Resume Writers' Digest

Richard Coombes, Itouch Professional Resume Writing
Sandra Ingemansen, Emprove Performance Group, LLC
Alexander Kofman, Resume Pros 4 Less
Surranna Sandy, Surcorp Group/Resume Solutions

Barbara Safani, Career Solvers

Best Executive Resume

Surranna Sandy, Surcorp Group/Resume Solutions

Amy L. Adler, Five Strengths Career Transition Experts
Sandra Ingemansen, Emprove Performance Group, LLC

Jennifer Rushton, Keraijen

Donald Burns, DonaldBurns.com

Best Sales and Marketing Resume

Laurie Berenson, Sterling Career Concepts, LLC
Kimberly Mohiuddin, Movin' On Up Resumes
Jennifer Rushton, Keraijen
Sharon Williams, JobRockit
Barbara Safani, Career Solvers

Donald Burns, DonaldBurns.com

Best Military Conversion Resume

Amanda Andrews, Professional Resume Services

Alexander Kofman, Resume Pros 4 Less

Fran Sheridan, CareerPro Global/21st Century Resumes

Sandra Ingemansen, Resume Strategies

Diana Dryden Smith, Federal Resume Resources

Best Cover Letter

Kimberly Mohiuddin, Movin' On Up Resumes

Wayne Pagani, W.P. Consulting & Associates

Gayle Howard, Top Margin Career Marketing
Kevin R. Morris, CareerMobile
Donald Burns, DonaldBurns.com

Sandra Ingemansen, Emprove Performance Group, LLC

Robin Schlinger, of Robin's Resumes, coordinated the TORI awards this year.

Judges included:

Barb Poole, Hire Imaging, LLC

Darlene Dassy, Dynamic Resume Solutions

Laura Labovich, Aspire! Empower! Career Strategy Group

Annemarie Cross, Advanced Employment Concepts

Jill Kelly, Career Edge

Susan Guarneri, AssessmentGoddess.com
Michael Kranes, Resume Slayer
Audrey Prenzel, Resume Resources

To learn more about the TORI awards, click here.

Read the CDI news release about the TORI award nominees.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

How to Grow Your Resume Business Through Crowdsourcing

With the death of my Dad earlier this month, I found myself facing a double-edged sword of having a crushing amount of responsibilities related to planning his funeral ... and a concurrent case of writer's block. It wasn't resumes that I was having trouble writing -- I had backed off of those in July when it was apparent his health was declining -- it was the August Pass-Along Materials package for BeAResumeWriter.com.

I had already decided in July what the topic for the content would be, and had outlined and written several sections of the report by the time he died. But every time I sat down to finish it, I was just stuck. I sent out an email to Bronze members to let them know what was going on -- and received wonderful, thoughtful, amazing responses from so many colleagues. The message was pretty consistent: Don't worry about the work. But I got my work ethic from my Dad ... so not worrying about finishing it was eating at me. The second consistent theme of the emails was: Let me know if I can do anything.

And that's what sparked an idea ... what if I crowdsourced ideas for the report content? Instead of relying on my own initiative and strengths -- which were sorely lacking at that point -- I would ask for help, in the form of crowdsourcing content for the report, which became the "Jobseeker's Guide to Leaving Your Job."

© FotolEdhar - Fotolia.com

What Is Crowdsourcing?
As defined by Wired Magazine, "Crowdsourcing is the act of sourcing tasks traditionally performed by specific individuals to an undefined large group of people or community through an open call." In this case, I sent out a follow-up email with a link to a QuestionPro survey. Immediately after sending it out, I began to receive survey responses (and emails from folks letting me know they had taken the survey).

You'll also see this principle at work with resume writers. I wrote a blog post this month about whether you should "Like" another resume writer's Facebook business page. Asking colleagues to "Like" your page is an example of crowdsourcing. You'll often get people who immediately comply with your request. You're asking the masses to help you grow your resume writing business.

So How Do You Grow Your Resume Writing Business with Crowdsourcing?
First, think about the various ways you can grow your business. These include:

Marketing
Content
Product development
Website traffic
Branding

Second, you'll want to think about your crowdsourcing resources. As you can see from the earlier examples, social networking and list-building are often the keys to success. The key part of "crowdsourcing" is crowd -- the more people you can reach, the easier it will be to pick up momentum quickly for your initiative. (You've seen on Facebook how word can spread across the country in a matter of minutes.)

