Timeless Advice for Handling Price Shoppers

I'm compiling an index of the first 10 years of Resume Writers' Digest and came across this timeless tip in the March/April 2000 issue. Reprinted with permission of Jan Melnik, CPRW, from her book, "How to Operate a Home-Based Resume Service" (now out of print):

"Over the recent years, I've used a variation of the phrase, "I didn't realize price was your only concern," when speaking with prospective clients who focus solely on price.

If the caller seems totally uninterested in any value-added service and is even grumbling about the price of a basic retype, you can add to the above comment, "In that case, you might try the quick-stop copy shop. They'll add no value to your resume, but they'll do it for a very low price, if that's your primary concern."

Nowadays, I get very few requests for resume retypes (most need at least an update or a rewrite), but the advice would be similar... "Well, if price is your only concern, you can find some resume mills online that will update your resume for as little as $29, but I can't guarantee their quality, of course."

10 Years of Resume Writers Digest (1999-2009)

I didn't want this month to pass without acknowledging the 10th anniversary of Resume Writers' Digest. Our first issue was published in July/August 1999.

Here's what I wrote in my inaugural "From the Editor" column in that issue:

I'm sure the first question that crossed your mind when you opened your mail today was, "What's this?"

"This" is Resume Writer's Digest -- a new bimonthly newsletter for resume writers.

Another newsletter?
No, it's not just another newsletter. It's a resource for you, the professional resume writer. Whether you are a part-time resume writer or you've made it your career, this publication is for you.

Why?
We provide news and information about employment-related issues. But we're also about the "people" of the resume writing profession. Most of the articles in other resume writing newsletters are written "editorial style," by experts. We want to be the "Living Section" of resume writers. In future issues, you'll see pictures of people -- ordinary and extraordinary -- serving resume clients in the U.S. and abroad.

In the September/October issue, we'll explore what it's like to be a resume writer in exotic and isolated places ... as well as in large and small towns across the country. You'll meet some of the most well-known resume writers ... and some you've never heard from before.

Add Us To What You're Already Doing
We're not a substitute for continuing education or association memberships (in fact, you'll find information about joining the Professional Association of Resume Writers, the National Resume Writers' Association, or the Association of Business Support Services International) on page 8.

Coming Soon...
Later this summer, we'll be launching our website, providing you with online links, archives of articles and interviews, and more information than we can cover in an eight-page, bimonthly newsletter.

Give Us a Try
If you like what you have to offer, subscribe.

Some things have changed over time, but we remain committed to our mission statement:
"Resume Writers' Digest ... (helps) resume writers keep on top of changes in the human resources field, new developments in technology, and trends in the resume writing field. Each issue provides information about what successful resume writers across the nation and around the world are doing, along with concise, timely information culled from a review of select periodicals."

Here's to the NEXT 10 years of Resume Writers' Digest!

Helping Clients -- It's Not Always the Cover Letter's Fault

In a recent blog post on CareerBuilder's Work Buzz Blog, a job seeker named "Jim" asked "How Do I Land an Interview?"

Blogger Kate Lorenz from CareerBuilder answered his questions, and provided some great information. I added my thoughts in a comment, reprinted for you here:

