Is Your Search Optimization Strategy Working?

You may have heard a lot about SEO. (I've written about it before a couple times on this blog.) It stands for "search engine optimization" and is important to the algorithms that can put your resume writing website at the top of the search results page on Google or Bing or leave you at the bottom. Here are some ways to measure if your efforts are getting noticed.

You first need a basic understanding of SEO. When people search the Internet, they use keywords or phrases to find what they are looking for amongst the hundreds of thousands of web pages that have been created. If you've ever looked in the upper left-hand corner of your search engine results, often certain words return millions of results. For example, this search for "Resume Writer" on Google returned 3.8 million results. Yikes!

No one bothers to go through all of those. They rarely look beyond the first or second page. So that is where you want your web pages, content, videos, and blog to appear, in order to be found by those who are looking. (And here's another trick: Don't try to rank nationally for "Resume Writer" -- instead, try to rank for "Resume Writer (Your Area of Expertise or Geographic Area)" -- i.e., "Resume Writer Baltimore" or "Resume Writer Elementary School Teacher.")

You have to do some work first. SEO is not an exact science. But, you can use keyword programs (for free) to help you find out which have the highest amount of competition and which are underused. From there, the trial and error begins. Some recommend using one keyword per web page to see which ones are drawing the most traffic for you. Also be sure that your website is registered with the major search engines.

Some Ways to Measure SEO Success:

• Backlinks. These are the external links that link back to your website from other places. You can create backlinks by using the resource box when submitting content to article directories, bio boxes when guest blogging, as well as signature lines on forums and places like that. (You can also get a backlink by becoming a member of BeAResumeWriter.com -- there are two member directories on the site -- one for free members, and one for paid members -- that can provide a backlink with high authority.)

• Traffic metrics. How many unique visitors do you have compared to returning visitors? What you want are unique visitors because these are new faces that are being drawn in by your marketing strategies. You can also look at revenue generated against visitors at any given time. You can find out your traffic by using Google Analytics. This free program gives you lots of information to calculate your SEO success. Test your keywords for at least three months to get an accurate picture of whether or not they're working.

What you ultimately want is for people to buy from you. You want that conversion from casual visitor to customer. It is essential that you include a call to action on your website pages that will compel the reader to make that conversion. You can track this metric as well.

Help your prospective resume clients find you online by maximizing your efforts at "Search Engine Optimization Success."

Wearing Two Hats: Resume Writer and Mom

I'm not a mom myself, but I am a dedicated aunt to a whole bunch of nieces and nephews, including "The Five Princesses," who are featured prominently in my Facebook timeline. (My brother lives next door to me, and when he has the girls, they're frequently found at my house.)

The "Five Princesses" on Halloween. 

So while the kids aren't around 24/7/365, when they are next door, I really understand the challenges of resume writers who are also parents. And one of those challenges is balance (and, along with that, time management). An advantage of being a self-employed resume writer is the flexibility that it *can* offer you, to both serve your clients and support your family (financially, emotionally, and physically).

A balanced life helps you continue to "have it all" and gives you the time you need to enjoy the life you've designed. Here are some tips, strategies and ideas to balance your working and family time.

• Schedule time for everything. It may sound extreme. However, scheduling time to work and time to play really does help you find the balance that's right for you. Scheduling your life forces you to look at your priorities and make sure you find time for them. When Sean has the girls, I know that I'm not going to get a lot of work done. (Unless you count a massive shredding party as "work." Kids love to help out. Get them involved in your work.) Conversely, when they're not here (or when your kids are at school, for example), buckle down. Schedule your client consultations for those times, because it's not going to be quiet when the kids are around!

Allocate your schedule as you see fit. For example, you may decide that working from 6 a.m. to noon every day works best for you. Then you have from noon until bedtime to focus on your mom responsibilities. Alternatively, you may decide that working three 10-hour days a week works best for you and then taking the other four days to focus on your mom responsibilities. There's no right or wrong schedule here. A balanced life is defined by you.

• Prioritize. This is important for both your business and your personal life. There's always more to do in every area of your life. Take the time to prioritize both. For example, for your business your priorities are likely your income-producing activities (writing resumes, career coaching, etc.). The time you spend working with clients (or working on client projects) is a high priority.  

On the personal side, spending time with your partner each week is a priority -- as is spending quality time with your children. However, cleaning the house or having the greenest lawn on your block may not be a high priority.

• Get help. Once you know where your priorities are, you'll most certainly notice that there are tasks and responsibilities that are not on that list. For example, the house cleaning or your bookkeeping. These are tasks that get pushed to the back of the list. These are also tasks that you can get help with. For example, you can hire a housecleaner for an hour a week, or outsource your bookkeeping to a professional (or a virtual assistant). Figure out the "highest and best use" of your time. If you can make $50/hour working with clients, it can be worth it to hire a neighborhood kid (or your own kid!) for $10/hour to mow the lawn or rake the leaves.

Make sure that when you outsource a task you fill the available time created with a high priority task. For example, if you outsource your bookkeeping, perhaps that frees up three hours of your time each month. Make sure you use that time to work on income-producing activities. The goal is to earn more money than you're spending on outsourcing.

Finally, learn to recognize when your life feels out of balance. There's no formula that can tell you. It's up to you to know when things are askew. This is where regular planning sessions and quiet time alone can help. You can perform an honest analysis of your life and where it is going and make any changes necessary. This is your life. You decide how you want to live it.

Effective Website Design to Attract Resume Clients

In yesterday's blog post about "New Year, New Marketing Ideas," I talked a little bit about the role of your website in attracting new clients ... but I thought it merited its own blog post.

One of the most important elements of your online business is your website. Itís as important to you as a storefront is to a brick and mortar business. Your website represents who you are and what you have to offer.

Your Website Is Your Prospect's First Impression

You know what they say about first impressions, right? Actually, a lot is said about first impressions. Two of the cliches are:

• You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and
• Your first impression matters most

Essentially, they say the same thing. Your prospect's first impression matters. You want people to come to your website and:

• Feel welcome -- like they want to stay and have a look around
• Feel comfortable moving around on your site
• Feel confident in you -- your knowledge, skills, and products or services
• Feel like buying (or at least signing up for your free special report!)

And you want them to feel like coming back!

The Key Elements to Effective Website Design

Many people still think that effective website design has to be complicated. They use fancy flash graphics and make their visitors jump through hoops just to get to the core information. Effective website design is actually quite simple. One of my favorite career websites is Blue Sky Resumes.

Louise Fletcher has done a nice job of creating an inviting website. Let's look at some of the keys to effective website design.

• Navigation. Navigation is essentially how your visitor moves through your website. If they have to search for pages, they're likely to leave. If information, is difficult to find, they'll leave. Conversely, if your website navigation is simple and straightforward, you'll provide an excellent visitor experience. This means more sales, traffic and conversions = more profits. (The best way to create effective navigation is to think through what you want your prospective clients to know, and in what order, and then design your site accordingly.)

• Branding. Your website design actually helps form a brand image in your visitor's mind. Every aspect of your website helps establish who you are and what you're about. At a very basic level, color plays an important role. For example, if you focus on careers in the sustainable industry, then chances are you're going to use greens on your site to represent nature. If you work with accounting or IT clients, then you will probably use blues. Colors are associated with professions, niches, and industries.