Do you have a large network of friends and followers? Are you currently active on social networking sites? It doesn;t have to be Facebook. Social sites like Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube are very powerful too.

Third, consider your goals. What do you want to accomplish first? For example, do you need a lot of content for your website? Ask for submissions or guest blog posts from your friends and followers. Make it a contest and ask readers to vote on the best blog posts.

If you want to use the power of the crowd to develop your first information product, ask for input. Ask your jobseeking clients for their top 3 challenges in finding a great job.

The power of the crowd is immense. You can use it to grow your resume writing business in a number of ways. Instead of paying a product development team or hiring a focus group, you can now go directly to the source and ask your prospects to contribute. And it doesn't cost a thing. Consider your goals and your resources, then take action.

For me, I am immensely grateful to my colleagues who contributed their ideas and inspiration to complete the "Jobseeker's Guide to Leaving Your Job" Pass-Along Materials content.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

How to Get New Resume Clients from Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Ask any resume writer who has been in business for any length of time how they get many of their clients, and the answer is often "through referrals." But do you have to wait until you've been in business for a couple years before you generate significant business from referrals? Is word-of-mouth marketing something that happens by accident? Years and years of marketing research has shown that it's not. In fact, word-of-mouth marketing can be consciously created — if you understand what drives it.

Here are some of the most important factors that drive word-of-mouth advertising.

Something That Is Really, Really Different

If something is really, truly different, people are going to talk about it. Things that have never been done before are hot topics of conversation. You may be thinking to yourself, "There's nothing 'new and unconventional' about resume writing." But that's not true!

More and more clients are finding new ways to network their way into a job through social media -- LinkedIn, Branchout, Twitter, Facebook -- and you helping to position them for those opportunities is something worth talking about!

What if your product isn't 100% original? You can still do something unique. For example, a cake company isn't anything new, but one cake company generated a lot of buzz by baking the largest cake in the world.

Extraordinary Customer Service Interactions
Another thing that tends to drive word-of-mouth marketing is customer service. And not just "regular" customer service — but going above and beyond for your resume clients.

You can find examples of extraordinary customer service across all industries — Like when someone spilled coffee on an executive's suit on a Southwest Airlines flight and a flight attendant offered his own suit so the man could go to his meeting well dressed, the story spread like wildfire throughout the internet.

Another example is a restaurant whose waiters constantly insult customers. It's their brand. It's actually funny and customers go to this restaurant just for the unique experience. (Think "The Soup Nazi" from Seinfeld.)

The examples go on and on. But how can you extend this to your resume business? If you can't think of "extraordinary," try for "out of the ordinary"! What can set you apart? Like, returning calls from prospects and clients within two hours. Or delivering a first draft (with no rush fee) in 72 hours. Offering free updates and changes for the first 90 days (yes, you can charge a premium for your services to offset the no rush fee and free update services). Or using BeAResumeWriter.com Pass-Along Materials to provide job search support beyond the resume itself.

This kind of service will help you stand out -- and inspire your customers to spread the word!

"I Think Person XYZ Could Really Use This"
Another core thing that drives word-of-mouth is the "I really think Susie needs this" mentality. Friends are always on the lookout for friends. This is particularly useful in the marketing of your resume services. If you share content that is timely, relevant, and useful, it's likely to be passed along. The individual reading it is likely to think of an unemployed or underemployed friend and share the article, blog post, or special report with them. And that builds your "know, like, and trust" credibility with prospective clients. You're getting an endorsement, really, from someone they trust.

Try to create content that will appeal to different kinds of people that still have a common thread. For example, your articles and blog posts can be targeted to jobseekers that are entering (or re-entering) the job market, looking for a better position, changing careers, or have been downsized. All of these are resources that help those who might need a resume writer -- but they are targeting very different people.

Different Formats
Different people like to share different kinds of things. You've probably noticed this on Facebook.
Many people like to share and talk about videos. Still others love funny graphics or cartoons, while others will only share strictly educational material they think friends will love. (Infographics are especially popular, for this reason.)