Great tips, Kate! Also, it might not be Jim's cover letter that is the real issue here -- it might also be the resume -- combined with a lack of focus on what kind of job he really wants (he mentions aerospace but then also an interest in a career change). As you advised, cover letters need to be specifically targeted to the position/company being pursued. It's fine to develop a general "template," but then that must be finely tuned to meet the specific responsibilities and challenges of the position being targeted. If it's a position in Sales Management in Aerospace, then that should be highlighted specifically -- no mention of a career change. To go a bit further than your comment about finding a "hook" in the cover letter, both the resume and cover letter need to quantify specific accomplishments that Jim has produced in his 20 years of experience (and most definitely in his most recent position) ... identifying how he specifically helped his last employer make money, save money, solve a specific problem, keep a customer, get new customers, etc. In addition, remember that cover letters are "employer-centric," not "you-centric." There's an awful lot of "I" statements in Jim's cover letter -- and it's nice that he wants to "simplify" his career, but the employer could probably care less about that. Instead, quantify the value that you have to offer to the EMPLOYER, not what YOU hope to get out of the job. In addition, you've got to get the resume and cover letter to the right person at the company. Go beyond applying online and research the company (look at their website, Google them, check out their recent press releases). Find specific individuals at targeted companies to contact. Use LInkedIn to identify executives at the company ... and then use those contacts to help identify what their specific needs are -- for both positions they're advertising, and the jobs that they're going to need to develop and fill, to meet future growth. (That is especially important since Jim has a background in product support.) When you're not getting interviews, it might not be your age or "overabundance" of experience. It might be that you need a professional to help you with taking an objective look at your resume and cover letter ... and learning how to network your way to your next job. You can find professional resume writers who would be willing to provide a free review of your resume through the various professional associations: Career Directors International (www.careerdirectors.com) National Resume Writers Association (www.nrwa.com) Professional Association of Resume Writers (www.parw.com) Career Management Alliance (www.careermanagementalliance.com) Bridget (Weide) Brooks, CPRW Editor, Resume Writers' Digest

Six Steps to Find Your Voice

In the first part of the four-part series on "Writing Well," I talked about "Finding Your Writing Voice as a Resume Writer." Then I talked about "Strengthening Your Voice." The third installment is on "Technology and Its Impact on Voice." The final piece is "Six Steps to Find Your Voice."

"Writing may be magical, but it's not magic," says nationally-known writing consultant Chip Scanlan.

He outlines a series of steps all writers take:

• The Idea: Who is this client? What is their job objective?
• Collect: This is the "reporting" function of the resume writer's job. Read, observe, question, research -- amass information, without judgment.
• Focus: Make sense of the material. Is anything missing?
• Order: Organize and prioritize the information you have to make, to make sense of it in relation to the client's job objective, skills, and qualifications.
• Drafts: Begin to write. Search out examples (accomplishments, case studies, supporting facts).
• Revisions: Review the writing to ensure everything is relevant to the "the idea."

It may seem like an oxymoron, but "writers need to be more creative and more disciplined at the same time," Scanlan notes. "Writers are looking for permission."

They're often looking for permission to leave out information. That's often the right approach.

"You think you're overcollecting (information), but you're really underthinking," Scanlan says.

"Your job as a writer is to make the reader see," Scanlan says.

Getting better at resume writing is really about three things: practicing, sucking it up, and just asking people to share their lives.

Technology and Its Impact on Voice

In the first part of this series on "Writing Well," I talked about "Finding Your Writing Voice as a Resume Writer." Then I talked about "Strengthening Your Voice." Next up is "Technology and Its Impact on Voice."

The newest challenge to finding personality in resumes is the role of technology. Requests for ASCII resumes -- and the problems retaining fonts and formatting in Word documents places a greater emphasis on content. The story must be compelling, regardless of the visual package.

This is also the area of emphasis which benefits the resume writer in the face of resume templates and resume software. Most resumes submitted for critique feel sterile -- devoid of voice and personality of the job seeker.

Job seekers have been cautioned to reveal enough to get an interview, but not too much.

Every resume writer understands this challenge -- and it's a delicate balancing act.

In the next article: Six Steps to Find Your Voice

Strengthening Your Voice as a Resume Writer

In the first part of this series on "Writing Well," I talked about "Finding Your Writing Voice as a Resume Writer." Next up is Strengthening Your Voice.

When writing resumes, remember that you're writing, "one writer to one reader." What do you want that reader to feel when he or she is finished reviewing the cover letter and resume?

Your writing must be compelling and distinctive to evoke a feeling in the reader. There are certain verbs that can evoke a voice and tell a story.

Is there any room for feeling in resumes? Of course. In traditional journalism, "the embrace of objectivity was to counter the inflamed political rhetoric of the news media and replace it with the informed reason of the scientist," says nationally-recognized writing consultant Chip Scanlan. "It was not meant to produce a totally sterile, objective piece."

In resume writing, sterility was introduced in response to complaints of discrimination in the hiring process. Many issues related to this were unfairly attached to the resume's role in the screening process.

