Associations for Professional Resume Writers (updated 2018)

I had previously written a blog post about professional resume writing associations, but that was several years ago, and it's out of date now!

Consequently, here's an update!

If you're looking for networking opportunities, certifications, industry research, information, and more, there are several associations devoted to the professional resume writing and careers industry.

These include:

• Career Directors International (CDI). Originally founded as the Professional Resume Writing and Research Association (PRWRA), this association is run by Laura DeCarlo. Dues are $267/year or $25/month (first month is $97, then $25 thereafter). The organization offers several certifications, including the Certified Advanced Resume Writer (CARW), Certified Expert Resume Writer (CERW), Certified Resume Specialist (CRS), and Master Career Director (MCD) designations. It also offers an annual resume writing awards contest: the Toast of the Resume Industry (TORI) awards. There used to be an annual conference in Florida, but it's apparently on hiatus at the moment.
• Career Professionals of Canada. The pre-eminent organization for Canadian career professionals (including resume writers), CPC offers four credentials (Certified Resume Strategist, Certified Interview Strategist, Certified Employment Strategist, and Certified Career Strategist), a rigorous training program, and outstanding networking opportunities (including tele-networking as well as in-person meetups in Canada). Also offers CPC Award of Excellence, recognizing the accomplishments of professionals in the industry. One unique benefit for Canadian members is the opportunity to purchase group-rated liability insurance. Dues are $180/year (CAD).
• Career Thought Leaders (CTL). This organization, now owned by Marie Zimenoff, traces its roots to the Career Management Alliance (originally founded as the Career Masters Institute, or CMI). CMA was purchased by Kennedy Information (which became BNA Subsidiaries LLC), but they decided to close the organization. Wendy Enelow, the original owner of CMI, created CTL and the organization has regained the certifying authority for the Master Resume Writer (MRW) and Credentialed Career Manager (CCM) designations. The organization also offers certifications in personal branding, career transitions, resume and profile writing, the hidden job market, and social branding. The dues are different than most other professional organizations – a one-time fee of $399 earns you the title of "CTL Associate" with inclusion in a membership directory and discounts on CTL programs. The organization hosts an annual conference (symposium) -- the most recent one was in Spain in 2018. 
• CertifiedResumeWriters.com (part of The Career Experts). Not really an "association," this is an online directory for resume writers that has morphed into an "information resource site" for resume writers as well. Maria Hebda puts together an impressive line-up of teleseminars -- some geared towards member education and others designed to help members get exposure to jobseekers. There is also an active private Facebook group (membership in CRW not required to participate).  There is a one-time (lifetime) membership fee of $427.
• The National Resume Writers' Association (NRWA). This is a member-driven organization, with a volunteer board of directors. The association offers an annual conference (the 2018 conference is in Seattle) and rigorous certification -- the Nationally Certified Resume Writer credential. It also offers one of the best resume writing training programs -- Writing Excellence -- available as both a live training and on-demand. Writers can receive recognition for their work with the annual ROAR awards (Recognizing Outstanding Achievement in Resumes). Dues are $175/year.
• Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC). Founded and owned by Frank Fox, PARW was the "original" resume writing association, from which many other associations branched off. PARW offers the most common resume writing certification, the Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) credential. It also certifies individuals as Certified Employment Interview Professionals (CEIP) and Certified Professional Career Coaches (CPCC). The organization's newsletter, the PARW Spotlight, is the longest-running publication in the industry and its E-List is among the most comprehensive sources of information to get your questions about resume writing answered. The organization used to offer an annual conference, and it looks like it is coming back in 2019! Membership is $150/year (and has been since at least 2011).
• Resume Writing Academy (RWA). Not an association, really, the Academy is a training program originally developed by Louise Kursmark and Wendy Enelow, and now owned by Marie Zimenoff. Programs offered include E-Summits (webcasts) and a three-month resume writing training curriculum. Resume writers can earn the prestigious Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) credential, which is a preferred certification for many resume contracting firms as well as a certification in federal resume writing (with a self-paced training program) and social media (including LinkedIn) profile development.
• Resume Writer's Council of Arizona (formerly the Arizona Resume Writers' Association). This small group maintains a website to market members' services collectively to prospects in its geographic area. Membership is open to resume writers in Arizona. Dues are $125 for new members (including website listing) and $75/year to renew.

And, of course, there is BeAResumeWriter.com, my membership site for professional resume writers, offering resources to help you be more effective in your work and in your work with clients. Bronze members receive access to done-for-you content you can use with jobseekers, a new special report each month, and a new Career Worksheet each month (part of Evelyn Salvador's Career Worksheets for All Professions), plus access to Expert Interviews (live and recorded teleseminars and webinars on resume writing and business development topics) and the entire archive of back issues of Resume Writers' Digest. Bronze membership is $13/month (recurring payment) or $144/year.  Join here.

Did I miss any organizations? Let me know!

Q&A: I Think Subcontractors Aren't Getting Paid Enough

I sent out an email last week to promote a subcontracting opportunity for one of my listings in the "Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor" membership program and received the following response.

