Get 'Er Done

"Larry the Cable Guy"

I hail from Nebraska, home of Dan Whitney, better known as "Larry the Cable Guy." One of "Larry's" signature lines is "Get 'er done!" and that's the topic of today's blog post.

As a resume writing business owner, it is your responsibility to see that nothing falls through the cracks, so to speak. When dealing with multiple client projects — and wearing all the hats required of a business owner — that can become a daunting task.

Project Management
Keeping everything straight can become a complicated proposition at times. Your responsibilities as a resume writer and business owner include:

* Communicating with clients to evaluate their needs (turning prospects into clients)

* Writing the resume, cover letter, and/or other career marketing communications (or managing the work of a subcontract resume writer to handle the writing)

* Answering client questions (at all stages of the project)

* Evaluating finished work at each stage of the project

* Handling delivery of completed work to clients

* Collecting payment and managing the associated paperwork (taxes)

How to Get Things Done
As the one who is tasked with making it all happen for the clients, what are some ways that your job could be easier? Here are a few tips.

• Get organized from the beginning. Utilize project management tools that help you to stay on top of your projects. At any time, you can just check up on a project and see exactly what is going on and who is working on what. Online project management software (like Basecamp) allows you to create projects, upload information for the client and any subcontract writers, assign writers to a project (if needed), and communicate client needs. There are also ways to set milestones for each part of the plan.

• Communicate effectively right from the start. Let your client know what to expect at each stage of the process (information-gathering, writing, and project approval). If you encounter problems along the way, let the client know as soon as possible so the situation can be handled.

• Create a contingency plan. You never know when "life will happen" to you. Have a "plan B" in place in case something happens to you, or disaster strikes. Also, if you don't already have a resume buddy or professional will in place, get 'er done!

• Lead your client. Let your client know what you expect from them at every stage of the process — especially the information-gathering stage. If your client needs to meet deadlines for getting you information in order to have their project delivered on time, make sure they know this! A good writer/client relationship involves you leading him/her to where you want them to go!

When it comes to project management the best defense is a good offense. Set yourself up for success. And "get 'er done!"

Seven Things Jobseekers Say That Drive Me Crazy

As a resume writer for the past 15+ years, I like to think that I've heard it all. Certainly, I've heard certain things over and over again from jobseekers that absolutely drive me crazy... and I've listed seven of them below.

1. I don't care what kind of job I get, I just need a job. In most cases, if you don't care what kind of job you get, the job you get isn't going to be the one you want ... or the one you are best suited for. If you're frustrated with the job search process and decide to look for a different type of job, you are giving up the momentum you've already built. Instead of starting over from scratch, is there one small change you could make that might make all the difference? After all, success is not a straight line.

2. "I had my (mom, sister, neighbor, teacher, best friend, second-cousin-twice-removed) look at the resume and they said..." Opinions are like resumes. Most everyone has one, and some are better than others. Something that works for one person's job search won't necessarily work for yours. You wouldn't ask Aunt Edna's advice on how your accountant did your tax return ... why would you take her advice on your resume? (And yes, that counts even if Cousin Ted is a recruiter. Unless he is the recruiter or hiring manager for the exact position you're applying for, the advice he's giving — while industry-specific — might be off target as well.) Your resume writer gets to know you and your specific circumstances and has created a resume that addresses the specific qualifications and challenges in YOUR job search.

3. If I'm on LinkedIn, everyone will know I'm looking for a new job. One of the primary reasons to be on LinkedIn is to make professional and career connections. But yes, if your profile springs up overnight and you suddenly add 200 connections, yep, it's a solid bet you're either in job search mode now, or shortly will be. Think of your involvement on LinkedIn as a marathon, not a sprint. As author Harvey Mackey says, "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty."



But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be on LinkedIn. In fact, there's no reason why you shouldn't be on LinkedIn right now, even if you're not looking for a job. Start digging your well now. (Check out my 8-day guide to getting started: "Leveraging LinkedIn For Your Job Search")

4. I know I just lost my job, but I'm going to take a break before I start looking again. This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Even if you're getting severance and/or unemployment benefits, you need to start looking for your next job as soon as possible. The longer you are unemployed, the harder it is to find a job. And your network is much more likely to be responsive to requests for help when you're newly unemployed. Not to mention, if your job search takes longer than you think, you might run out of money. A better way to handle it is to find your next job, and then negotiate a starting date to take a short vacation to celebrate before you start the new job!

5. Related to #4: "I can't stand my job anymore. I'm going to quit." My mom's number one rule is: Never quit your job until you have a new one. The biggest reasons for this is: It's easier to get hired if you have a job. Like it or not, if you are not working, an employer has to take a bigger "chance" on you than if you're currently employed. So yeah, if you can't stand your job anymore, use that as motivation to ramp up your job search! Treat your job search as a full-time job (or at least a part-time job) and get cracking! But don't just quit. You're going to need the income to invest in your job search — new interview attire, a resume, maybe some interview or salary negotiation coaching. Which leads me to #6.

6. I can't afford to spend $XXX on my job search. There are certain things that you will need in your job search (like a professional email address, and the minimum qualifications for the job) ... and some things that will help you stand apart from everyone else applying for the position. Professional interview attire, for one thing. A professionally written resume is on that list too. You can spend anywhere from $100 to $10,000 on your resume. The cost varies greatly, although the national average is $508 for a resume and cover letter. It just depends on the writer ... and on the client. Will a professionally written resume get you the job? It's not a guarantee. But it can certainly make you a stronger candidate, and can provide you with the confidence to advance in a competitive search. You may need to cut back on some of your other expenses (cable, eating out, entertainment) in order to shift money to your job search.

7. "Can't you just do it for me?" I've had wives call for their husbands, and parents call for their children. Some resume writers don't mind that. I do. I want to know that the person who I'm working with is going to put in the effort. (Julie Walraven has an excellent blog post on this.) No one should be more motivated to work on your job search than you. Yes, you're hiring a professional resume writer to assist you, but that doesn't mean that it won't involve hard work -- and an investment in your time -- from you. You're the one who needs to think through your accomplishments. The resume writer will take it from there -- but he or she needs something to work from. So if the resume writer asks you to do homework assignments, take them seriously. The end product will be much more impressive if you invest the time in the process.