Next up: Technology and Its Impact on Voice

Finding Your Writing Voice as a Resume Writer

"Creative work, critical thinking, and courage is the 'Magic Formula for Writing,'" according to nationally-recognized writing consultant Chip Scanlan of the Poynter Institute.

All writers have to have a philosophy to guide their writing -- a "way of looking at your work and way of doing your work," he says.

The perspective that a writer has on a subject is the writer's "voice." Voice is made up of perspective and tone. It's a personal and honest expression that reveals the writer's background and personality.

Where does the resume writer's voice fit in when writing a client's resume?

Without voice, a resume is incomplete.

"Voice illuminates fact," Scanlan says. "It attracts and holds readers. It is tuned to the purpose of its message and the ear of the reader."

A resume without voice is a fact sheet. Voice brings a storytelling quality, incorporating what you bring to the story without getting in the way.

"Voice is the music to your words that is distinctly your own. (It's) the rhythm the world hears when they read it," Scanlan adds.

This is the first in a four-part series. Next post: Strengthening Your Voice.

Summer Issue of Resume Writers' Digest

The Summer 2009 issue of Resume Writers' Digest is now out!

The 12-page issue offers a cover story on coming up with better questions to ask your clients to yield better resumes. (Based on the results of the "10 Questions" survey, it will be added to the "Write Great Resumes Faster" special report as well.)

Inside: Wendy Enelow reacts to the results of the 2008 Resume Writers' Digest Industry Survey and shares her comments and thoughts.

Also in this issue: Producing Error-Free Resumes for Clients (results of an Accountemps survey), and Jane Roqueplot wrote a nice piece on "Enhance Your Writing With Style Analysis."

Also, check out columnist Robert Middleton's Action Plan Marketing column in this issue on "Getting the Most Out of a Professional Conference." There are still two major conferences left this year (NRWA and CDI), so if you're planning on attending either (or both!), this is a must-read.

Reach Telecall: "Test-Drive Your Dream Job"

I'm always glad when I take an hour to participate in the Reach Branding Club's Interview Series. William Arruda and Susan Guarneri consistently line up some of the best and brightest minds in the world to share their thoughts about career topics. And, best of all, it's free! Be sure to get on their e-mail list.

Today's call was with Brian Kurth, author of "Test-Drive Your Dream Job -- A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding and Creating the Work You Love." He's also the founder of Vocation Vacations, which allows job seekers to pay to "job shadow" folks in the career field of their choice for a few days, and see whether they'd like it.



The interview was fabulous. Kurth outlined an eight-step process for facilitating a successful career transition -- built heavily on the use of mentors and participatory research to find the right next job. It reminded me of a program in high school that I participated in -- "job shadowing" -- where the high school students would be paired with a businessperson in their desired career field that they could follow around for a day or two.

Kurth has extended this idea to make it part of your "vacation" -- you follow someone in another city or state and they allow you to see what that career path is all about.

A couple of key points:
* Discover/rediscover your strengths
* Create a vision board (a collage of your interests -- buy magazines, newspapers, and print stuff out online -- quotes, pictures -- "Who you are and who you want to become.")
* Confront your fears ("Fear never goes away -- it's how you handle it.")
* Create an action plan (and constantly tweak it)
* Find your mentor(s) -- 1-5 folks -- they should be in the field you want to go into.
* Branding is about EMOTIONS and creating emotional connections
* Establish your thresholds (boundaries or your comfort zone areas you won't cross)

All in all, well worth the hour! I'll let you know when I find out when the next Reach Branding Club Interview Series is.

Aleisa Benedict on Cake Boss

You never know where a resume writer is going to show up! Colleague Aleisa Benedict showed up on Monday's episode of "Cake Boss" on TLC. The cake looked fabulous!

Advice to Those Seeking A Job In HR: Interesting Insight

Thanks to Jason Alba of JibberJobber for the link to this blog post from Punk Rock HR. It's HR professionals responding to a question of a blog reader who is wondering if she should get into a career in HR.

How Long Should Your Resume Be?

This is a topic that is frequently asked by job seekers. The one page resume myth SHOULD be all but extinct by now, but unfortunately still lives on...