Don't just appeal to one kind of person. Create your word-of-mouth marketing so that it will appeal to a wide range of people.

These are some of the main factors that drive word-of-mouth advertising. Word-of-mouth can absolutely be planned. You don't have to hit all of the hot buttons discussed above, but to succeed you should aim to address at least one or two of them.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

New Scam Targeting Resume Writers

There is a scam targeting resume writers that began circulating last week. Colleague Laina Krisik alerted me to the scam -- here is her correspondence with me -- and my response.

Hi Bridget,

I received an e-mail the other day that's just not sitting right with me. The subject line read, "YOUR SERVICES!!!!!!!!!!" and the e-mail was cryptic-like asking about my services and charges. I replied with a brief e-mail stating that I'd like to see her resume and cover letter to see what kind of work needed to be done. I also asked her how she heard of me. Below was her response:

Am very much happy to read back from you and okay with the charges for the pages in which am sure it will be well prepared,easy and well understood by the reader.

Again,am presently undergoing ear sugery in which will be kind of hard to hear you clearly.we can easily communicate via email and i will answer all your question.

Therefore let me know the charges for the attached resume and Kindly get back to me with information below:

1: Your Full Name to be on the payment
2: Your Address and zip code
3: Your cell phone number

So i can instruct my financial secretary to issue out the full payment as soon as possible for the service.Do note that you will not release it to me not until have the payment with you.

I will need your immediate response via email assuring me that i can trust you to handle this with care

Best Regard

Here is my response to Laina:

My gut instinct is similar to the uneasy feeling you got: RUN!

There is no way you should need to give a prospective client this information before you've even decided on a quote.

It reminds me of similar "phishing" (scam) emails that restaurants in this area have received. "We want to order $1000 worth of food for a party. Please send us information on where to send payment." Then, they send more than the amount owed, with instructions (because the payment is coming from a third party) to "send a check for the overage amount to 'x.") When you deposit the check, the funds won't clear, and if you've sent a check for the "overage," they'll have stolen that amount, and you'll also be out the insufficient funds fee from your bank for their original payment not clearing.

That's the reason to communicate via email too and not by phone. Many of these scammers are based in Africa.

I would just NOT REPLY again. Move on to more fruitful waters!!

After seeing reference to this same "client" on several profession E-Lists, my suspicions are confirmed. This is a variation on the classic "mystery shopper" and "employment" scams, where you are "paid" but then asked to send money to the individual (or their agent). Many jobseekers have been caught up in these types of scams -- resume writers need to beware, so you aren't caught up in one too!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

My First Resume Client

Me and my Dad (7/15/12).

My first — and most important — resume I wrote was when I was 12. That resume was for my Dad, Keith Weide. I was the middle of five children, and suddenly, my Dad was unemployed. This was 25 years ago, so I don't remember all the details (and the original resume is long gone), but the end result was that my Dad secured an interview — and a job — with U.S. Army Audit, where he worked all through my junior high and high school years.

The job required extensive travel, and my Dad often left home at mid-day on Sunday and would drive to far-off places like St. Louis, the Quad Cities, and someplace in Kentucky. He'd work a compressed work-week (five extended days one week and four extended days the next week, leaving early every other Friday). He'd return home — usually around midnight on Friday night, and I would greet him at the door.

The distance was difficult for us — my Mom, and all of us kids. This was in the days before cell phones. Often, my Mom wouldn't talk to him at all when he was on the road. But always, he returned home.

This past Tuesday, I saw my Dad off for the last time. You can read more about that here.

Thanks, Dad ... for being my first, and most important, resume client.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Should You Like A Facebook Page of Another Resume Writing Business?

Tammy Shoup
Quick question ... I do believe in networking with colleagues but I'm not sure about "liking" other Facebook pages. How is this helpful? Thanks for any insight you can share.
39 minutes ago
Bridget Weide Brooks
Hi, Tammy!

There are two reasons to like your colleagues' Facebook pages. The first is the "give to get" principle -- if you like their pages, they are likely to like yours too!

The second is to get ideas/information on things you can share with your clients. You might find articles and resources that your clients will benefit from when you see them posted on your colleagues' pages.