Help me add to this list. What are some of the other things that jobseekers say that drive you crazy as a resume writer? Post your comment below.

I Published My First Ebook...Now What??

Yesterday, I received an email from Kristin Johnson of Profession Direction announcing the publication of her first ebook, "Target Your Resume to Win Over Applicant Tracking Systems."

She gifted me with a copy of the ebook in appreciation for my support and encouragement of her efforts to get her first ebook published.

Although getting an ebook published seems like it is the "hardest" part of the process, the real work begins once you have the product ready to sell. Now you have to get people to buy it!

I sent Kristin this five-step outline for increasing sales of her first ebook, and wanted to share these tips with you too.

Step 1: Solicit customer reviews to add to your sales page! Select 10-12 people and ask them if they'd be willing to check out your new ebook and write a review! These testimonials (especially excerpts) can really boost sales once people get to your page.

Step 2: Send out a news release -- not targeted to selling the book itself, but highlighting your expertise in understanding the ATS in the job search (from your position as an AUTHOR!) This may lead to interview requests from radio/tv/print, which will lead people to search for (and buy!) your book ... but also get you visibility and credibility with potential new clients!

RESOURCE: Feed The Media: How to Get Free Publicity For Your Resume Business

Step 3: Let your current and past clients know about the book! (If you have an email list of your customers, this is easy to do. If you don't, it's time to start putting one together!) Get the word out to your "influencers" too -- folks who have referred to you in the past. (If they're someone who regularly sends business your way, gift them a complimentary copy of the ebook in appreciation for their referrals.)

Step 4: Spread the word on social media. This should include tweets, Facebook posts (both on your business page and personal page), adding the book to "Publications" in your LinkedIn profile (and writing a status update about it, with a link to the sales page).

Step 5: Repurpose the content! Offer a guest blog post and/or post an article on a major article directory site with a 200- to 500-word article on the topic (can be a direct excerpt or have your weblady take a section and write an article on it). In your resource box, link to your book sales page. (And then follow Step 4 to spread the word about the article.)

And, once you've completed those five steps, here is another blog post with even MORE ideas to increase sales of your ebook:
http://rwdigest.blogspot.com/2012/12/ideas-to-increase-sales-of-your-ebook.html

And here are some additional resources to help you get your first ebook published:

• Shortcut to publishing your first ebook

• Special Report: Making Money Writing Ebooks

• Special Report: Sell Your First Information Product in 72 Hours

• Teleseminar: Using Content to Capture New Career Clients

Is Your Website Too Ugly to Get You Clients?

Ten years ago, I'd estimate that about half of resume writers didn't have a website. They were expensive to set up (most resume writers couldn't set them up themselves), and -- at the time, folks weren't as comfortable buying services online as they are now.

Today, if you don't have a website, you're a rarity among resume writers. But having a website isn't enough -- you must have a GREAT website. Your website is usually the place where prospective clients first learn about you and what you have to offer. The first impression you make is critical.

You probably realize this yourself from thinking about the websites you look at most often. The best websites are attractively designed but more important -- they are well organized. A prospective client can clearly identify what you do, who you serve, and how you can help. And, it succinctly communicates how they can begin working with you.

With today's technology, it's easier than ever to have a website ... but it's also easy to have an ineffective, and sometimes even UGLY website.

Yes, you can set up a website in 5 or 10 minutes, using a platform that gives you everything you need.

But that's not the end of the story. Think about a cupcake. You know what the finished product is supposed to look like — yummy and good smelling. But, just because someone sets out the ingredients doesn't guarantee that you will put them together in the right away to come up with a scrumptious cupcake. It could turn out to be a mess.

It's the same with your website. Just because you throw some parts and pieces together doesn't mean that the end result will be "yummy" for prospective visitors. It takes some thought — and planning — to create a website that will attract clients.

What are some characteristics of ugly websites?

• Not user-friendly. You've done the hard work of getting a prospective client to your website. Now, help them become a client by making your site easy to navigate, structured logically to address three main issues: who you are, how you can help, and how they can start working with you.
• Links that don't work. Test all of your buttons before you go live. But once the site is up, make sure the links keep working. There's nothing worse than broken links for driving a site visitor away.
• Poor color scheme. It is important that your content and images are easy to see and read. White text on a black background is hard to read. The same goes for lettering in yellow on a white background. Choose black on white for your content.
• Pop-ups. While one pop-up can be effective to offer a free special report to build your mailing list, but one should be your limit. If someone has to keep clicking to exit boxes all the time, the reader will be distracted and annoyed.

Take a look at your website. Are you guilty of any of these? Don't worry. It can be fixed.

Leverage The Power of Groups for Success as a Resume Writer

This is the fourth post in our four-part series on "Four Ways to Improve Your Life and Achieve Greater Success as a Resume Writer." You can read the previous posts on The Power of Effective Goal Setting, How Positive Thinking Can Change Your Life, and If You Want to Keep Earning, You Need to Keep Learning.

Today, I want to talk about leveraging the power of groups for self-improvement. Specifically, the role of accountability partners in helping us be successful. I'm very interested in MasterMind groups.

How to Make MasterMind Groups Work for You

A MasterMind group is a group of like-minded individuals who join together for the purpose of growth: business, personal, and/or professional. While the concept of a mastermind group is an old one — Ben Franklin belonged to a club for mutual improvement and Henry Ford and Thomas Edison established a supportive partnership — the term was coined in 1937 by Napoleon Hill in his book, "Think and Grow Rich."

Part of a mastermind group is setting up rules and procedures that work for the individuals within the group.  The groups generally work by meeting regularly and discussing goals, problems, and solutions.  Typically, groups met face-to-face but with today's busy world and the ease of online communication, many meet over the phone or via video conferencing software.  

There are numerous valuable benefits to joining a mastermind group:

• They provide the opportunity to be heard by safe and non-judgmental associates.  
• You are provided with helpful feedback before you take a course of action.  
• You are motivated by accountability when you establish goals with a group.  
• You are offered solutions to problems from objective and positive people who want you to succeed.  
• You are offered the opportunity to develop long lasting and meaningful relationships with like-minded individuals.  