Nick Corcodilos ("Ask the Headhunter") just addressed this question in recent newsletter. (If you haven't signed up to receive it, do it! For those of you who don't know Nick, he spoke at the NRWA conference in Scottsdale a few years ago. He's generally positive about professional resume writers, but down on "resume mills.")

Here's what Nick said:

"My advice: Edit your resume to make it relevant to the employer, and make it as long as it needs to be. Make sure it's long enough so it reaches where it's supposed to go."

Face-to-Face or Virtual?

In the September/October 1999 issue of Resume Writers' Digest, in my Letter From the Editor, I talked about how resume writers interact with their clients -- and how that interaction was likely to change over time. It's interesting to look back at what I wrote:

From talking to a lot of other resume writers, I know that many resume writers (including me!) are unwilling to give up on face-to-face interactions entirely. I personally prefer to work with clients in person, although I have done long-distance and Internet-based consultations in the past.

The key issue is meeting your client needs. There will be clients who are unwilling -- or unable -- to meet with you in person. There will be other clients who do not have the technology to work with you by computer. Each resume writer will be able to carve out a niche that will suit his or her needs.

Despite all the hype about the Internet, not everybody is online yet. We all have clients who have virtually no computer skills. They will need to "upgrade" themselves to meet the changing demands of the workforce ... just as the resume writing profession will need to change to meet the demographic trends of the new millennium.

Interesting. I changed to working virtually with clients in 2004, when I got married and moved my business into my home. Looking back, my sentiments were right on at the time -- but I've only had a handful or two of clients I haven't worked with virtually during that time. That's mostly because I have referred clients who preferred to work with someone in person to another writer in town who maintains a home-based office that accommodates working with clients in person. But it's also because I work primarily by questionnaire now, instead of interviews.

It's fascinating to see what has changed in the past 5 -- and 10 years. I wonder how resume writing will be different in 2014 ... and 2019. I hope I'm around to find out!

Do You Work With Clients in Finance, Accounting, and/or IT?

If you work with clients in finance, accounting, and/or information technology, request your free copy of the 2009 Salary Guide from Accountemps.

Accountemps, a division of Robert Half International, conducts annual salary surveys and publishes the results in an annual guide.

Teena's Looking for Writers to Interview

Teena Rose, author of "Start Your Resume Writing Business: The Ultimate Resource for Building a $100,000 Resume-Writing Business" is looking for resume writers to interview for her blog, Start, Operate, Profit! Resume Writing Business.

If you are interested in being profiled (look her for her new interview with Robyn Feldberg), contact Teena at teena(at)resumetoreferral.com (replace the (at) with an @ sign).

New Unemployment Claims Down, But Continuing Claims Rise

The U.S. Department of Labor released its most recent statistics on unemployment today, and the findings show that while unemployment has stabilized over the past 3-4 weeks (meaning there aren't as many newly unemployed), those who are currently out of work are taking longer to find new jobs.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for unemployment fell 12,000 last week -- initial claims for state unemployment benefits declined to a seasonally adjusted 631,000 in the week ended May 16 -- but the number of people still receiving benefits after drawing an initial week of aid increased by 75,000, to 6.6 million.

What does this mean for resume writers? In simple terms, a need to continue to encourage clients to persevere in their search. There are certainly jobs out there, but clients will have to work harder (using their network and following up) to identify and secure positions. 

Making a point to emphasize a holistic approach to the search -- not just developing and distributing the resume (the equivalent of giving the job searcher a fish, rather than teaching him or her to fish). 

New 10 Questions Survey

One of the things we ask of subscribers to the free Resume Writers Digest newsletter is that they participate in our periodic surveys. Previous surveys have focused on subcontracting, "Write Great Resumes Faster," conference attendance, and our annual "Industry Survey."

Our latest request for your participation -- a question for resume writers OR career coaches -- is: "What question(s) do you ask your clients?" I'm trying to identify 10 "key" questions.

Can you help? Take a minute to fill out the survey -- or e-mail me your questions/questionnaire at rwdigest@aol.com.