• Sales. Ultimately your website design needs to support your goals. Your goal with a resume website is to get clients to take action to start working with you -- either calling or emailing you. If elements of your design distract from your goal, sales can suffer. (It's fine to offer job search resources, for example, but if you're SELLING resume services, your emphasis should be on that, not on how many articles and links to free service sites that you can compile.)

Before you create your website or have someone create it for you, make sure you have a clear idea of who you are, what your website goal is, and how you want your resume writing business to be perceived by your visitors. Then make visiting your website as simple and enjoyable as possible. That's good website design. Keep your goals and your customers' experience at the forefront and you can't go wrong.

New Year, New Marketing Ideas

January is traditionally the busiest month for resume writers, according to the Resume Writers' Digest Annual Industry Survey. So if your phone hasn't been ringing (or your emailbox "binging"), here are some ideas to help you attract new clients right now.

• Re-evaluate your marketing plan. Wait. You do have a marketing plan, right? A written document that outlines your vision for your resume writing business, your goals and objectives, who your ideal target customer is, and the "5 Ps" (what Products/services you'll offer; your Pricing strategy; your Place/distribution plans -- i.e., whether you'll work with clients in person or virtually, or both; how you plan to Promote your business, and People involved -- you, and/or subcontractors or virtual assistants who will serve your clients). You'll also want to outline the marketing tactics you plan to use (including your marketing budget) and a schedule for implementing the tactics.

Every few years it is necessary to take a look at your marketing plan with new eyes. If you're not as busy as you'd like to be, you should evaluate your marketing plan every few months. What are you doing now? What's working? What's not? How can you revamp your existing marketing tools (articles, blogging, public speaking) and employ some new ones (social media, teleseminars/webinars)?

• Become a social networker. Speaking of social media, Twitter and Facebook are becoming valuable tools for a lot of resume writers, who have used the social media sites to position themselves as expert resources for clients, recruiters, and the media.

• Advertise your business on your personal Facebook page. I came across a resume writer last week who just made the announcement that she was no longer going to post any business-related posts on her personal page. Huge mistake! Facebook has just changed their algorithm again, and it's resulting in less visibility for Business Pages. The new "Subscribe" feature also makes it easy for "non-friends" to follow what you're up to -- and posting business content on your personal profile is what they're usually looking for! Post links to new content on your website and other promotional links that friends and family can view and share. But don't neglect your fan page for your resume writing business. It's still a valuable tool. Encourage current clients to sign up and tune in for special information or offers that they won't find anywhere else.

• Don't neglect offline tools. For many resume writers, a significant portion of your business is still local. Just because more and more clients are finding you online doesn't mean that you should neglect offline tools, like direct marketing, flyersm and promotional items.

• Video marketing. People love to watch informative videos online. You can take what you know and turn it into a visual presentation that immediately gives new clients a picture of who you are and what you do. I am loving doing "Desktop Demos" -- on my Mac, I just use QuickTime and a USB headset/microphone to do a quick video. It saves as a .MOV file, and I upload it to YouTube so anyone can view it. Easy!! Check out this video I did last week on how to use BeAResumeWriter.com's Pass-Along Materials.

If you have an iPhone, it's also easy to record and upload a video to Facebook. Possible topics: share job search tips, give an update on the job market in your local area (who is hiring; who is not!), walk people through a before-and-after version of a fictionalized client's resume....

• Create a press release. Are you about to offer a new service or product? (LinkedIn profile development, your new career membership site, salary negotiation coaching), Create a press release that will attract new clients to your business. Use a press release service and be sure that your content is SEO optimized. (Want more ideas on how to use the media to attract new clients? Check out the recording of my teleseminar on "Feed the Media" in the Free Level Resources section of BeAResumeWriter.com. Not a member of BeAResumeWriter.com? Click on the "Become a Member" tab and apply for your free membership)

• Take a fresh look at your website. Are you making it easy for prospective clients to understand how they should work with you? You need two things on your website: A clear "call to action" that tells clients exactly what you want them to do to start working with you (call? send their existing resume?) AND you need a way to capture information about folks who visit your site but aren't ready to start working with you yet. (A free report delivered via autoresponder usually fits the bill.)

These are just a few ways you can attract new clients for your resume writing business.

When You Might Want to Relocate Your Resume Writing Business

That's Jon digging out after a snowstorm.

My husband, Jon, and I talk a lot about moving. Mostly when we've had a massive snowfall here in Nebraska, where I live. A couple of winters ago, we had so much snow that we had a snowdrift that obscured our house (as viewed from our street) for more than a month. It was hard not to think about moving somewhere warm on a day like that.

This winter has been better. Today, in fact, it's in the 30s. Yesterday it was in the 50s, and tonight we're expecting snow. That's par for the course in January in Nebraska. Hopefully it will be a dusting. But the big snow is coming. It always does.

But weather might not be the only reason you would consider relocating your career services business.
Finances is another major one. You might have considered relocating your business in an effort to ease the financial burden. But, if you are established in an area, why would you consider this? Here are a few reasons.

Why Relocate?

• Growth -- The object of your career services business is not just to help clients, but also support yourself. Your current location may not offer your resume writing business the opportunities to do that if you work with a primarily in-person clientele, and the folks in your area can't afford your services, for example.

• Cost -- This one affects resume writers with both commercial office space as well as those who work from home. It's a fact that different areas of the country have different costs of living. If you work virtually with clients, living in an area of the country with a lower cost of living can make a huge difference in your profitability. Your revenues may be the same, but if your expenses are half of what they would be in a higher cost-of-living area, you can be pocketing a lot more of the money.

• Poor market -- Maybe your resume writing business just isn't doing well in its current location. The market for your business may have dried up due to economic changes. In order to survive, you may have to consider moving to an area with richer resources. (Again, this is more likely to be the case if you work with clients in person, or if you do a lot of speaking/networking in your local community.)

• Lifestyle changes -- No one lives in a bubble. Sometimes personal issues make it necessary to make a change in your personal location ... and consequently, your business location. Last year, Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter moved from Kansas to Texas so she and her husband could indulge in their love of sailing. (The better weather didn't help either -- right, Jacqui?)

• Amenities -- If you have an inner city office for your resume writing business, you already know that space is at a premium and an expensive one at that. A chance to grow larger may mean finding a larger office space that wonít break the bank. Areas outside your current city can offer relaxing scenery, open work environments for employees, better parking for customers and delivery people, as well as options for expanding again without moving this time.

Relocation may not be something you've contemplated for your resume writing business, but sometimes it is a viable option. The reasons above are just a few that could lead you to a new venue... or at least get you started thinking about it!

Resume Writers: Should You Start Your Own LinkedIn Group

Recently, some folks on the NRWA E-List have been complaining about the volume of email messages. (The surge corresponds with my return to the organization. Coincidence?)

One list member suggested switching from the current YahooGroups format to a LinkedIn Group. If you're not familiar with LinkedIn Groups, let's chat a bit about LinkedIn Groups and why you should join them -- and maybe even start your own.

I still find a lot of resume writers are confused about LinkedIn and how it can help their business. One important function of LinkedIn is to connect you to other resume writers. I've heard from a couple of resume writers that they're reluctant to get "LinkedIn" with other resume writers. I say, "WHY NOT?" Resume writers can be a source of referrals, ideas, and inspiration.