Tammy Shoup, of Breakthrough Resume Writing Service, asked me this question yesterday on Facebook. Her question is a common one. As resume writers, should we worry about "liking" the work of others, or sharing articles written by our peers -- should we be worried that it might encourage our prospective clients to seek our our colleague's resumes writing services instead of our own?

I reminded Tammy that clients always have choices -- but by sharing information from other resources -- including other resume writers -- we show prospective clients that we are committed to staying current in our field -- and sharing the best information -- even if it's not something we did ourselves.

By "liking" another resume writing business Facebook page (or following them on Twitter or Pinterest), we increase our connections to our careers industry community. We also have the opportunity to see articles and information that we can share with our clients. There is so much information out there, it's nice to have other resume writers help "curate" it.

But if you're worried about "standing out" among the many resume writing firms out there, here are some ideas that can help.

There isn't one set formula that every resume writing business should use to stand out. (After all, if everyone did that technique, no one would stand out!) What follows are a series of attributes that stand-out companies tend to share. Implement these in your own resume writing business and add your own twist to them to make your services stand head and shoulders out of the crowd.

Be Genuine
Most sole proprietor resume writing firms try to be bigger or more official than they really are. Businesses that are able to let that drop and actually share what's genuinely going on are often able to garner a lot of trust and loyalty. After all, when it comes to their career, clients want individual, personalized service. If you're a one-person shop, they will actually be working with you -- and that's an advantage in setting yourself apart from larger firms!

Be real about who you are and where your company is at.

Cultivate Win/Win
A lot of businesses -- not necessarily career service businesses -- treat their value propositions as win-lose. They make money, the customer loses money. I sometimes see this principle reflected in payment policies for resume writing firms. After being burned by one or two clients (out of one hundred -- or hundreds!!), the resume writer puts policies into place that "punish" future clients for the transgressions of a few.

Great companies, on the other hand, view their relationship as a co-creative one with their customers. Their customers want solutions and you're there to help provide that to them. You trust your customers to pay you (sure, you can still have policies, but you can be somewhat flexible when the circumstances warrant it).

View your customers as your partner in their career success and look to cultivate more win-win relationships with them. Involve customers in the design of a specific service program to fit their career goals, and you'll ensure you're really solving their problems.

Do Unusual Promotions
Did you know that Otis, the man who invented the elevator safety mechanism, got his company launched by placing himself inside a giant elevator in public and hacking off two elevator cables with a hatchet?

Unusual promotions garner a lot of attention. Try to come up with shocking or unusual ways of promoting your business. An "ugliest resume" contest might be one way to do this.

Write with Personality
Groupon launched its service with a successful business model — but they also had something else. They had fantastic writers that had real personality. People love reading personality-filled bits of content online. If you can get people to write witty, funny or edgy content, there's a very good chance you'll stand out.

Pick a Niche and Be World-Class At It
Don't try to be good at everything. Instead, try to be fantastic at just one or two things. Pick a niche and become the best in that niche. Stand out in that niche, rather than in the broader market. (I'm writing a cover story on this topic for the next issue of Resume Writers' Digest.) If you want to be known for something, don't just serve anyone.

Choose a Company Culture
A company culture permeates your website, your writing, and everything else about your resume writing service. If you're a solo resume writer, you may not think you have a "company" culture, but that's just a phrase. For example, the fact that your dog is your company's mascot speaks to your company culture. Is your resume writing business entrepreneurial and fun, or more corporate in nature? You can consciously shape your company culture.

These are some of the many ways you can stand out. Pick the ones that resonate with you and implement them in your resume writing business.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Using Content Marketing In Your Resume Writing Business

One of the best tools resume writers and career coaches have to market their careers industry businesses is content marketing. Sharing information and ideas with jobseekers can help them become prospective clients for your resume writing business.

Content marketing is getting more and more important every day. People today are finding more and more content through social networks and less and less through search engines. That means that creating content people want to share is becoming ever more important.

Here's how to use content marketing to your advantage.

Build Your Personal Brand
At the end of the day, the only thing that you have is your reputation. But a lot of people -- including resume writers -- fail to consciously build their personal brands. Yet this is truly one of the most valuable assets you have -- and it's one of the best ways to grow your resume writing business.