The above is only possible if you are able to build a group of passionate, supportive, like-minded individuals. So how do you ensure that your mastermind group members are the right ones for you?  Often, you meet individuals in networking groups our other associations. If you feel a positive chemistry with these people, ask them about joining a mastermind group with you. Remember a group can be as small as two people. Ask potential members if they have a personal or business mission statement and see if it matches your own goals.  

Many groups find it helpful to have a meeting facilitator. This can be the same person each time, it can be outsourced, or members can rotate the responsibility. In each meeting, it is important that all members have the opportunity to share. It is also valuable if a set topic is established prior to the meeting that members bring information to share with the group relating to the topic, articles, and books, etc. 

For example, if the meeting's topic is goal setting for your resume writing business, then everyone would bring their own goals as well as materials that they found that offered information and solutions to the topic.

Make sure that all members are committed to meeting on a regular basis; if members often miss meetings, then it weakens the group as a whole. Make sure that members have a strong desire to meet or exceed their goals. Members also need to have a desire to share their experiences and support all members of the group. 

Members need to have a commitment to themselves to move forward in their business and personal life.  All members, including you, need to be open to the thoughts, comments, and honest feedback of fellow members. You need to let go of the fear of change and diversity. The strength of the group lies both in their similarities and their differences. Each person brings their own experiences and background to learn from.

Questions to ask if you are considering starting or joining a mastermind group:

• Do you wonder if you're making the right decisions?
• Do you want to grow your business or your career but you aren't sure how?
• Do you have business problems that are too big to solve alone?
• Do you wonder how other business professionals operate?
• Do you feel alone in your business and desire a sounding board?

If you answered yes to any of the above answers, then a MasterMind group may be exactly what you need. I am working on putting together a MasterMind group for Bronze members on BeAResumeWriter.com. If you are interested in learning more, contact me.

If You Want to Keep Earning, You Need to Keep Learning (Self-Improvement Series)

So far in the"Four Ways to Improve Your Life and Achieve Greater Success as a Resume Writer" series, we've talked about "The Power of Goal Setting" and "How Positive Thinking Can Change Your Life."

Today's focus in this four-part self-improvement series is "How to Fit Education Into Your Busy Life."

Attendee map at the 2012 NRWA Conference in Charleston.

One of the biggest challenges we have as resume writers is that our field is constantly changing. Technology has had a significant impact on the resumes we write. I look back to when I started my business 17 years ago, and how much has changed. And it's still changing. Look at how we've had to adapt our resumes to meet Applicant Tracking System requirements. Thinking about the rise and fall of the job board. Or the impact of social media on our clients' job searches.

It's clear that if we want to keep earning, we need to keep learning.

Improving your education broadens your horizons in so many positive ways.  You not only learn new skills and material that you can use with clients, you may also meet new people and make new professional contacts (depending on the educational format you choose). Another benefit to continuing your education is that it shows you are a motivated and goal-oriented person. Your career industry colleagues and resume clients will take notice. In short, it can open up opportunities that you never imagined.

There are many opportunities for resume writers to continue our education. There is formal schooling — for example, pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in human resources, psychology, communications, or a related field.

There are in-person workshops and seminars in your area – for example, training offered through the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and ASTD (dedicated to training and development) and their local chapters. (Both national organizations also offer online training.)

Two of the national resume writing associations offer in-person conferences. The National Resume Writer's Association's 16th annual conference is in September in Chicago. Career Directors International is holding its 2013 Global Career Empowerment Summit in Orlando in October.

There are online learning opportunities through the different career industry associations. In a world where time is money and we're all short on both, online education is in high demand. The benefits of online training are relatively apparent for anyone looking at furthering their education. By learning online, you not only save travel time, you are able to customize your education to fit your needs, time constraints, and financial priorities.

Because many courses are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, online education, trainings, and workshops allow you to learn when it is the most convenient for you. It makes life significantly easier for the busy resume writer.

In 2013, Career Thought Leaders held its first virtual conference, after several years of an in-person conference. You can access the recorded video sessions (each day had a specific "theme").

The National Resume Writer's Association offers affordable monthly teleseminars. They also offer a 10-part online training program about resume writing.

Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark offer quarterly E-Summits in addition to their flagship resume training and certification program, the Resume Writing Academy. You can also purchase recordings of the E-Summits. They also offer a 4-part Entrepreneurial Elegance program.

You can find links to most of these training opportunities -- as well as my own monthly free teleseminars on BeAResumeWriter.com. Bronze members of BeAResumeWriter.com also have access to all the recordings and transcripts of previous training sessions. (Many of these can also be purchased for $5 each.)

Also, check out my blog post about "Associations for Professional Resume Writers" for links to other organizations that might offer training and educational opportunities. You can also check out these Resources for Resume Writers.

There are also online training options that will help you become more proficient in Microsoft Word, for example. (YouTube videos also offer a number of free trainings on this topic, although the quality varies dramatically.)

Note: At some point, I'll have to put together a blog post on recommended books, special reports, and other resources. This blog post is by no means an exhaustive list of the training opportunities available for resume writers. Feel free to add other suggestions in the comments, and I'll work to incorporate them into the main post.

Check out the next post in this series: Leverage the Power of Groups for Success

How Positive Thinking Can Change Your Life (Self-Improvement Series)

This is the second in a series of four blog posts on self-improvement as part of "Four Ways to Improve Your Life and Achieve Greater Success as a Resume Writer." Check out yesterday's blog post on "The Power of Goal Setting."

I mentioned in yesterday's post that I've heard of a few resume writers struggling with burnout. Part of that can be attributed to overworking themselves, some of it is from PITA clients, but some of it is just the negativity that creeps up as we work to manage our business, keep our clients happy, and create some work/life balance.

How Positive Thinking Can Change Your Life.

With so many books out there highlighting the power of positive thinking, you would think that this doesn't need to be mentioned. But it does, because positive thinking really does change your life.

How does positive thinking change your life?
1. You become grateful and appreciative for what you have.
2. Others want to be around you, including those that have an affect on your personal success.
3. A positive attitude makes it easier to motivate yourself and achieve your goals.

So you know how a positive attitude can change your life — but knowing it, and doing it, are two different things. Sometimes it is just plain difficult to smile, especially when a client is challenging the strategy on their resume, or you're struggling to finish two resumes before you can call it a day.

So how do you stay positive?