LinkedIn takes the guesswork and legwork out of networking with others in your field. This site allows you to search for, connect with and get needed advice from professionals with a few clicks. There are no face-to-face meetings unless you want them. Even so, you can get to know people through their profiles and interacting in groups and discussions.

LinkedIn Groups: Increase Your Visibility and Expert Status

This brings us to LinkedIn Groups. What are they? These groups are like small gatherings of professionals with similar business niches or interests. The entire site is available to you, but concentrated groups help you to target those professionals with whom you need to network.

Groups help you do many things:

* Discover other professionals to meet quickly
* Actively participate in discussions relevant to your interests and needs
* Zero in on the most influential people on LinkedIn within your professional sphere
* Know which profiles to view and which people to "follow" in discussions
* Begin your own discussions to help establish yourself as a leader in your field

These are also excellent reasons to begin your own LinkedIn Group. Before you do, though, get a feel for the process by joining a group or two. You can search for relevant groups using different parameters.

For Resume Writers, I recommend these groups (Note: Some groups require pre-approval or membership in the associated organization in order to join):
Career Directors International
Career Management Best Practices
Career Professionals Network
Career Professionals of Canada
Career Rocketeer
Career Thought Leaders Consortium
JibberJobber Career Management
Resume Experts
Resume Writers & Career Coaches
Strategic Resumes LinkGroup
The NRWA

Once you find one that you like, introduce yourself. Do this by posting a new discussion question and then leaving a comment. Let people get to know you.

LinkedIn Groups can also increase your visibility and popularity on the site. While you are leading discussions, don't forget to leave meaningful comments on other discussion topics. It will look pretty suspicious if you only post questions and never join in the discussions of others.

Build up a presence and a following. When you are ready, create your own group. If you specialize in a particular industry or niche in your resume writing business (and you should!), you can check out the existing groups that serve these markets, and perhaps create one that focuses on jobseekers in that niche.

Ask your existing clients to join your LinkedIn group. Don't forget business contacts on other social sites like Facebook and Twitter. Invite LinkedIn members with similar interests as a way of connecting with new faces.

You should definitely be involved in a couple groups on LinkedIn .... and consider starting your own to increase your visibility, ranking, popularity, network and credibility among clients and prospects.

Got any other suggestions for career-related LinkedIn groups? Post them in the comments below.

Viral Marketing and Your Resume Writing Business

You probably know what a viral video is -- like the YouTube video of the skateboarding dog. Infographics are also something that often go viral -- most often on Facebook. This infographic from Hubze, ironically, is on how to get your content to go viral.

Viral marketing tactics can be effective in spreading the word about your business, your product, and your service without offending others or being self-serving.

But, viral marketing is inherently self-serving, isn’t it? Well, yes and no. To be truly effective, viral marketing must include a give-and-take approach. You must engage others, take part in conversation, and give as much as you get. In other words, don’t expect your message to spread itself. Viral marketing takes time, careful planning and well-thought out execution.

It has, for lack of a better word, an incurable need for attention.

While viral marketing can be applied in a number of ways, there are 3 main approaches:

#1 – To Share. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube are in fact products of viral marketing themselves. While they’re sole purpose is to allow (and encourage) users to share information, they too must share their service via their users. It’s simple, really. Their users believe in them and enjoy their websites so much, that they share those websites with others. Knowing this and trusting this would take place, these social media powerhouses have become multi-million, some billion dollar businesses thanks to, you guessed it, viral marketing.

#2 – To Add Value. Adding value is not a characteristic unique to viral marketing. It is a common marketing approach across the board. For hundreds of years, business owners have understood the importance of offering their customers “more.” For instance, buy this product and receive this additional product for free. You get the picture. So, this notion of adding value applies to your viral marketing in the same way. However, rather than simply applying added value to your products and services, make value-added offers to those who share your message. For instance, send this message to an additional 10 people, and receive a free product. Incentivize and you will see results!

#3 – To create buzz. Similar to sharing, creating buzz is can be extremely effective. How is it different? While sharing refers to others literally sharing information with friends (i.e. Like my Facebook page? Sign-up for your own Facebook page today and see more of what I’m up to, including photos, favorites and more!) creating buzz is more about spreading the word. Consider how gossip spreads, or the way in which gossip magazines create stories based on hearsay. The idea is to get people “talking” about you and your business in a positive way so that they begin to encourage others to become customers, sign-up or carry on the conversation on their own.

As you can see, viral marketing is about more than inundating your audience with your message. Its about strategic planning and taking an approach that puts your business in a positive light while enticing others to not only become customers, but to spread the word as well. 

Want to learn more about Viral Marketing? Check out the Viral Marketing Stampede special report, available now in the "Paid Member Resources" section of BeAResumeWriter.com. (Bronze member benefit.)

Why Pro Bono Work Can Set the Wrong Expectations: Part 2

This is part 2 in a series of blog posts to discuss some things that have been on my mind recently related to the careers industry. Yesterday's post is "We Are All Ambassadors," and you can read it here. I talked about how we need to be remember that we are representing our entire profession of resume writers when we comment or provide advice on careers-related topics online.

Today's post has to do with pro bono work. It relates to yesterday's topic, because I talked about some not-so-nice discussions going on in certain LinkedIn groups ... and one of them had to do with pro bono work. It was a discussion that garnered almost 50 comments -- it stayed pretty civil -- well, until the last few comments. Apparently, an earlier discussion was equally lively, and led to a post on the "Look Before You Leap" blog. I hadn't looked at that article when I started writing my post, but the author points out a lot of good things to think about.

I personally write up to a handful of pro bono resumes each month. They can be for family members, or friends, or even friends of friends, if they're someone in need. Usually, someone asks me to take a look at their existing resume -- very few of them are starting completely from scratch.

But yesterday's Facebook exchange with the "friend" of my friend who was looking for cover letter help underscored an important problem when providing pro bono services. Sometimes the recipient doesn't understand the value of the service you've provided. That can be either a monetary value (i.e., someone who hasn't been on the receiving end of seeing their professional career transformed into a working document that speaks to their personal value as an employee doesn't "get" why a resume can cost an average of $400) or even something like questioning the document when it's completed (this would be akin to "looking the (proverbial) gift horse in the mouth." If they haven't paid for the resume, are they more likely to question your resume strategy? Are they more likely to question how valuable a "free" resume can be for helping them?

I had another similar situation arise last week. As I mentioned yesterday, being friends on Facebook can lead to folks asking for career advice. My younger brother's former kindergarten teacher (and the wife of a former neighbor's son -- I told you, Facebook makes for some strange friendships!) contacted me through a Facebook message to inquire about help for her daughter, who had recently graduated from college, but wasn't confident in her resume. I asked her mom to have her send me the resume so I could see what she had to work with. Her mom wrote back, "She has a resume (so she says) but she is worried that it is soooo weak. She needs to visit with someone -- other than her mother -- for advice, at least that is what I think -- HA! I haven't seen her resume -- and she had some college help. I think some professional advice would be so beneficial." So, once again, I asked her to have her daughter send me her resume. The next day, I received this message: "I'm going to work with (daughter) on her resumes -- she has one for Art and one for Business applications. They are both extremely 'light' on information. Can you refer us to a book or website with some solid info to model, as we build these resumes?" Mind you, there was no discussion of fees or work process or anything at that point. I had simply asked to see the resume. (Going back to yesterday's theme of "We Are All Ambassadors," I didn't (couldn't!) respond to her request for a "book or website ... to model" without my head exploding. So I didn't respond at all.) When someone is asking for help on behalf of someone else, will the "end recipient" value your work? (Early on in my resume writing career, I stopped accepting projects set up by wives for their husbands. I should add rejecting requests from moms for their kids to that list!)