The results of the survey will be the basis for an article in the next issue of Resume Writers' Digest.

The responses I've gotten so far are FABULOUS! Keep them coming!

More Analysis of the Resume Writing Industry

Yesterday, I wrote about my analysis of how many resume writing firms I believe are out there.

I thought I'd share some further data about how I think commercial list compilers are under-reporting the actual number of resume writers out there.

Another commercial list I found identified 809 resume writing firms. Take a look at the numbers reported from your state and see how that compares to your experience:

AK = 1

AL = 8

AK = 5

AZ = 20

CA = 75

CO = 14

CT = 19

DE = 3

FL = 50

GA = 18

IA = 10

ID = 2

IL = 43

IN = 12

KS = 9

KY = 9

LA = 6

MA = 25

MD = 26

ME = 5

MI = 19

MN = 25

MO = 24

MS = 6

MT = 2

NC = 25

ND = 1

NE  = 4

NH = 6

NJ = 32

NM = 1

NV = 4

NY = 62

OH = 39

OK = 5

OR = 8

PA = 48

RI = 4

SC = 6

SD = 1

TN = 12

TX = 52

UT = 2

VA = 27

UT = 1

WA = 15

WI = 14

WV = 2

WY = 2

In my case, I live in Nebraska. Although I wasn't able to see WHICH four firms were listed, I was able to analyze them by city/county, and none of them were listed for Omaha, which is the largest city in the state.

Just looking in one of my local phone books (Dex Yellow Pages), I identified five firms (in addition to my own). One of these is a recruiting firm with a resume writer on staff; the others are sole proprietorships. Interestingly, one of my oldest firms in the city isn't currently listed, so that's at least one more writer that isn't being counted.

Analyzing The Professional Resume Writing Industry

I received an e-mail today from a professional resume writer who was wondering if I knew how many professional resume writers there are out there. Because we conduct an annual Industry Survey, I think I've got a pretty good handle on this. I'll share the results that I gave to her.

My research shows that there are approximately 4,000 to 6,000 resume writers in the U.S. But some of those are career counselors who write resumes only occasionally (or who "consult" on resume writing, but don't write them themselves). Some of those are secretarial and typing services that "do" resumes, but don't necessarily focus on the craft of writing as heavily.

Many people trying to get a handle on the industry just look at the number of resume writers who are listed under "Resume Writing" in the Yellow Pages (SIC Code 73380101 = "Resume Writing Service"), but this is under-reported, according to my analysis. 

Current SIC Code counts are between 800-1300 resume firms -- but my own database shows more bona-fide resume writers than this. (My database is compiled from these Yellow Pages listings plus the major professional associations, plus "self-reporting" resume writers -- that is, they don't belong to associations and don't list themselves in the Yellow Pages, but still write resumes. Some of these might be those secretarial and typing services that also offer resume writing -- or even career coaches/life coaches/therapists who write resumes but don't advertise that service publicly. Others are "newbies" who haven't yet launched their businesses and therefore don't advertise.)

Also, there is no measurement  of what a "bona-fide" resume writer actually is. Do they write 1 resume a week, or 10? Are only certified resume writers counted (not the way I count them!). Do they have to actually WRITE resumes, or can they provide feedback to clients to help them write their own documents (I count both).

One analysis of a commercial mailing list targeting Resume Writing Services found 1012 listings.

1-4 employees -- 777 businesses

5-9 employees -- 141 businesses

10+ employees -- 94 businesses

I didn't find their sales data to be believable, so I won't share that information.

Businesses that are a single entity -- 921 (91%)

Businesses that are a headquarters for multiple branches -- 64

Years in business:

Under 1 Year - 10

1 Year -- 23

2 Years -- 25

3-5 Years -- 231

6-10 Years -- 200

10+ Years -- 523

Because this list was likely compiled from Yellow Pages listings, keep in mind that not all bona-fide resume writers in an area advertise in the Yellow Pages -- and that more established businesses are more likely to advertise than new resume writers.

Do You Work with Salespeople?

If you write resumes for those in sales or sales management, you might want to direct them to the Selling Power 500 -- a listing of the organizations that employ more than 500 sales professionals. It's updated annually and published by Selling Power magazine.