Like goal setting, maintaining a positive attitude is a way of life and a learned behavior. You can't just flip a switch and never have another negative thought or emotion. What you can do is teach yourself to be more positive.  

Here are some steps to take to become more positive and optimistic:

• Every day, list five things that you are grateful for.
• You can teach yourself find the positive side of every situation by stepping back when you feel yourself getting negative, and finding something positive instead.
• Teach yourself to recognize negative thoughts and to let go of them and replace them with positive thoughts.
• When you have setbacks, view them as learning experiences and look to the future.
• Walk away from negative people, influences, and situations.
• Express gratitude verbally to those that you are grateful to.

I also recommend Gretchen Rubin's excellent book, "The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun," or read her blog of the same name.

When you take the steps to become a more positive person, it will become a way of life.  Soon you'll notice that negative thoughts and emotions rarely enter your brain. You'll feel better about your life, your business, your clients (most of them, anyway!) and yourself — and it will show. It will be easier, and more fun, to reach your personal and professional goals.

More than 100 books have been published on the subject of positive thinking, and motivational speakers spread the word daily about the importance of this topic. As you become a more positive person, you will draw into your life positive people and opportunities because "like attracts like."

Be sure to check out tomorrow's third post in this week's four-part series on self-improvement: "If You Want to Keep Earning, You Need to Keep Learning!"

Four Ways to Improve Your Life and Achieve Greater Success as a Resume Writer

I saw a reminder yesterday that we're already one-fourth through 2013. Wow. This year has gone by quickly. So, this week, I'd like to tackle the topic of self-improvement in a four-part series, "Four Ways to Improve Your Life and Achieve Greater Success as a Resume Writer."

The quest for self-improvement can have a profound effect on your personal life, your resume writing business, and your overall success. There are several approaches that you can take to reinvigorate your life and career. (And there's been some mention on career association e-lists recently of burnout, so reinvigoration is an important benefit of self-improvement.)

This week, in a series of blog posts, I'm going to highlight four of the most powerful self-improvement tools available. The first is The Power of Effective Goal Setting.


Why Goal Setting?

Setting, and achieving, goals can give you a significant sense of pride and accomplishment. When you set goals, you are also establishing priorities — for yourself, your family, your clients, and your resume writing business.  Ideally, you will set both short and long term goals and a plan of action to achieve them.

Goal setting is a learned behavior. By this I mean that — like all behavior modifications, i.e. changing your diet, becoming more positive, increasing your income, etc., it is something that you have to practice and adopt into your daily life, not something that happens overnight.

Step One: Define the Goal
To achieve your goal, you must first set an appropriate goal. What is an appropriate goal, you might ask? Well, first your goal must be specific and quantifiable.  For example, "I want to serve more resume clients this month" isn't a quantifiable goal but "I want to work with 15 new clients this month" is. "I want to earn $24,000 this quarter." "I want to launch one new information product this month." If your goals aren't measurable, they are easier to dismiss. This is why so many New Year's resolutions fail.  Goals like "I want to lose weight this year" or "I want to earn more money" aren't strong enough to hold yourself accountable, nor do they give you a clear plan of action.

Step Two: Set Yourself Up for Easy Wins (Initially)
When learning to adopt a goal-setting mindset, you should begin with smaller, achievable goals.  Sounds silly, right? Why set a goal that is easy to achieve? Because you're establishing a pattern of achievement and success. If you set a goal of "$100,000 in sales for 2013" and your sales last year were $27,000, then you will be setting yourself up for failure, and that's the opposite of what you're trying to accomplish. If, on the other hand, you set your sales goals for $42,000 (or, even better, "Bill $900 in client work next week," then that's a more reasonable goal — and one that you're likely to achieve. (That's three $300 projects, or five $200 projects.)

Small goals = a pattern of success = bigger goals = more success.

Step Three: Put a Date On It
Make your goal time frame short. By this I mean, if it takes six months for you to accomplish your goals, the satisfaction will not be as strong. That's one of the reasons so many programs advertise "Lose 30 Pounds in 30 Days." or "Write a Book in a Month."  People desire instant gratification. While you are learning your goal-setting and achieving behavior, make the beginning goals happen quickly.  "I want 2 new clients this week,"or "I will send a 'how are you doing' email to 20 past clients today."

Step Four: Make Your Plan
Once you've set your goal, plan on how you're going to achieve it. Remember that the shortest point between two distances is a straight line. If you want 2 new customers this week, get on the phone and call 20 past clients or send out an email to your client base with a special promotion that must be redeemed ASAP.

Step Five: Reflect On Your Accomplishments
Lastly, once you've accomplished your goal, take a moment to pat yourself on the back. This is important! If you don't take time to relish the accomplishment, then you're missing a crucial motivator to reach your next goal. Once you've taken a moment to feel pride and accomplishment, set another goal.  Don't wait, don't procrastinate, do it while you're still glowing with success.

As you continue this process, you'll establish a pattern of behavior within yourself. You'll see success move into other areas of your life. Goals like, "I want to exercise 3 times this week for 15 minutes," will come naturally to you as your goal-setting behavior gets incorporated into all facets of your life, not just your resume writing business.

Like this topic? Check out our special report on goal-setting for resume writers: "Ready, Set, Goal: Business Planning and Goal Setting For Resume Writers."

SPECIAL OFFER: Purchase the "Ready, Set, Goal" workbook for just $7 from April 2-April 14, 2013. The 50% discount (off the regular price of $14) is automatically applied when you click the "BUY AND DOWNLOAD" button.)

And check out tomorrow's blog post, "How Positive Thinking Can Change Your Life," the second in this series on self-improvement.

Do You Want All the Business You Can Handle?

Strategic alliances and partnerships often start out with that promise: All the business you can handle. One individual or organization has connections with jobseekers, and they promise to send a flood of new clients your way...usually in exchange for a commission or profit-split.

But developing the wrong kind of relationships can put your resume writing business at significant risk. They can make promises to you about providing a volume of clients that can be enticing — but can they deliver? And at what cost (both in terms of finances and the commitment it will require from you)?

Going into these relationships armed with the right knowledge and information can help assure you pick the right recruiters to work with — and negotiate an agreement that works for you — and for them. Here are some guidelines for working with a third-party individual (recruiter) or organization, excerpted from the "Developing Strategic Alliances and Partnerships With Recruiters" special report. (These same principles apply no matter who is promising to send clients your way!)