As Miranda points out on the "Look Before You Leap" blog, providing discounted services may also lead to referrals from folks expecting the same cheap/discounted/free service. I mean, it's tough to say in an email, "Hey, here's the resume I wrote for you for free that I would normally charge $400 for ..." Do you link them to your "Prices" page on your website, so they can see what you'd normally charge? Do you mock up a dummy invoice and put the $400 discount on there, so the end line item is $0? That question addresses the issue of whether you provide free or discounted services as a way to build your portfolio or business, instead of as a way to "give back."

Another issue I hadn't considered until yesterday... if I write someone's resume for free, and they choose to give me a gift for doing so, does it devalue my services? If they get a $50,000 job, and send me a $100 gift card in appreciation, I'm thrilled to get it. (After all, I wasn't expecting anything -- I wrote the resume as a favor.) But do they think, then, that the resume is only worth $100? (Again, they may be unfamiliar with your "normal fees" -- and I'm not speaking specifically here about folks who you help because they are unable to afford your services ... I'm talking about friends and family.)

I also consider: "How will I feel about providing help?" I like to give back. (I often say that resume writers have a little bit of "social worker" in us. I sure do.) I once helped a down-on-his-luck friend who had been unemployed for several months by writing his resume. Then, he came back to me asking for a federal resume. (I generally don't write federal resumes or military transition resumes.) Then he showed up at my door unannounced occasionally over the next month, usually because he wanted to tweak the resume (and/or cover letter) for a job posting. Fortunately, he landed a job before I resented him too much. But often when we say "Yes" initially, it doesn't mean "Yes...forever." Having standards for who -- and when -- you will help folks is important. So is setting boundaries so you don't feel taken advantage of. (I have trouble setting boundaries.)

So here's my takeaways: DO continue to volunteer your services when you feel it's appropriate. DON'T expect anything in return. DO establish guidelines for yourself on who you will help, and under what circumstances. DON'T be surprised if you don't get the response you expect from the people you're helping. DO continue helping others anyway. (DON'T throw the baby out with the bathwater.)

I don't have all the answers. (Like I said earlier, the inspiration for this topic just struck me yesterday.) But I'd be interested in your feedback -- either on here (in the comments below), or on the Resume Writers' Digest Facebook page.

We Are All Ambassadors: Part I

The first blog post of the new year is always a tough one for me. (Last year, it took me until Jan. 26 to come up with something worthy -- but it ended up being one of my most popular blog posts ever. Check out "I Got Distracted" if you want to know more.)

The first blog post is important. You want to strike the right chord -- set the right tone -- for the year. But you don't want it to be trite. (Or about New Year's Resolutions, if you can help it!) So I debated Sunday (New Year's) about writing one, and made it through all of yesterday (Monday) without coming up with anything profound ... but lying in bed last night, the pieces finally came together.

It all started early Monday evening. I was trolling Facebook (instead of writing the resume I was supposed to be working on, or doing anything else on my lengthy-at-the-moment to-do list). I saw a status update from a casual friend of mine, "Anyone out there can help me with a cover letter? I'm applying for a job at {Company Name}."

I commented, "Are you talking to me?" because I had written a resume for her a few months back, as a favor. I didn't hear back from her, but one of her friends commented a few minutes later, "check Microsoft Word templates :)" ... to which I (somewhat snarkily) responded back, "...only if you want to have your cover letter look like every other one." My friend's friend, came back with, "Well, she can use it as a guideline so she can know what to include in it."

Ugh. At that point, instead of responding back with something even more snarky, like ... "I'd take the Gallery of Best Cover Letters over what Microsoft's engineers thinks passes as an effective resume," or, "I'm thinking of reading WebMD in hopes of being able to assist the surgeon the next time I have a procedure" -- I realized that 1) I was wasting my breath and 2) I wouldn't be representing the careers industry very well by escalating the conversation. So I went back and deleted my two comments... and managed to restrain myself from using the "block user" function on my friend's profile. (It's not her fault her friends don't understand how to job search effectively, right? See, I almost said, "It's not her fault that her friend is an idiot" ... but I didn't.  -->  :) -- right?

The message here, however, is that many of us as resume writers use Facebook to generate new business -- through use of Fan pages, events, Facebook ads, and even status updates on our personal profiles -- but it's a double-edged sword. We Are All Ambassadors for the professional resume writing community.  When we're sharing posts we've written on our careers industry blog, or mentions in the Career section of the local newspaper, or giving general job search tips to coincide with key dates (i.e., in September for "Update Your Resume Month"), we are increasing the visibility of professional resume writers. (Tell me you don't get requests for service or referrals from what you post about careers topics on your personal Facebook profile.)

But we're also representing the industry when we get snippy with one another in LinkedIn Groups. (Guys, these groups are public, and job seekers can see them too. One of the hardest things about resume writing is that there are very few "hard-and-fast" rules, so politely disagreeing is fine, but some of the threads really get out of hand. Or on Twitter. Don't have a fight with another resume writer on Twitter. The whole world is watching.)

Unless the reputation (and personal brand) you want to cultivate for yourself is that of a jerk, be careful about your tone when posting on social media. "Animal" on Twitter has solidified the reputation of many headhunters as "jerks" by some of the comments he posts -- he's well aware of that. (His tagline on Twitter says, "SENSITIVE? DON'T FOLLOW ME -- Feel free to criticize me in public.")

But this approach can (and does!) turn people off. (And paint a negative stroke on the whole industry ... a topic I'll get into later this week.)

We're all ambassadors. Including me. And remember, digital dirt persists.
So think before you post, and post carefully.

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I'm going to take up this theme -- "We Are All Ambassadors" --  as a multi-part series for the week.
Check back tomorrow for Part 2: Why Pro-Bono Work Can Set the Wrong Expectations.

And I'd love your comments.

Imperfect Action is Better Than Perfect Inaction

I came up with this quote ("Imperfect action is better than perfect inaction") when talking with a resume writer last week. (Note: A quick Google search indicates that Harry Truman said it first -- or, more likely, most famously.) It's something that I should post on my bulletin board, because it's easy to do nothing when faced with an obstacle of any type.

It's something that applies to our job-seeking clients. How many of them don't move their job search forward because they're afraid that they're "doing it wrong," or they need to take step "A" before they take step "B" -- or so they think. ("Well, I couldn't put up my LinkedIn profile because I didn't have my resume done." or "I couldn't apply for that job because I hadn't had a chance to line up all my references yet.")

