love to write and always had a knack for it. I worked in corporate America for more than 20 years, and did technical writing, corporate policy and procedure writing, and composed documents for the c-suite. I started my career as a working Word Processing Supervisor and learned about word processing when no one even knew what it was! When friends and family asked me to do their resumes and I saw they were successful using the documents I created, I knew I could do this as a business.

I had a very successful virtual administrative services business when my children were young, and I had always dreamed of starting another business. My nature is to help others, and I knew I could do this through my writing.

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

I was a Corporate Executive Assistant for several Fortune 100 companies and supported c-suite executives my entire career.

3. What do you typically wear when you’re working?
Sneakers, leggings, a comfortable top and make-up. I’m always ready to meet clients virtually.

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

My best habit is that I am extremely organized.

My worst habit is that I tend to spend too much time on the nitty-gritty!

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

My favorite object is a beautiful painting my Grandmother painted of a waterfall and trees. It’s turquoise, white, and lavender and is so serene. My Grandmother lived to be 103. She had her own business in NY when when women didn’t even work! I also have her picture on my desk to inspire me. Her name is Laura and I was born on her birthday!

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 sit on my deck in the sun with a cup of tea. My yard has so many trees, I love to just sit and listen to the birds.

7. What’s the best career advice you ever got?
When I was in my 20s, I worked for Panasonic and my boss told me, “Never come into my office with a problem unless you have a solution!” This stuck with me all these years.

8. How do you unplug?
I call my 90-year-old mother and my daughter every day. They are both strong, capable women who inspire me and give me great advice! I also like to sit on the deck and chat with my husband. I read and love to walk.

9. What ONE thing would you change about your business or the career industry, if you could?
I truly love what I do. I don’t think I’d change anything. I love helping others, working at my own pace, setting my own schedule and I’m never bored.

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

LinkedIn, PARW, NRWA, and CTL forums.

Connect with Laura on Linkedin here: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/LauraSlawsonMasterResumeWriter

Her website is: www.LauraCreativeAdvantage.com

Did you miss our last 10 Questions profile, featuring Evelyn Salvador? 

You can read it here!

How to Find a Job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and MySpace (Advice from 2014?)

 I came across some notes in a notebook today. Even though the advice is probably 6-7 years old (it references MySpace, for goodness sake), I thought it was still pretty relevant. What do you think?

• Update your status often
• Keep your information fresh and current
• Connect to others
• Comment on what you see
• Use the medium – post photos, videos, music — whatever is appropriate to the site/your situation
• Be respectful of others’ time
• Be prepared to offer more than you ask for

Ask yourself: “What do I want to achieve?”

Google yourself.

Make sure your profile is 100% complete.

Photo – bright, well lit, positive

Write unsolicited recommendations for former co-workers and colleagues.

Also on the page — “10 Best Jobs To Get Through Social Media Sites”

1. PR Manager
2. Social Media Strategist
3. Musician
4. Blogger
5. Copywriter
6. Consultant/Freelancer
7. IT Worker
8. Comedian
9. Web Designer
10. Marketing Manager

It’s kind of interesting to see old advice like this — because honestly, I think those seven bullet points are still pretty relevant in 2020!

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.