Page 10: Developing Strategic Alliances and Partnerships With Recruiters

Questions you should ask before entering into a strategic alliance or partnership:

• Will you (the firm) be the “client” or will I be working with (and billing) the job seeker directly? 
• What kinds of clients do you work with? Any specialties? What salary ranges do you usually work with? Remember that “generalist” firms in particular might send you some clients you don’t usually work with. If this is the case, you might want to make arrangements ahead of time with a subcontract writer to handle those clients. 
• Do you anticipate these project to be resumes only, resumes and cover letters, or other types of materials (bios, portfolios, LinkedIn profiles, etc.). Would you be interested in offering any other services to your clients — i.e., career workshops, interview coaching, salary negotiation advising? 
• How many projects do you think you will be sending me (per week, or per month)?
• How do you anticipate the client management process being handled (how I normally conduct business, or do you have something else in mind — i.e., meeting the client at your offices, or representing myself as your agent?) 
• How will referrals be made? Online? Will you email me the client information and I make contact? Will you set up a formal affiliate page and/or link? Or will you give the client my contact information, and the client will contact me? 
• How will sales be tracked? Are you responsible for tracking leads and clients, or am I? 
• How will payment be handled? Will the client pay you, or me? 

Issues to address when structuring an agreement (these are addressed in detail in the special report, but here is an overview):

• Tracking referrals 
• Compensation 
• Scope of commissionable work 
• Reporting requirements 
• Pricing 
• Contact details 
• Clients you don’t/won’t work with 
• Client ownership and ownership of work (copyright) 
• Nondisclosure/confidentiality 
• Payment details 
• Expense reimbursement 
• Defining the nature of the relationship (“status”) – i.e., independent contractor, employee, or agent 
• Responsibilities of each party 
• How default/breeches are resolved 
• Limits of liability 
• Term of the contract 
• Contract termination 

The special report contains definitions of each of these items and how they may impact the contract you come up with (no matter how informal!) with your partner.

Excerpted from: “Developing Strategic Alliances and Partnerships With Recruiters” by Bridget (Weide) Brooks.

Procrastinator? [Guest Post]

Do you tend to put off the activities that you least like in your business?

Do you find a million other so-called 'urgent' items on your to-do list; like hanging the laundry or dusting the bookshelves?

Are you a bit of a procrastinator?

It was 9 a.m. and I had a deadline to get a proposal in. I had met with a pretty senior person in a great company and they were interested in a workshop and coaching program. It was an exciting project and I was itching to get the bones of it down and ready to send out.

No procrastination here. No hesitation at all. I was on a roll. It was flowing beautifully and I sent out the proposal out a day before it was due.

I hit 'enter' on my keyboard and stood up and stretched. As I reached out my arm I knocked over a pile of documents on my desk. It was the pile that had been sitting there for the last 6 weeks, waiting to be sorted through, dealt with and filed.

This was about the tenth time I had knocked over that pile. I was pretending that it wasn't there. It is the work that I least like to do. And I had gotten to the point of absolute desperation with it.

In fact what had happened was that I was telling myself an amazing story about how dreadful, long, tedious and unnecessary this type of work was.

And the truth is, the story was much worse than the reality. When I finally forced myself to deal with it, it was over in less than two hours. When I surrendered to the pile of papers, it was a lot less complicated or tedious than I had anticipated. In fact, there was quite a sense of satisfaction in actually dealing with the issues, and especially in the new space available on my desk.

I have to say, that story made me feel pretty stupid. I had procrastinated for 6 weeks over less than 2 hours of work! Where's the sense in that?

So here's what's interesting and important in this whole issue; we are constantly telling ourselves stories about everything in our lives. We define our reality by the stories we tell.

There are activities that we do that we call 'hard work' and other activities that we call 'play'. It's not the same for everyone. What I call 'hard work' could be 'play' for you. What is the best fun and enjoyment for you, I may be calling a chore.

The exciting thing is; you can change it. You can discover and decide which story will make your day feel like fun and ease rather than difficulty and challenge. It's all in the story you tell.

Your success in business is very much about the story you tell. Think about what you replied that last time someone asked you about your business. What story did you tell? Did it excite and inspire that person? Did it excite and inspire you?

If not, you are telling a dis-empowering story and that's your choice. But it won't bring you business success. Start telling more powerful stories that create buzz and excitement around what you do. You'll see an immediate shift. You'll experience a transformation in how you feel about your business and how it is being perceived externally.

Remember, it's all about the story! Where do you need a more powerful story?

LISA BLOOM is a Professional Storyteller who helps entrepreneurs and business owners beat overwhelm, stress and discomfort with marketing to find confidence, attract ideal clients and make more money by finding their success story. Lisa's Leadership Development & Coaching Programs and Speaking gigs have engaged, motivated and inspired people worldwide! She is delighted to offer you the complimentary ebook "Using Stories to Get Great Clients": http://www.story-coach.com

Personal Branding: An Interview with Susan Chritton

What makes you stand out? How will people remember you?

Personal Branding for Dummies

These are important questions for resume writers to ask clients -- and ask ourselves! I had the opportunity to chat with/interview Susan Chritton, author of "Personal Branding for Dummies" in a Colleague-to-Colleague discussion series as part of the Career Thought Leaders Virtual Conference earlier this week, and I wanted to share some of her insights into personal branding, and how a few simple questions can help resume writers more easily create a theme for their clients' career communication documents.

Chritton is an Executive Career Coach and branding strategist who was mentored by the "godfather" of personal branding, William Arruda. She says her personal mission is to "educate and empower others to use their gifts in the world." I am confident she will reach this goal, as the information she shared during her presentation at the CTL conference — and her willingness to share her ideas with me during this call — was both informational and inspirational.

Question: As a resume writer, I don't often have a lot of time to explore a client's personal brand like a career coach would. How can a resume writer quickly ascertain a client's personal brand?

Chritton: Personal branding can be distilled into two concepts: "What do I think of me?" and "What do they think of me?" So one way to get to someone's personal brand is to ask them this: "Give me five words to describe yourself," and then "What are 2-3 words someone else might describe you as?" People are generally harder on themselves than others would be, so this gives insight into how they want to be seen (by others).