It also applies to us as resume writers. When I recently put together my "Career Membership Sites Made Easy" program, I could have waited until the whole thing was perfect before launching it. But for a perfectionist (which I am!), that day could be a long way off. Instead, I put together the written curriculum for the program, the accompanying step-by-step setup guides, and modified the November Pass-Along Materials LinkedIn report into lesson format so CMSME buyers had a ready-to-go curriculum to launch their first membership program.

Is there a trade-off for going with "imperfect action"? In my case, yes. I decided to offer the first 25 resume writers who took a chance on this new program a substantial discount. When I reached that objective (we got the first 25 group members in about 72 hours), I decided to keep looking for "charter" members who would grow as the program grew. They can get in for a low price while I keep building the resources around the program (I'm doing a training webinar for group members next week), and a guide to driving visitors ("web traffic") to your membership program website. I didn't want to wait until the full system was done before I let in additional group members. The sooner you start on a project, the sooner you can start getting results. And results -- no matter how small -- are often what motivates us to take even more action.

The most important thing to remember is this: Take one step to move forward. If you're thinking of offering a new service to jobseeking clients (like a job search support group or service, or interview training, or whatever), don't wait until everything is perfect. Launch, then improve. In the movie "We Bought a Zoo," Matt Damon's character says, "You only need 20 seconds of insane courage and I promise you something great will come of it." It may take more than 20 seconds, but you can do something great.

Remind your clients of that too.

One Word for 2012

Mari Smith gave me a great idea -- every year, she chooses one word that is her "theme" for the year. For 2011, her word was "Commitment." For 2012, her word is "Growth."

I am going to take her idea and choose my own word for 2012. The word that kept coming back to me is "Abundance." I'm reading a great book, "Today We Are Rich," by Tim Sanders. It's the story of how having confidence can lead to success. The "Rich" in the title doesn't refer to money. And in my theme, "Abundance" doesn't refer only to money ... but also to a richness of faith, gratitude, and joy.



The last few years have been tough for my family, but things are definitely turning around. I am looking forward to 2012. It's my goal to help resume writers bring more abundance into their resume business. It starts with the launch of "Career Membership Sites Made Easy." I'm going to be leading and coaching about 30 resume writers to bring passive income and recurring revenue into their business in 2012.

Choosing a Payment Option for Your Online Resume Sales

More and more resume writers nowadays are taking full payment upfront from resume clients on their resume writing business websites -- and if you haven't yet taken that step, you've probably started thinking about it.

If you are going to sell your resume services online, then you will need a way for those transactions to be processed. Choosing the right payment option is an important step. Here are some tips to help you find the right option for you.

Hardly anyone deals in cash or checks with an online resume service. They are too unreliable. Clients want to get started right away, and waiting for payment in the mail takes time. And, there are too many steps to follow to retrieve your money should a check bounce or get lost in the mail. It is better to deal with credit cards. However, many prospective resume clients are wary of letting their personal information float around in cyberspace.

With all this in mind, here are a few things to consider:

• What type of shopping cart do you have? Your shopping cart is the program that you have integrated into your website to register customer sales. Customers will be able to add to the cart, check to see a total, see descriptions and basically choose what they want to buy. The shopping cart records their choices. 
• Decide on a payment gateway. A payment gateway bridges the gap between shopping cart and the credit card information that the customer will enter. Some third party merchants charge a fee for each credit card processed. With a gateway you still need a merchant account, but you can avoid these unwanted fees. 

The one thing to remember is that all payment gateways are not compatible with all types of shopping cart programs. Before installing your shopping cart program, check to see which payment gateways are compatible with each so you donít have to change midstream.

• Ask questions.What most customers look for is verification on your site that your payment gateway is secure. They want to be sure that their information will not fall into the wrong hands or be sold to a third party site. You can assure them that they are safe by checking your payment gateway for AVS protection to prevent fraudulent transactions, and that it is PCI-compliant -- which ensures credit card information is protected.
• Perform a test transaction. Once you have set up your shopping cart and payment gateway, check to be sure that it is up and running 24/7 and accurate. Go through the process as one of your customers would. Check admin on both the shopping cart and the payment gateway to see that everything was logged properly. Also, check your credit statement to be sure the transaction went through correctly.

Choosing the correct payment option is important to the growth of the resume services you sell online.

Top Tools and Apps I Use in My Resume Writing Business

In yesterday's blog post, I wrote about time management strategies, and I mentioned a task management application I use called "Wunderlist." I thought I'd share some of the other tools and apps I use in my resume writing business (and to manage Resume Writers' Digest).

I'll focus just on the ones on my iPhone for today, and I'll take it alphabetically, just to make it easier.

Alarm Clock (by iHandy). I use the free version, although I've considered upgrading to the paid app ($.99). Although the iPhone has a built-in alarm clock, I like the custom sounds on the iHandy app. When using the app as a true wake-up alarm clock, it has a neat "Sound Fade In" feature that gradually increases the volume of the alarm. I use the "Mbira" sound effect as it's a pretty soothing sound, and it usually only take a few bars of the song before I'm awake. (Not as jarring as a "BEEP-BEEP-BEEP" alarm. I also use the alarm clock as a "timer" when writing resumes. If I'm having trouble starting on a project, I might set an alarm for 20 minutes from now and tell myself I'm just going to work on the project for that amount of time. But often I find that I'm in a good flow when the alarm goes off, and I'll keep slogging ahead on the resume. (This is one of the tips from "Write Great Resumes Faster.")

Facebook for the iPhone. Although I most often update my Resume Writers' Digest, BeAResumeWriter.com, and Leveraging LinkedIn For Your Job Search Facebook business pages via my laptop, it's nice being able to check in on them from my iPhone when I'm out and about. I have Facebook notifications set up so I get "pinged" when someone comments on one of my page posts.

iCal. This is the basic Mac calendar app, built into all Mac products. I use iCal to remind myself of key client project deadlines, reminders for phone consultations with clients, and training events, like teleseminars and webinars. (You can also set reminder alarms in iCal.) When I sync my iPhone to my MacBook, it updates the calendars both ways, so if I put an event in my phone, it updates my MacBook calendar too.

iTunes. Another tip from "Write Great Resumes Faster" is writing to music. Sometimes this works for me, sometimes it doesn't. It depends on the kind of writing I'm doing. I don't very often write resumes to music, but I do write a lot of blog posts and articles to music. Also, I have different kinds of music I like to write to. I have a "Rockin' Playlist" on iTunes that includes Lady Gaga and Pink, but -- especially at this time of the year -- I love listening to Mannheim Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

PayPal. I love the PayPal iPhone app. I've integrated several passive income and recurring revenue streams into my business (special reports like "Write Great Resumes Faster," and "Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor" and my membership site for resume writers, BeAResumeWriter.com). All of these are linked to my PayPal account, so when someone makes a purchase, I get a notification on my iPhone. It's almost addictive hearing that little "ping" when I've got money.

SimplyNoise ("The Best Free White Noise Generator on the Internet.") This is a new addition to my iPhone app collection in the last few weeks. My husband and I usually sleep with a fan on for the noise, but lately, the fan has been making a rattling noise, making it a distraction, instead of a sleep aid. I found the SimplyNoise website online and started off using that as a fan substitute, but then I found that there was a web app version ($.99). As I mentioned on this LinkedIn Career Thought Leaders Consortium group post about writing resumes, sometimes white noise (there is also "pink noise" and "brown noise" -- you have to check it out to hear the difference) can help you focus your resume writing and drown out "life's distractions."