I think the 20% to the writer is the wrong way around. Especially for only a couple of assignments per month.

A fairer business model would see the writer getting 80%+ and the originator getting a 10% - 20% “finder’s fee”, based on the premise that the writer is doing the majority of the work. Also, I think the client gets a better result when the writer interacts with them directly, rather than adding links into the chain of communication.

Having said that I am definitely interested in subcontract work and will check out your site and the YouTube.

Just my two cents!

– G.S.

Compensation for subcontract writing projects generates a lot of controversy.

Ask a subcontract writer, and they will tell you the pay is too low. Compensation is generally ranges from 20-35% of the project fee. Factors affecting the percentage include: the amount of client contact (and whether writing from worksheets vs. conducting the phone intake session) and whether the subcontractor or the contracting writer handles revisions. In general, the more client contact and the more of the project the subcontractor handles, the higher the percentage the subcontract writer receives.

Ask a contracting writer about compensation, and they'd remind you how much more goes into the project than the actual writing of the resume. There is marketing and client acquisition time and costs, selling the client on the project and fee (including determining project scope), getting payment and onboarding the client, conducting the information-gathering process, and managing the project through completion, including project finalization. There's also the risk of chargebacks, which is almost always fully realized by the contracting writer, with the subcontact writer paid regardless.

The author of the question above raises several excellent points. Skilled writing should be compensated well. How much better? I would argue that 30 percent should be the mininum amount, and that should be writing from worksheets with no client contact and no revisions. A project with direct client contact (including conducting the intake session) should be compensated at a higher rate than a ghostwriting opportunity.

But it's never going to be an 85/15 or 80/20 split in favor of the writer. The industry standard for compensating referrals is 15%. That's the "finder's fee" model the original email referred to. But that's very different from subcontracting.

It can be tough to find a qualified (especially a certified) writer who will work on a project for less than $200 (their percentage). At current rates, that means the contracting writer would have to charge $600 (at 35%) to $1000 (at 20%). With the industry average for resumes currently at $500-$600, that doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room.

One more point: The author mentioned "especially for only a couple of assignments per month." Many subcontractors only take on a few assignments per week or month. (The industry average for most writers, according to the Resume Writers' Digest Annual Industry Survey  is 1-2 projects per week, or 4-8 projects a month.) Many resume writers pursue subcontract opportunities while they build their own client base, to smooth out the peaks and valleys. Most subcontractors are looking for extra income, experience, and the opportunity to learn how other writers run their businesses and interact with clients. Some subcontract full-time (or as their only work), but that's not the majority of subcontract writers.

Interested in subcontract resume writing? Check out the Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor membership site. Your annual membership includes the "Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor" special report (with information for subcontract writers about compensation, project management, and more -- and profiles of other subcontract writers), plus access to the Directory of Subcontract Opportunities, with more than 25 full listings for subcontract writing (with more being added and updated all the time).

Are You a Workaholic?

By Dr. Donald E. Wetmore
Is there a growing numberof workaholics in our country? My experience with my clients confirms that it becoming an epidemic in the workplace where employees are given increased tasks and then achieve increased performance by paying for it out of their hides, putting in more time rather than acquiring better time management skills to learn how to get more done in less time.

About 60% of high earners work more than 50 hours each week and complain that their health and sleep suffer as well as their relationships with their spouses and children. About 35% of the workforce is giving up some vacation time to work more and more a third of those surveyed felt guilty about taking time off.

The causes for this increase of workaholics include a more competitive business environment, less job security and technology that keeps people tethered to their jobs 24/7.

The article offers some warning signs to tell if you are an Extreme Worker.

• Do you find your enjoyment of social activities less?
• Are you thinking or worrying about work?
• Does your family complain about your work hours? 
• Are you the last one to leave the office?

Effective personal productivity is not working harder but getting the most important items done. You will leave undone more that you ever get done. You will only accomplish a tiny fraction of what you would like to get done. Having a goal, then, of “getting it all done” just buys stress and frustration and more hours for work and less time for you as you become ensnared in the Extreme Worker trap.

What to do? Two strategies might be helpful.

Start by setting in advance the total number of hours you wish to spend on the job. This will help you to take advantage of Parkinson’s Law which says, in part, that a project tends to expand with the time allocated for it. If you give yourself ten hours in the day to do your work it will take ten hours to complete. You will fill in that time.

On the other hand, if you chose to give yourself eight hours in the day to do your work, you will find yourself generally getting it done within that time frame. You will automatically become more effective at planning and managing your time. You will be less willing to spend time in wasteful meetings for example and will suffer fewer wasteful interruptions.

Second, take a regular, hard look at your To Do list and identify the items that can be delegated. There is a big difference between “I do it” and “It gets done.” What is more important is that it gets done. And the hardest part about delegating is simply letting go, especially for Extreme Workers.

I have had many executive coaching assignments helping clients to get free of the workaholic syndrome and as is often the case, the problem stems from an inability and unwillingness to delegate. “If you want a job done well you have to do it yourself,” leads you to the prison of an Extreme Worker.