More Tips to Help You Write Great Resumes Faster

Interested in writing better resumes faster? Me too!

Here are some more tips to help you "Write Great Resumes Faster" -- and be sure to buy the 60+page Special Report (just $14!) with even more tips, techniques, and especially the Quick Reference Guides (with hundreds of accomplishment-stimulating verbs, profile descriptors, section headers, and more).

TAKE A BREAK:

• Walk away from the project and start over again after a while.
• Take a 20-minute cat nap.
• Do something physically or mentally stimulating, and come back when you're refreshed.

FIND INSPIRATION:

• Search websites for sample postings. These will give you suggestions as to how to approach the project at hand.
• Look at past resumes you've written, or glance at books in your library -- especially in the field in question.
• Talk to your colleagues -- post on an E-List asking for ideas or help.
• Google sites for specific industries to use proper jargon and verbiage.
• "Inspiration comes from going over my notes and reminding myself what the client needs to say (what I need to say for them) to demonstrate their strengths."
• Review your own past work for inspiration in formatting or wording ideas.
• "I like classical music. I like the relaxing tones without the words to fill my head."

Interactive Resumes

While reading a post on ERE about whether resumes will become obsolete, I read in the comments section about an interesting "interactive" resume style. I have to admit -- looking at the sample, it's not THAT too far off from reality ... but totally useful. Be sure to look at the little "information" ("I") graphics on the right hand side.

His video resume is pretty interesting -- here's a guy who actually "talks" like his resume!

CDI Career Empowerment Summit Set for Oct. 16-17 in Orlando, FL

Dates: Friday, October 16 and Saturday, October 17, 2009.  (Pre-conference on Thursday, 10/15).   Location: Caribe Royale All-Suite Resort Hotel, Orlando, FL (just 2 miles from the gates of Disney).  $119/night for 2-room suites with microwave and refrigerator; in-room Internet $4.95 for 24 hours. Program Highlights   Intensive-Hands-on Workshops:   Career Client Conundrums: Taming the Biggest Challenges Your Clients Can Give You Laura DeCarlo and CDI Team Leaders TBA Change Your World in Two Hours: 5 Key Steps Pat Schuler, Kick Butt Sales Training™ Power Seminars (subject to minor changes):   Getting the Most Out of Web 2.0 Part I: Business Building   Getting the Most Out of Web 2.0 Part II: Career Tools Barbara Safani, Career Solvers / FTT Research Jason Alba, JibberJobber.com   Powerful Social Networking Profiles for Profit & Client Success  Louise Kursmark, Best Impression Career Svc. Inc. Katrina Kibben, VisualCV Where the Jobs Are: Exploring the Federal Landscape Barbara Adams, CareerPro Global Inc.   Putting the Squeeze On: Helping Clients Wring Every Dollar Out of their Compensation - from CDI's Fall '09 Expert Trends report Laura Drew, Carolina Career Coach and CDI Director of Education / Research Committee member  Engage Clients & Prospects: Move Your Website to Social Web 2.0 with Free Tools Laura DeCarlo, CDI  Dynamic Networking Events:   Registration Badge Bar    Friday Networking Lunch   Friday Pool-Side Evening Tropical Reception with live steel drum entertainment   Saturday Lunch Banquet & Awards Ceremony   Saturday Vendor Fair & Networking Event    Saturday Post-Conference Careers in the Café Additional Value-Adds   Early bird rate of only $440 for members and non-members!   Two, four, and five month payment plans available: $220x2; $110x4; and $88x5.   Vendor rate, only $599; payment plans available.   Registrants are entered in a drawing for free registration in CDI's Entrepreneurial Wisdom program (self-paced version). Program registration is an $1199 value.   Registration includes two full days of programs and events! Registrants receive all materials, workshops and seminars, two hot breakfasts, four breaks, two lunches (one banquet), and all networking events. Beautiful suites for less than the price of most rooms! Only $119 for 2-room suites with refrigerators and microwaves. Low, low rate on in-suite Internet! Terrific central Orlando location and transportation! Free Shuttles to four Disney Theme Parks.