Chritton noted that if clients are receptive to this kind of work, you can give them homework (or a self-study assignment). In chapter 4 of the book, there is a personal brand profile worksheet (pictured) that they can use to develop their personal brand statement. You can then incorporate that into the documents you create.

She also said that one key is getting the client to "get out of themselves" and get a different perspective on how to articulate their brand. Two good questions for this, Chritton said, are: "Who are your competitors (for the job) and describe the qualities they possess." And then follow up with, "Which of those qualities do you have?" Chritton finds that often what clients say in response to these two questions "describes (the client) at their best."

Question: You talk about being authentic in personal branding. How might we get to someone's authenticity (again, quickly!)?

Chritton: Get people to "light up" and talk about themselves. Ask them, "What do you do that is different than others (who do what you do) — maybe something that people don't know about you, or that doesn't seem relevant."

She shared the story of a recent client, a business analyst who, she discovered, is also an accomplished drummer. Once she discovered that fact, she was able to use more colorful words to describe the client. The patterns in music mirrored the patterns the individual was able to see in data analysis. This was a key component of the client's personal brand.

Chritton said resume writers can use their "B.S. meter" to make sure that the client's brand that they are articulating is authentic to them. She shared the story of one young client, in his mid-twenties, who had crafted a personal brand that wasn't authentic. This became clear when the candidate would land interviews, but no job offers. Hiring managers quickly saw through the "style" of his brand and found there was no "substance" to back it up. "If you haven't been completely honest (in developing your personal brand), you won't get the response you're seeking," Chritton noted.

Question: Where do you see personal branding going next?

Chritton: "I hope more and more people use personal branding, because it humanizes people, and helps companies find the right people."

More and more companies are using personal branding, which gives her "a lot of hope" because "personal branding is the ultimate diversity" tool.

Half of the work Chritton is currently doing involves corporate coaching and personal branding consulting within organizations — she is often hired by the company itself, but sometimes by executives directly to work with them. She says the hardest part of this work is the diverse skill set it requires. "In working with corporate clients, you have to be a good coach, a good writer, you have to be social media savvy, and you have to have experience with video," she noted. (Video is an emerging area. She sees more and more of personal branding moving to video.) Chritton points to the video on her LinkedIn profile as an example of this in action.

No matter what the format — resume, LinkedIn profile, video — Chritton says the essence of personal branding work is "representing the client in the best, most honest way."

What If You Could Catch the Attention of Top Hiring Managers?

Oooo...that got your attention, didn't it?

Strong headlines are important. Just like with a client's resume being reviewed by a hiring manager, you only have a few seconds to get the attention of the prospective client who visits your website.

Tammi Metzler

"Urge readers to take notice with an attention-grabbing headline."

This was Step #2 shared by Tammi Metzler of the Write Associate in her teleseminar last week for BeAResumeWriter.com, "Your Website Gold Mine: Discover 5 Crucial Elements of a Client-Attracting, Money-Making Website." This was one of her 5 steps in a roadmap for a website to connect you with interested prospects for your resume-writing services.

If your resume writing website isn't drawing enough visitors … or if you're getting traffic but they're not turning into clients … or they're the WRONG kind of clients, listen to the recording of Tammi's call.

You can listen to the streaming audio here — for free, no opt-in required.

One of the most powerful statements Tammi made can be summed up like this:
If you don't know what action you want visitors to take, neither will they!

What do you want visitors to your website to do — what action do you want them to take? Do you want them to call you? Submit their resume for a review? Purchase a consultation with you? Download a free job search guide? Attend a preview (teleseminar) call? Once you know what you want them to do, it's much easier to create a website that inspires that action!

Tammi also shared a secret of how your website can reduce price resistance among prospective clients – which has been a HOT topic recently on some of the resume writing association e-lists. Making this one simple change on your website can dramatically increase your client conversion rate (the number of prospective clients who visit your website and actually become clients)!

I also invite you to join me for Tammi's upcoming class, "Secrets of a Client-Attracting Home Page: Five Simple Steps for Creating a Home Page That Lets Your Website Connect Your Business With Dozens, Hundreds, or Even Thousands of Your Ideal Clients Online." In that training, Tammi is going to share 11 proven headline formulas to draw visitors into your website so that they'll stick around long enough to learn more about what you offer and how you can help them in their job search, plus nine engagement techniques you can use on your website, and more.

I've signed up and hope to "see" you on the live call on March 27!

P.S. – Finally, Tammy has a free report for you to enjoy -- "Five Ways to Turn Website Visitors Into Clients" (a $97 value). Click on the link to find out more.

So What? Make Me Care! Do It Fast!

I love this phrase: "So what? Make me care? Do it fast!"

Deb Dib uses it as the "mantra" for all the work she does for her career clients. It's a phrase she came up with a few years ago at a Career Thought Leaders conference in Baltimore. 

Earlier this week, I attended The Academies' Certified G3! Coaching preview call, where Deb and Susan Whitcomb shared some of the strategies used in the program (you can read some of my take-aways below).

G3, in case you're not aware of it, is "Get Clear, Get Found, Get Hired" and it's a 10-week program designed to teach resume writers and career coaches how to create branded career communications ("career-comm").

From The Academies' program description:

To land today, your clients need to build an organic web of influence across multiple channels — starting yesterday! To do this, most clients will need more than a resume writer or coach – they’ll need a leading edge go-to resource with the training and talent to position them for this uncommon new world of careering … with resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and more for the mobile marketplace.

You can watch the 54-minute preview video here:

G3! Coaching Preview

It's definitely worth your time, even if you're not ready to pursue the certification yet.

Here were some of my key take-aways:

• Social media (especially Twitter) and the increase in mobile devices have inspired a need for shorter, more focused career communication documents. That doesn't mean that there isn't a need for two-page resumes (and addendums), but you should also be creating short-form pieces. Mobile devices outnumber PCs by 3-to-1 worldwide, so we as resume writers need to consider how what we write is being consumed … and a lot of it is being read on smartphones and iPads.

• Deb pointed out that we are helping people navigate one of the most important transitions in their lives — so we need to be on top of our game in terms of knowing what's needed now and what's coming next. As Deb says, "We have a moral imperative to help our clients navigate change."