By creating high quality, unique content for a certain market, you establish yourself as an expert. If you want to target a special niche of clients -- for example, sales executives, or equine professionals -- you can tailor general job search information to the specific needs of this audience, and increase your "know, like, and trust" factor with these folks.

Build Trust with Prospective Customers
Jobseekers looking for help with their job search are more likely to trust someone who provides a lot of quality content rather than a website that just says "buy, buy, buy."

There's something about consistency that really builds trust. Anyone can put up a website to start selling resume writing services, but if you're producing high quality content for six months, people will instinctively trust you a lot more. They'll think you'll still be around to help them six months down the line.

Build Your Platform Before You're Thirsty
One of my favorite books is Harvey Mackey's "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty."

The same is true for resume writers -- build a list of prospective clients before you need them! Your platform is your list of clients and prospective clients who are interested in what you have to say. Let's say you want to launch a LinkedIn profile rewriting service. If you haven't been publishing content and building your mailing list, how will you find people who want this service? It would be very hard. But if you've already been publishing content for months, you'll already have a reader base you can use to launch your new service!

The "Secret" to Good Content Marketing
Great content marketing is really as simple as focusing on providing good content, consistently.

Good content should be compelling content. One of the best ways to create content is to use examples from your work with clients. People can relate to the struggles of your clients -- and learn from the lessons you teach them of how you helped those clients with their specific challenges.

Don't be disappointed if it takes some time to build up your reader base. That's how it works: reputations take time to become established. Fortunately, once your reputation is established, it also builds momentum and can grow very quickly. It's not an overnight technique; so the sooner you get started, the sooner you'll start reaping the benefits.

If you're interested in content marketing, check out "Using Content to Capture New Career Clients" (teleseminar recording and transcript) and the "Resume Writer's Guide to Article Marketing" (which is the July special report for Bronze members on BeAResumeWriter.com).

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Summer Savings on Training from The Academies

The Academies is offering $200 savings off of three of their upcoming training programs.

But you must register by Tuesday, July 31 to take advantage of the special pricing.

Social Networking Career Strategist program (focuses on Facebook)

Starts Wednesday, August 15; from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. ET

What you can expect to learn:

How to reverse client perception that Facebook is “just for kids” or only valuable for personal networking.
Tips for creating better profiles, fan pages, and company pages.
How to build engagement and dialog and create community.
How to leverage the social nuances of Facebook to build your clients’ online presence.
Strategies for keeping client information safe on Facebook.
Recommendations for managing time and messaging on Facebook.
How to add a new revenue stream to your business by offering Facebook profile development, maintenance, and consulting services.

Certified Tough Transitions Career Coach program (two 6-week classes) —

Life-to-Work class starts Tuesday, August 21, 2012; from 5:30-7:30 p.m. ET

Work-to-Work class starts Monday, October 15; from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET

The Certified Tough Transitions Career Coach Program will give you a proven process and targeted techniques to help clients from unemployment, under-employment, or un-happy employment. You will be equipped and inspired to help even those making tough transitions to choose and market themselves wisely as they transition their careers or get back to work. Your new confidence and expertise will allow you to respond to clients at all levels, and build your business by coaching the growing number of people making tough career transitions!

* Register for Life-to-Work or Work-to-Work before July 31 & save $200 or register for both to save even more! Use coupon code SUMMER2012

Certified Career Management Coach program (longest running Academies program!) —

Starts Tuesday, September 18; from 10 a.m to 12 p.m. ET

OR Wednesday, September 19; from 3-5pm ET

The CCMC course will give you the know-how to qualify for the certification of Certified Career Management Coach and be able to use…

powerful coaching techniques to jumpstart and motivate clients,
insider secrets for career management in this changing economy, and
for entrepreneurs, proven practice-building strategies to attract your “choice” client … for career center professionals, techniques to help your clients understand the value of the services you offer so that they will “buy-in” with greater commitment and involvement.

* Register for the Tuesday or Wednesday class before July 31 & save $400 Use coupon code SUMMER2012 … PLUS – if you pay in FULL, receive enrollment in the Social Networking Career Strategist program for FREE! (No coupon necessary … when your full payment order comes through, a staff member will contact you regarding your free class!)

Find out more information -- or register -- here:
Summer Savings 2012

Want to find more training opportunities for professional resume writers?
Visit the BeAResumeWriter.com Events page.