Twitter. Although I haven't upgraded to the newest version of the Twitter app for the iPhone, this is one I use quite a bit. Before I got my iPhone, I didn't do a lot with Twitter on my phone. Although I still use my laptop to write most of my Twitter status updates, I do like getting mention (@RWDigest) notifications on my phone -- because then I can respond right away. (It's also a great way for me to keep in touch with my five "princess" nieces. All of them are on Twitter, even the 6-year-old!)

Wunderlist. As mentioned in yesterday's blog post, I use Wunderlist for task management. I don't like to clutter my iCal list with too many "to dos" -- plus, sometimes you just need a rolling list of items that need to be done, but don't have a specific date associated with them. I use Wunderlist for these items, instead of a scrap of paper. I also didn't buy the refill of my Franklin Covey planner when it was due to be refilled in July, because I use Wunderlist instead. As I said yesterday, all the version of Wunderlist sync with each other automatically -- the iPhone app, the Mac desktop app, and the website -- so I can "check off" a task (yay!) from any of the interfaces and it will sync automatically. (Well, it should -- sometimes it doesn't always get the checked items ticked off in all the apps, but that just means that I get to check them off again! Yay!)
NOTE: As of May 2020, Wunderlist has been discontinued. Check out this blog post for alternatives!

So there you have it. My top apps and tools that I have on my iPhone that I use in my resume writing business. I'd love to hear what your favorites are...share your comments below.

Time Management Tips for Work-at-Home Resume Writers

I love working from home. But time management is a big issue when you're a resume writer who works from home. When I talk with people who don't work from home, they always make comments like, "I wouldn't be able to work from home ... I'd find it too tempting to just sit on the couch all day and watch TV."

If you're like most work-at-home resume writers, though, you'll find that the opposite is often the problem. It's too tempting to work all the time! I mean, here it is, 6:35 a.m. on a Tuesday morning, and I'm writing a blog post. I should be sleeping. When I come home after being out (whether that's seeing a movie, running to the post office, or going to a hockey game), the first thing I do is check my work email. If you're a work-at-home resume writer, you probably do the same thing.

Working from home as a resume writer can be a great thing -- as long as you learn to handle one issue: your time. Time management is very important in any business, but especially when you are working from a home office. Keep an open mind and read the following information.

Create a Daily Schedule
Calendars may seem "old school" but they are still the best way to make sure you're not sacrificing your personal life for your business. Keeping a large calendar in the kitchen, for instance, gives each person in your family opportunity to record their events so that nothing is forgotten.

Also, create blocks of time for different activities. Don't forget to schedule fun time! Be flexible, but still commit to a certain amount of time each day to run your business and also to spend time with family commitments.

Create Daily Milestones
You don't have to finish every task each day. Set a list of priorities and then take steps to finish the most important jobs first. First thing in the morning, determine what you will focus on for that day. You don't have to schedule every minute of your day, but a level of time management will keep your daily life organized.

I use a great tool called "Wunderlist" for keeping track of my "to-dos." It runs on my MacBook and syncs with my iPhone app. It even sends me an email message when I have "overdue" items. Plus, you can "check off" items when you complete them. I LOVE that!
(NOTE: As of May 2020, Wunderlist is no more. Check out this blog article with alternatives.)

Seven Ways to Find Content Ideas

As resume writers, you wouldn't think that we would have any issues coming up with content ... but some of my most popular blog posts recently have had to do with content! From planning your content to monetizing your content to writing better content to finding time to write content, readers of this blog like tips about content. I'm happy to oblige with today's blog post, which focuses on inspiration for your content.

Like with most writing, the hardest part is getting started. (In my special report on "Write Great Resumes Faster," I even had a special section to help tackle the "facing the blank page" obstacle to writing resumes. Getting started is sometimes the major obstacle -- once you know what you want to write about, you can create the structure of the document -- whether that's a resume, blog post, ezine article, or whatever -- and get going from there!)

So here you go -- seven ways to find content ideas.

1. Grab a magazine, any magazine you have in your home and look at the cover. Convert each of the teaser headlines into headlines for your blog or website. You'll likely have things like:
* The top ten ways to___
* Five secrets of__
* Easy ways to ____

And so on. It's a great way to come up with quick and easy content ideas (a headline for a blog post, for example).

2. Visit your favorite blog and expand on their latest blog post. Or better yet, comment on the latest blog post and then write or blog about your comment. You can use it to generate traffic to your site and provide new and valuable information to your audience.

3. Watch the national news for 10 minutes. Chances are youíll see something that relates to you. You can use this news story to generate ideas for your content. For example, a news story about the job market might lead you to write a tips-oriented article for job seekers. The news, while sometimes depressing, can also inspire great, and timely, content ideas.

4. Pirate. Use comments and feedback you've received from others to create content for your blog or website. For example, you might use a question comment from a reader to start a new blog post on the same topic. Your readers are actually great sources of inspiration. You can also use your response to the commenter to generate a new blog post or article. (That's what I did with this blog post; the positive feedback I've received on previous blog posts about content-related topics inspired this one!)

5. Celebrity Watch/Pop Culture. Celebrities provide an abundance of entertainment for society. We watch what they do, who they do it with, what they wear, what they eat and where they live. You can also find inspiration from pop culture -- music, movies, television.

6. Find a quote that you love and expand on it. Share why you love it and what it means to you. Tie it to resumes or the job search process and ask readers to provide their favorite quote on the subject. (Perseverance quotes are always popular for jobseekers!)

7. Review a book, product, or service. If you're stumped for content, reviews are always appreciated by readers. Review resume writing books (use your Amazon affiliate link); review resume distribution services (ResumeSpider has an affiliate program); review reference checking services (Allison Taylor has an affiliate program). Reviews provide valuable information and they give you an opportunity to earn an affiliate income.

Writer's block -- or content idea block -- will happen to you at some point. Don't let it derail you! Look around you for insight and inspiration. And to prevent it from happening, keep a notebook with you to jot down ideas as they come to you (or write yourself a note on your smartphone)!

Choosing a Professional Conference to Attend

A resume writer asked me yesterday about attending a professional conference. I believe that professional resume writers should be committed to their continuing education, and conference attendance is a part of that. I've attended a half-dozen conferences over the years, although it's been several years since my last one. I'm hoping to attend at least one in 2012.

With the cost to attend a professional conference now averaging $1300 ($400 registration fee; $350 hotel; $325 transportation, $125 food/beverage, $100 miscellaneous) -- not to mention income lost from being out of the office, you want to choose your conference wisely.

When evaluating conference attendance, consider these things:

Program: Is there a topic or program in particular that interests you? Review the conference program outline and decide which sessions you'd like to attend. Is there a particular area of your business or services that you want to learn more about? (i.e., LinkedIn profile development? Writing federal resumes?) See if there is a conference offering training on that subject area.

Organizer: Which organizations are you already a member of? As a member, you'll get a discount on their offerings. However, consider if you're going to get new ideas or information from this organization? If you’ve been participating in their other programs/offerings, you may find that the conference offers “more of the same” instead of new ideas and information.

Location: How easy/hard is it to get there from here? This can also be a factor in the cost. Can you drive? Flying? Airline travel can be unpredictable nowadays, so allow plenty of time to get to your destination in the event your flight is delayed or rescheduled.