• Deb introduced the concept of "Why-Buy-ROI" as a way to express client's "branded value in the marketplace." The "Why-Buy-ROI" formula takes the idea of expressing accomplishments a step further. It says, very quickly, "I know what you need, I can do it, I can prove I can do it, and I can do it again." The formula is: WHO/HOW/WHAT —> Measurable result. (Deb and Susan provide specific examples of this in the video, including one for a support position — which, as you know, it can be hard for people in support roles to quantify their value.)

• Think in terms of mini-modules that can build upon each other when developing your client's career communications. Susan and Deb described the process as creating a "Parts Store" where you can "shop" to find pieces to meet the client's needs in the job search.

They also showcased the G3 Smart-Step System, and described the pieces that take you (and your clients) from "4 smart steps" to "4 awesome outcomes."

Finally, Deb and Susan talked about how the G3 system can be incorporated into a resume writing business to add additional revenue. Deb said in her first year, she made $750. Total. But she also pointed out that was 20 years ago. She provided a sample price chart that showcases packages that can be built using the G3 system, and the "Power Pitch Resume with Proof-Points™" is twice that alone. If you've been looking for a way to increase your prices — and revenues — this system provides the key.

If you ARE thinking about becoming a G3! coach, the next program starts April 15, 2013. As I mentioned, it's a 10-week training class. Deb Dib will be your instructor, and sessions are held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Eastern time via teleseminar/webinar every Monday. When you complete the program, you'll have two certifications: The Academies' Certified Get Clear, Get Found, Get Hired! Coach plus the 360Reach Certification offered through Reach Personal Branding.

The Academies is offering a special offer if you sign up by Friday, March 8. 

The first five people who register by midnight on Friday (and note: Several spots have already been taken!) can register at a $300 discount ($2197 instead of the usual $2497 price, and that can be paid in four installments of $572), plus you'll receive a free coaching session with Susan (a $500 value), and a free iPad Mini ($400 value).

If you're interested in this special offer, register using this link:

March 8 Special Offer for G3

Eight Ways to Personalize Pass-Along Materials

One of the benefits of a Bronze membership in BeAResumeWriter.com is that each month, you get new, brandable careers content that you can use with your clients. But since each member gets the same content to start with, one of the biggest questions I get about Pass-Along Materials is how to make them unique.

A couple of resume writers have expressed concern about if a prospective client is looking for information to help them with their career, and they come across the same report on multiple resume writer websites. You can't control what anyone ELSE does with their content, but the easiest way to solve this for YOUR resume writing business is personalization.

Here are eight ways to personalize your Pass-Along Materials in just a few minutes.

1. Niche It!
The first way to personalize your content is to focus your content — if you can — on the specific audience you serve (or that you want to target with the guide). For example, "Jobseeker's Guide to Salary Negotiation" can become "The Graduate's Guide to Making The Most At Your First Job."

Identify the ideal client to read the content, and then target the content to that reader.

2. Name It!
The easiest way way to personalize your Pass-Along Materials is to come up with a unique name. I intentionally name the Pass-Along Content with very boring, pedestrian names, in hopes of forcing you to come up with something more exciting.

To come up with a unique, attention-getting title, use Jim Edwards' FREE "Profitable Title & Smokin' Hot Domain Name Wizard V2.1" Input four key items: topic, keyword phrase, main result/benefit, and target audience and it will generate dozens of ideas for you.

3. "Newspaper" It
Newspapers are written by different people but edited to sound like one "voice." Your Pass-Along Materials need to sound like they are written by you and are consistent with the other materials you share with clients. Read through the content and make sure it matches your voice and style (and that it agrees with advice you give your clients). Although I focus on "generally accepted" principles with the content, you may occasionally find something you don't necessarily agree with. Feel free to edit or remove that content, and add in your own advice! (And it's still easier than starting completely from scratch!)

And feel free to change the subheadings too. For example, something like "Conducting a Job Search While You're Still Employed" can be changed to "Four Tips for Looking For a Job When You've Already Got One."

You can often take the first sentence of the first paragraph of a section and make a subheading right from that by asking a question.

4. "Novel" It
One way to personalize the content to YOU specifically is to share a client story. You can also create a fictional story to lead into the purpose of the article. Sharing a personal example can also be a way to personalize the material. Stories help the reader relate to your content.

5. Give Readers "Navigation"
Consider adding a photo, graph, or chart to the Pass-Along Materials content to add visual interest,  personalize it, and make it easier to navigate the materials. You can find inexpensive photos on a site like Fotolia. (Make sure you purchase the correct rights for what you want to use your guide for. If you want to sell your content, choose a "Medium" size graphic or larger and that will give you the rights to use the graphic in a product you sell.)

6. Nationalize It.
If you're not in the U.S., adapt the advice to your country. Some resume advice is nation-specific, so make sure you've checked the content to make sure it applies to your readers.

7. Narrate it!
One of the most unique ways to change the Pass-Along Materials is to change the format to audio or video. Use the content as a script for a teleseminar or webinar, as the format for a live program, or an outline for a video or podcast.

8. Don't Neglect It!

The most important thing is to USE your Pass-Along Materials! They're not doing you any good on your computer hard drive — and, as you've seen in this article, it's so easy to personalize them!

Personalizing Pass-Along Materials takes only a couple minutes of your time — and it's also something a virtual assistant can do. It's a great way to receive maximum benefit from your Pass-Along Materials while also providing your readers with unique and valuable content. 

How Do I Get My Company Logo on My LinkedIn Profile?

Have you noticed that some resume writers have their company logo next to their business name in their LinkedIn profile? Are you wondering how they made that happen?

The answer is: Company Pages!

If you haven't yet set up a Company Page for your resume writing business, there are a couple of reasons why you should do it now:

• To get that logo to show up on your personal profile!
• To get additional visibility for your resume writing business on LinkedIn.
• Because it's easy!

Here is a step-by-step guide to setting up your Company Page on LinkedIn.

First, you must have a domain name for your resume writing business, and have an email address associated with that domain name that is on your LinkedIn profile. (You can add the email address if you don't have it already linked to your profile.) That domain name can only be associated with one company page. You must also have your resume business listed under the "Experience" section of your profile, and your profile must be complete ("Intermediate" or "All Star" status, with numerous connections.)

On the main menu bar, click on the "Companies" tab.

On the Companies page, click "Add a Company" in the upper right-hand corner.