Heat Up Your Summer Marketing

I live in Omaha, Nebraska, in the middle of the U.S. However, for the past few weeks, I feel like we've been living in an oven. Temperatures routinely are in the upper 90s, and got up to 106 last Sunday! (The photo is a screenshot from my iPhone on Sunday morning -- it was already 91 degrees at 11 a.m.!) We finally got our first rainfall last night in about a month. Nebraska is officially classified in a "drought." (I can attest to this -- my yard is yellow and brown.) Yikes!

When the temperature is like this, it can feel like there is no end in sight -- but the fact is, cooler weather will eventually be coming our way. It may be the same with your resume writing business. You may have lots of clients at the moment, with no end in sight ... but if you don't continue to market your business, eventually, you'll face a "drought" in your resume writing business too.

If you're currently in a "drought" in your resume writing business -- or if you want to prevent one down the road -- there are some things you can do to attract new clients. In a resume writing business, it takes a constant infusion of new clients to keep your business growing.

Ways to Find New Clients

Here are some tips to help you begin to make a change right now, today, that will benefit your resume writing business.

Take a fresh look at your marketing plan. At least once a year, you should revisit your marketing plan. What are you doing now? How can you revamp those marketing tools and employ some new ones? (For example, for 2012, I cut out all paid Yellow Pages advertising, but have budgeted to spend on Facebook and LinkedIn ads.)
Become a social networker. Twitter and Facebook are valuable tools for resume writers who want to take their business to the next level. If you don't have an account with either or both, now is the perfect time to get started. If business is slow for you at the moment, social media doesn't require much money -- instead, you can invest your time in building your online profile.
Advertise your business on your personal Facebook page. Do your friends know what you do for a living? Post links to new content on your website and other promotional links that friends and family can view and share. Just yesterday, I got a call from a new client who was referred to me by one of my best friends. This happens to me at least once a month, because I post careers-oriented content on my personal Facebook page. Also, create a fan page for your resume writing business. Encourage current clients to sign up and tune in for special information or offers that they won't find anywhere else. I use a tool called "Hootlet" from Hootsuite to share articles on social media. It allows me to schedule Facebook updates or tweets automatically so that I can find 3-4 articles to share while I'm surfing, but Hootlet will spread them out so they don't get shared all at once.
Market yourself offline too. Even if your resume writing business is 100% virtual (operating online), that doesn't mean that your local market won't also benefit. Some offline tools include posting flyers, public speaking, appearing in local media (TV, radio, newspaper) and using promotional items (like free pens).
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.
Create a press release. I mentioned getting local media coverage. The easiest way to do this is through a press release. (Bronze members of BeAResumeWriter.com can find sample news releases and pitch ideas on the "Public Relations Resources" page in the Paid Member Resources section.) You should also check out the "Feed the Media: How to Get Publicity for Your Resume Writing Business" teleseminar recording and transcript for more information and ideas.

Remember -- your marketing efforts are cumulative. Sometimes a single drop can turn into a torrential rainstorm. Whether you're "hot" now and anticipating a cool-down later -- or if you're in a drought now and need it to "rain" clients, try these ideas.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

NRWA Announces Results of 2012 Elections

The National Resume Writers' Association (NRWA) has announced the result of its election of officers for 2012-13. The new officers for the NRWA Board of Directors are:

First Vice President (Two-year term):

Laura Smith-Proulx

(@ResumeExpert)

Treasurer (Two-year term):

Pat Criscito

Region 1 (One-year term):

Suzette Jolly

Region 2 (One-year term):

Jaushina Johnson

Region 3 (One-year term):

Troy Johnson

Region 4 (One-year term):

Mary Jo King

(@AllianceWriter)

Region 5 (One-year term):

Bob Janitz
(@BobbyJ56)

Region 6 (One-year term):

Jessica Dillard

(@Resume_Pros)

For more information, visit the NRWA website.

Monday, July 16, 2012

How Jobseekers Can Use SWOT in Their Job Search (And How Resume Writers Can Use It In Their Business Too)

I love "SWOT." It's a great tool for resume writers, and a great tool for our clients as well.