Networking Opportunities. One of the strongest outcomes of conference attendance is the people you will be able to meet and connect with. Evaluate the speaker roster — are these folks within the industry who are sharing their expertise? How new is the information they are sharing (have you seen them presenting on this topic before at other conferences)? Then, consider the attendee roster. How many people typically attend the conference? What is the makeup of conference attendees? Are these the folks you want to connect with? For example, you might find that for one conference, attendees are 25% self-employed professionals, 20% military transition specialists, 40% career office staff (either government or educational institutions) and 15% “other.” Another might be 55% self-employed professionals, 30% career office staff, 10% military transition specialists, and 5% “other.” Consider who you want to connect with!

Consider attending a conference in 2012. Here are some of the upcoming offerings:

March 12-14, 2012 – Career Thought Leaders, Baltimore, MD

September 19-22, 2012 – National Resume Writers' Association, Charlotte, SC

October 11-13, 2012 – Career Directors International, San Diego, CA

How to Find Your Perfect Niche to Target for Resume Clients

One of the best strategies for success for your resume writing business is to be a specialist, not a generalist. I've written about targeting a niche numerous times on this blog, but it's a topic that can't be examined enough!

The question of who to target with your resume writing services is one that shouldn't be skimped on. It will affect everything else you do and can determine your success or failure with your resume writing business.

Finding the perfect niche involves weighing a lot of different factors to find the perfect one. Here's how to find the perfect niche.

==> The Niche Brainstorm Process

Start by brainstorming as many niches as you can think of. Get out a note pad and jot down ideas.

Once you run out of ideas to jot down from the top of your head, go to Amazon.com and browse some of the different magazine and book titles. If there's a magazine for it, chances are the market is big enough to support a website.

Jot down more ideas, then head over to eBay Pulse. Again, browse the categories and products that are selling and see if those spark any ideas.

Keep brainstorming for a few days to get all the ideas down on paper.

==> Evaluating Profitability

There's generally a trade-off between ease of ranking and profitability. In other words, if there's a lot of money to be made in a certain market, chances are it's going to be fairly competitive. One example is executive resume writing. While writing executive resumes can be lucrative (generally, these command fees from $400 up to $1500+), there is a lot of competition in this market. There is less competition if you segment this further -- for example, women executives, or manufacturing executives.

For most resume writers, the goal is to find a niche market that has profit potential but isn't too difficult to attract prospective clients. One way to determine your online market is to evaluate online traffic for the niche.

Start by using the Google Keyword Tool to evaluate how many searches your keyword(s) get. Then head over to Google, type in the keywords, and take a look at the top results.

Which resume writing sites are ranking for those keywords right now? Check their PageRank and backlinks using Bing Webmaster Tools. The lower the PageRank and the fewer the backlinks, the better your chances of ranking.

Once you've checked out the search engine competition, evaluate how much money there is to be earned in the niche.

Do this by estimating the average customer value. How much is the average sale worth? (For executive resumes, like I said, the average is probably close to $800).  Can additional products be sold to the same customer, and if so how many products and at what price? (Many executives will be open to high level resume distribution services, like Bob Bronstein's ProFile Research.)

After this process, you should have a few potential markets with relatively low competition that have high profit potential that you can target.

==> Evaluating Personal Passion

Once you have a few potential markets to get into, it's time to look at your own resume writing passions. Which market(s) hold the most interest for you, personally? Remember that you're going to be working with these clients, so even if it's a lucrative market, if you don't want to work with these type of clients, do NOT choose that niche!

Be sure to choose a niche that has both profit potential and personal appeal.

Get More Traffic to Your Resume Website with Links

After publishing an article about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies in the Fall 2011 issue of Resume Writers' Digest, I've been getting more questions from resume writers about how to get traffic to their resume website.

First, a caveat. You're not Amazon.com. You don't need 10,000 visitors to your website each week. If you need 3-5 new clients a week, you probably only need 100-200 qualified visitors to your site weekly. If you can get 10-20% of them contacting you (10-20 calls or emails a week), you can convert a quarter of those into clients.

So keep in mind that those "traffic fuel" or "traffic explosion" courses aren't necessarily a good investment of your time or money. They're geared at driving tens of thousands of visitors ... and can be costly, or contain potentially questionable tactics.

However, a link-building strategy can be a good way to generate visitors to your site ... and, depending on the links, they can be highly qualified prospects. (Even better!)

Getting other websites to link to yours is perhaps the best way to increase the amount of traffic you receive over time. Not only will you gain more traffic when people click on those links and come to your site, but as more websites link to yours the ranking of your website will improve on Google and other search engines (which will lead to additional traffic).

First off, see what sites are already linking to yours. You can check this with Bing Webmaster Tools.

You can also do a quick search on Google for link:www.yourdomain.com.

Keep in mind that Google syndicates its search results, so you'll also see links for sites that use Google results (i.e., AOL, Alexa, etc.)

It's important to recognize that proper link building takes time -- but this shouldn't scare you away from the process. In fact, it should probably be viewed as a positive. Rather than disrupt your other business tasks by requiring you to focus exclusively on building links for a day or week or more, proper link building will require you to dedicate a small amount of time to the process on a regular basis. Ten minutes a week is sufficient.

The first step is to identify where you want to build your links to. Do you want to build traffic to the home page of a your resume business website, to different articles (or a blog) within your website, or to some other online presence -- might be your Facebook page, your Google+ profile, or even your LinkedIn profile.

One of the best ways to build links is organically. To do this you need to become active on other websites that relate to your business. Identify the blogs and community websites that have active discussions and to which you can substantively contribute. When you're commenting or making other contributions, avoid the temptation to promote your resume business or resume writing services directly -- a "soft sell" approach is usually more effective in the long run. Just being available to answer job seeker questions is a good idea.

Whatever your strategy, make sure your links go to a page that exists (and will exist into the future) on your website. This is important because if you change the way that you structure your website, the URLs or web addresses for your existing pages might change. The last thing you want to happen is for someone to click on a link to an article on your site, and instead get a "File Not Found" error. Chances are they won't make the effort to try to find that article by searching your site -- they'll simply leave your website.

If you do restructure any of your websites, or switch to a new blogging platform, then make sure that you have redirects in place so that old links will be forwarded to the new location automatically.

Also make it easy for your readers to share links to your website by ensuring that each page of your website has appropriate "Share," "+1" "Like" and/or "Retweet" buttons for Facebook, Google+, and Twitter (and any other sharing buttons for other social networks).

Finally, you can also generate links by writing articles for sites like ezinearticles.com and including a link to your website or blog in the "resource box" at the end of the article.

Note: Do NOT even consider services that offer to sell you dozens, or even hundreds or thousands, of new links to your website. Many times these links will come from spam websites or spam blogs that will generate very little (if any) quality traffic. Plus, it won't take long for Google and the other search engines to recognize the "spammy" nature of these link farms, so there is a distinct possibility that your web site ranking will actually be punished if you are listed on too many sites. Buying links is a no-no.

But by taking just a few minutes each week to post on websites, commenting on blogs, and writing and posting unique article content, you'll be able to grow a nice stable of links to point to your website.