This wil take to you a page to "Add a Company." Fill in your resume writing business name and your email address (remember, it has to be a domain name for your business name — it can't be a Gmail or other type of email address).

You must also verify that you are the official representative of the company by checking the box.

You'll be taken to a new page where you can edit your company profile.

When you are finished entering the information, click the blue "Publish" button in the upper right-hand corner.

Finally, click on the "Products" tab and add in information about the products and services you offer. Not only will this help you attract clients, it will also help your page get found, as the more content you add, the higher the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) value of your page.

..............

The LAST STEP you need to take is to edit your profile and select your Company Page when articulating your business name. Go into your LinkedIn profile and choose "Edit Profile." Then, go to your current position and click the "edit" tool. As you type your business name, you should be presented with a list of companies to choose from.

Select your Company Page from the list, and then save your profile.

You will see that the logo from your Company Page now shows up on your profile.

3 Resume Writers Using Podcasting for Profit and Publicity

Have you heard of podcasting? It's been around forever, it seems (at least 10 years now), but I've only recently thought about launching my own podcast.

In doing some research, I discovered there are only a handful of resume writers who are engaged in podcasting ... (mostly because most resume writers aren't familiar with the concept), but that the podcasts that are out there have a LONG shelf life. A simple Google search pulls up podcasts that are several years old, but are still driving significant website traffic. You know that I am a HUGE advocate of using content to generate both cash and clients for your resume writing business -- and although podcasts have been around for a while, they are still remarkably effective!

Here are three examples of resume writers who are succeeding in podcasting? 

• Sean Cook, the "Higher Ed Career Coach," has his own channel on BlogTalkRadio (which is another medium for distributing your podcasts) 
• Annemarie Cross leveraged her podcast on Career Success Radio into her own podcast, "The Ambitious Entrepreneur Show"
• Check out Jared Redick's guest spot on the "Enterprising Investor" podcast.

If you've ever wanted to be a guest on a radio program to promote your resume writing services, you'll love the idea of podcasting. Instead of working to try to get booked as a guest on someone else's show, you basically host your OWN radio show (your own podcast).

Here's a couple of questions to determine if podcasting might be for you:

• Do you want to be seen as an expert in the resume writing industry, and be recognized by the media (and therefore, prospective clients) as a leading source of information? 
•  Are you comfortable speaking (not to a crowd, necessarily, but either in an interview format, or just you speaking to a virtual audience?) 
•  Do you sell a high-dollar resume service package (minimum $500), and you want to attract a steady stream of well qualified prospective customers who are eager to buy from you? 
•  Are you prepared to handle a large volume of traffic to your website? (Bonus points if you already have a team of subcontractors!) 
•  Do you have ancillary information products (ebooks, paid teleseminars and webinars, coaching groups, training programs, membership sites) you can sell to folks who are interested in learning more about the topics you cover?

If your answer was "yes" to more than two of these questions, podcasting may be for you.

Your first question is probably: What is a podcast?

Podcasting is audio provided over the Internet. Simply put, it's a process by which you can subscribe to receive the audios automatically, with the expectation that you will listen to the audio from a portable device like Apple's iPod. It's a smaller segment of what's called "Internet Radio" -- which is simply audio provided to listeners over the Internet. There is a wide variety of music and talk radio available to listen to both as a live feed or as pre-recorded content available on demand. You can listen to podcasts while you work out, drive around in the car (you can load them on your iPod), or while you're fixing dinner.

Your second question is probably: How much does it cost? (Followed quickly by: How do I get started?)
You can get started podcasting for under $20 -- and you may have all the equipment you need already!! The absolute EASIEST way to get started is with Audio Acrobat (which you may recognize as the service I use to record my free teleseminars through BeAResumeWriter.com). You can call into your Audio Acrobat phone line to record your posts, or use an external microphone. (Shh...don't tell my husband, but I use the USB headset that came from one of his video games, a U.S. Navy Seal game, to record my audios and videos!) And Audio Acrobat enables auto-syndication to 15+ online podcast directories and allows you to submit your RSS feed URL to iTunes, which can help you grow your listening audience quickly! It also has an iPhone app that allows you to publish your audio and video recordings straight to your podcast. (Yes, I realize you may not have any idea what "syndicating" and "RSS feeds" are yet ... so read on!) And Audio Acrobat offers a free 30-day trial.

As for how to get started ... well, that's why I wrote this email.

Last week, I signed up for Kelly McCausey's "Smart Podcasting Skills" program. And I wanted to tell you about it, because she has a special offer that expires at midnight tonight that makes it almost a "no brainer" for anyone who is interested in giving this a try in their resume writing business. It's a 6-part program that covers these lessons:

• Lesson One: How Podcasting is Good for Business 
• Lesson Two: Brainstorming Your New Podcast's Purpose & Format 
• Lesson Three: Planning Content For Your Podcast 
• Lesson Four: Making Money With Your Podcast 
• Lesson Five: Developing Your Hosting Skills 
• Lesson Six: Promoting Your Podcast 

I just bought the 6-part program myself last week, and I only had a chance to go through it over the weekend. And then I saw her reminder email last night about the special offer. (She also invited me to help promote her program, which I was happy to do, since I had bought it myself!). I thought that there would be at least a couple of folks — maybe you?? — who would find this beneficial to their resume writing business growth. (I also took Kelly's "Smart Blogging course," and I had more than 5,000 pageviews on this blog last month!)

If the idea of podcasting intrigues you, though, I've prepared a short special report, "Practical Guide to Podcasting" that will shed some more light on this topic. (There's no opt-in required — just click the link and you'll have access to the PDF file.) 

And I'll let you know when my first podcast is ready for YOU to listen to. I think 5- to 7-minute podcasts will be a great adjunct to my blog posts, videos, and teleseminars with ideas and information for resume writers just like you.

The cost of the program is $69. She offers a no-questions-asked 7-day money-back guarantee ... so if you buy the program and you decide it's not for you, you can get a full refund. But if you said "yes" to two or more of the questions I asked you at the beginning of this post, and you're committed to giving this a try, I think you'll find this program is just what you need.

Internet radio and podcasting are terrific ways to promote yourself and let your voice be heard. And I'll be learning right along with you ... so if you have any questions (as always!), feel free to ask me.