SWOT, or "Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats" is a classical yet still effective tool for analyzing competition. By doing a SWOT analysis, you can analyze your marketplace in a very systematic way -- and your clients can use SWOT as part of their pre-interview research. (I included a SWOT analysis in the "Jobseeker's Guide to Preparing for the Job Interview" -- which is this month's Pass-Along Materials content on the BeAResumeWriter.com site.)

Here are the basics of how to do a SWOT analysis. The analysis for the resume writer is in RED; the analysis for a jobseeker is in GREEN.

Strengths

In what arena is your resume writing service particularly strong? (Do you have any particular areas of specialty? Unique certifications? Work experience that has prepared you to work with a certain type of client? How does that play out in the marketplace?)

How does the prospective employer's business compare to its competitors? Does its current employees provide a competitive advantage -- perhaps through years of experience or training? What does it do particularly well compared to others in its field? Is there a strength that can't be replicated by its competitors (or that can't be "stolen")?

Weakness

On the other hand, it's equally important to know what your weaknesses are. If you don't have an eye on your weaknesses, it's easy to get blindsided.

For example, say your weakness in your resume writing business is answering your phone calls live. You can't justify hiring someone part-time or full-time to take calls, but if you're busy interviewing clients to capture their information, or writing resumes, you can't be on the phone talking to prospective clients all the time. (But, as many resume writers will tell you, live callers are often the best prospects to convert into clients.)

If you're aware of this weakness, you can implement systems like a live answering service, live chat, virtual assistant or other such tools to help handle calls in real-time.

For a jobseeker, identifying a prospective employer's weaknesses is vital. Companies hire employees to solve problems for them. Whether the job you're seeking is in response to an already-identified weakness (perhaps they are adding a CFO position because they realize they need to do a better job of handling cashflow and recordkeeping and reporting) or you uncover a weakness you're not sure they're aware of in the course of your research (like an untapped potential market, if you're interviewing for a sales position) -- understanding the company's weaknesses can help you understand the company itself better.

Opportunities

Successful resume writing businesses focus on opportunities. What are the emerging areas where you can help prospective clients -- many resume writers have added service offerings to take advantage of these opportunities. Examples include LinkedIn profile writing/development, writing corporate bios for executives, helping clients practice for interviews, or negotiate salaries.

For jobseekers, sometimes it's easier for an outsider to spot an opportunity than the business itself, because the company may be focusing on urgent problems, instead of "bigger picture" issues. In business, there's always going to be urgent problems that need immediate attention. It's the companies that can manage to stay focused on their opportunities that win out in the end. Look for opportunities with your prospective employer and identify ways you can take advantage of them.

Threats

Resume writers: Keep an eye on your threats. There are constantly articles circulating that proclaim the death of the resume. While these are erroneous -- and, at the least, premature -- you also can't be complacent that technology is affecting the career services industry. Ignoring new technology like LinkedIn or even Facebook's rumored job board is to your detriment.

For jobseekers, being aware of competitive threats is even more important. It may be unwise to hitch your star to a fast-growth company that doesn't have a solid foothold in a high-growth industry. I just read an article yesterday about how companies that created custom Facebook tabs/pages have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars because Facebook changed to the Timeline format and the emphasis on Facebook landing pages went away almost overnight. Understanding the competitive threats posted by new competitors, existing competitors, third-party technology, or even internal issues (like joining a family business where there is no succession plan in place) can be a threat to your career.

What Areas SWOT Encompasses

For both resume writers and jobseekers, when you're looking for strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, these are the areas you should assess:

Management, personnel and talent
Marketing and outreach
Finance, cashflow and cash on hand
Product positioning and price
Brand and brand perception
Intellectual property and patents
Supply chain and supply costs

If possible, do a SWOT analysis for each category. This will give you a very in-depth analysis of all the most important aspects of your business.

For resume writers, a SWOT analysis should be performed at least every six months. For jobseekers, you should do a SWOT analysis before each job interview -- and even before each application. (Again, it will give you better insight into how you can be an asset to a prospective employer.) Upon completing a SWOT analysis, ask yourself: What's the #1 highest leverage arena I could compete in today?

Craft an action plan around that answer. It could be based on leveraging a strength, fixing a weakness, exploiting an opportunity or mitigating a threat. Find the highest leverage activity and approach it head on.

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Thursday, August 30, 2012