Resume Writers: Getting Started in Affiliate Marketing

Not enough resume writers, in my opinion, understand how to integrate affiliate marketing into their businesses.

Affiliate marketing has two major advantages for resume writers. First, it allows you to generate passive income -- you simply recommend products that you think may benefit your resume clients, and if they purchase them, you earn a small commission.

Second, all of us get inquiries from prospective clients who never end up buying from us. Yet, many of them would still be receptive to hearing from us occasionally about information that might help their job search. Integrated with these messages can be affiliate marketing offers, for things like reference checking services, resume distribution, interview coaching training systems (if you don't provide it), salary information services, etc.

What Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is like the online version of a direct sales model. An online business needs advertising and promotion to bring people to their site to make purchases. An affiliate marketing program uses other people (like you!) as sales associates to promote their products. Usually, the affiliate owner provides the tools that an affiliate needs to promote them well. (These can include articles, email copy, ads, links, etc.)

Affiliate marketing presents a win-win situation for the business owner. They can provide their knowledge of marketing to others (you!) who will then do the majority of the legwork for them. The affiliates don't lose out here either. You receive a commission on each click, visitor sign-up, or sale made through their affiliate link. (Each affiliate program has its own way of compensating affiliates -- through traffic or actual sales.)

How to Become an Active, Effective Affiliate

Here are some tips to help you get going with affiliate marketing.

• Search out reputable affiliate programs. There are tons of affiliate programs out there. All do not offer the same commissions or tools to help you promote their products. At some point in the future, I'm going to be developing a guide to products/services you can represent. (In the meantime, feel free to list your recommendations in the comments below.)
• Read about affiliate marketing. A good affiliate program will offer help for their affiliates, including education on tools and marketing strategies for their success. Be sure to read the training emails provided by the business too, as they'll often have ideas and tools to help you roll out your affiliate marketing program.
• Choose a product that you believe in. Don't base your choice of programs on money. Yes, there will be many lucrative programs out there, but that is not the only way to go. When you promote a product that you can get behind, then your customers will learn to trust you and be more likely to buy or click on your site.
• Promote a variety of products. You don't have to just join one program at a time. As an affiliate, you can earn money promoting several products at once. (But I generally recommend only promoting only one of each type of service -- like one resume distribution company.)
• Be honest with your customers. Let them know that you are an affiliate. (Disclosure is required by law!) You can do it with something as simple as a statement that says, "I am an affiliate for [name of company.) This won't turn them off if they see that you use the products yourself and believe in them.

You can be an active, effective affiliate for career-related services. You can even start today. Use these tips to help you choose the right place to begin.

Guest Post: Are You A Smartie?

By Barb Wade

Many of you may have heard of S.M.A.R.T goals, but as we approach the beginning of a new year, I thought it would be good to have a little refresher on the concept.

S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym for:

S - specific
M - measurable
A - achievable
R - realistic
T - timely

SPECIFIC — You goal must be specific. Not only because it has a greater chance of actually being accomplished, but it's much easier to know when you've reached your goal if you know exactly what it is!

So make sure you can answer the 6 "W" questions about your goal:

• Who: Who is involved?
• What: What do I want to accomplish? (Be specific!)
• Where: Where will it take place? (If applicable)
• When: When will it be finished?
• Which: What are the key requirements in order to succeed? And what are the significant obstacles?
• Why: The "why" is the tangible benefits of accomplishing this goal. (Make this personal — we work much harder on things that having meaning to us)

MEASURABLE — Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort toward reaching your goal.

ATTAINABLE — It's fine to "shoot for the moon" as a way of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone (see the Quick Tip below). But you want to make sure that your goal can actually be accomplished. It's fine to make it a bit of a "stretch" though. Even if a goal seems out of reach, as you take each necessary step to attain it, you begin to develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach your goal. And those goals will become more and more attainable as you grow to meet their challenge.

REALISTIC — Some people get stuck here because when they are setting a goal that is beyond their reach, they start to feel that it isn't realistic. But most of the time, that is just a limiting belief. A realistic goal is one that you are completely motivated to work and strive for and that you truly believe can be accomplished. In addition, it is a goal that others have actually achieved and therefore you can even model the steps they took to get there. A goal can be both high and realistic at the same time. Not only that, high goals are frequently easier to reach than low ones because you are motivated by something that is truly meaningful to you and gives you significant forward movement.

TIMELY — Any goal you hope to achieve needs to be within a timeframe. "Someday" never comes, and ASAP is too nebulous and impossible to measure. The minute you set a concrete timeframe — "by July 15th" or "by the first day of school" - your unconscious mind is already beginning to work toward that end goal and you have created a sense of urgency that will help you work at the top of your game.

So as you set your goals for the next year — whether personal or business — give them the "SMART" test and make sure they all have high IQs! ;-)

Barb Wade, M.A. specializes in teaching Coaches to create thriving, 6-figure practices in under 20 hours a week! For a FREE "How To Get Clients" BUSINESS BREAKTHROUGH KIT just for Coaches, visit http://www.BarbWade.com

New Edition of "Expert Resumes for Managers and Executives" Released

Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark have just published the third edition of "Expert Resumes for Managers & Executives." 

Here's a brief summary:
A powerful, performance-based resume is key to landing a great management position. This book features a collection of 100+ professionally written resumes and letters for all levels of management, from front-line supervisors to top-level executives, and everyone in between.

The third edition has been enhanced with updated resume samples, a resume questionnaire/worksheet for documenting experience and accomplishments, an appendix of resume power verbs, details on online resume preparation, and so much more.

I highly recommend the "Expert" series of resume books for resume writers to add to their personal reference/inspiration library.

(I'm pretty sure it was the second edition of the "Expert Resumes for Managers & Executives" book that appeared in "The Company Men" movie in 2010, starring Kevin Costner and Ben Affleck.)

Details: 304 pages, published by JIST. List price: $17.95 (available on Amazon.com for $11.96 plus shipping).

No More VisualCV after December 31, 2011

Thanks to Kathy Hansen of Quintessential Careers for sharing this message, which announces the end of VisualCV.

Dear VisualCV Member:

We regret to inform you that the VisualCV.com website will be ceasing operations, effective December 30, 2011.

Since our launch almost four years ago we've been gratified by the response to VisualCV, and how it has enabled thousands of professionals to better represent themselves online. Even more importantly we have been delighted to see VisualCV help people secure significant new career positions. However, we have been unable to turn the site into a viable, self-supporting business and therefore we reluctantly made this decision.

We recognize that many of you need time to recover your resume data from VisualCV -- which is why we are providing you with thirty days' notice. We recommend saving a PDF copy of your current VisualCV. You can easily do this by clicking on the button on the bottom of the page you see when viewing or editing your VisualCV. We also recommend you separately save any images, videos or documents in your portfolio that you do not currently have stored somewhere else.


To ensure we meet all our members' privacy concerns, we will destroy all user data once website operations have ceased. This includes any and all backups we have. As a result, once the deadline has passed it will not be possible for us to recover any member data. You can be assured that we will not be providing any user data to third parties of any kind.

We will be contacting the small number of paying customers that still have active subscriptions to arrange a prorated refund for the months remaining on their annual subscription.

Thank you for all your support over the past four years. We wish you well in your future career endeavors.