Don Wetmore is a full-time professional speaker who specializes exclusively in the topic of Time Management. He conducts his nationally acclaimed Time Management Seminar throughout North America and Europe for people who want more out of life in less time, and with less stress. His seminars are witty, fast paced, and filled with practical, common sense ideas and tools. One of the country's leading experts on this topic, he is the author of “Beat the Clock!” Check out his website, The Productivity Institute, for more resources. To invite Don to speak at your next event, you may contact him directly at: ctsem@msn.com

Ten Tips for A Modern Job Search

The job search has changed in the past 2, 3, 5 years and beyond. Heck, life has changed quite a bit in that time frame too. Self-driving cars, anyone?

Here are some tips for jobseekers on conducting a modern job search.

• Times change. Recognize that if you haven’t looked for a new job in the last five years, you’ve got to learn some of the strategies that can help you conduct a modern job search.

• The resume is not dead! Don’t believe anyone who tells you that social media has replaced a resume. Hiring managers and recruiters still rely on resumes in the hiring process.

• LinkedIn is important, but not everything. A complete LinkedIn profile is important — and can help you be found — but it doesn’t replace the resume. The kind of information you collect when developing your resume can be repurposed to your LinkedIn profile, however.

• Don’t use your old resume. Objective statements are obsolete and have been replaced with an executive summary or qualifications profile.

• Generic resumes don’t work. Your resume must be tailored towards a specific type of position — or a specific job — to be effective. This is especially important if you are applying for a position online, as Applicant Tracking Systems require a significant match between your skills, education, and experience and the job posting.

• Lead with your accomplishments. Now — more than ever — an employer is interested in the results you can offer. Understand the specific needs of the role you’re seeking, and communicate the value you can deliver.

• Just because it's easy, doesn't mean it's effective. Understand that although technology makes it easy to apply to dozens or hundreds of jobs online, that remains one of the least effective ways to find a new position.

• People still hire people. Don’t be discouraged or overwhelmed by the thought of a modern job search. Focus on how you can add value to a prospective employer and get noticed by someone with the authority to hire you.

• Technology can be an asset in your modern job search! Technology actually makes it easier than ever to identify — and connect with — a recruiter or hiring manager. And technology also makes it easier to find out information about company culture, financial performance, and other internal data.

• Get help with your modern job search! One of the best resources for you in a modern job search is your resume writer. When in doubt about something you’ve heard, or read about, ask! Need a resume writer? Find one here.

Are Keywords Still Important in a LinkedIn Profile?

The short answer is YES.

I received this question from a colleague who was wondering, since LinkedIn has changed its search functions with the 2017 update ("the new desktop experience"), relegating many of the higher-level search functions to paid accounts. With the vast majority of LinkedIn users still using the Free level, the question was: Are keywords still important in a LinkedIn profile?

Let's take a closer look at where keywords can be helpful.

Industry is still included as a field in the search filters -- even on Free level -- so it's helpful for SEO there (with the idea that the ultimate purpose of SEO is to be found). Although note that the "default" search categories are limited to fields similar to your own unless you type in an industry category ("+Add").

(Click on Industries):

There is also a Keywords-specific search box:

It's only been in the last two months that LinkedIn has updated their SEO algorithm for the "new desktop experience" -- you can see the latest details on this page:
https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/4447?query=keywords

Most relevant on that page is this quote:

"More keywords aren't always better. Our advice would be to avoid overfilling your profile with keywords and only include the keywords that best reflect your expertise and experience. If you integrate an extended list of keywords into your profile, it's likely that your profile will be filtered out by our spam detection algorithms, which will negatively impact your rank in search results."

Quality over quantity. "More keywords aren't always better."

That said, I think that it's premature to say that because LinkedIn has reduced the prominence of showing the Summary on both the desktop and mobile versions that SEO/keywords aren't as important. I saw an article a couple of months ago that addressed this (I don't know if I could find it again), but it said the Summary is now more like a cover letter for LinkedIn users -- instead of how we used to position it as an "executive summary" for clients. If you provide compelling content in those first few words/lines, they'll click to read through, but it's vital to put good information in the entire profile to be found by the search engines, but once you've been found, you have to compel the human reader too. (The more things change in job search -- and technology -- the more things stay the same!)

Like with the ATS, the keywords have to be in the content in order to appear in search results. But the best strategy for jobseekers remains to use LinkedIn to build their networks (and increase their visibility through LinkedIn Publishing and liking and commenting on content -- since this appears on your LinkedIn profile page) and keeping in contact with their LinkedIn connections.

So, in lengthy summary -- I wouldn't advise any change in strategy for content based on the new desktop experience.

Answering the Pricing Question

Ask any new resume writer what's their biggest question and the answer is likely to be related to pricing their services. The most common question I get is: How much should I charge?

You want to make sure you charge enough to be profitable, but you don't want to charge so much that clients can't afford to work with you.

You’ve got the competition to consider, your own skill set, what you perceive to be your skills (yes, this is different from the former for most of us), what your market will pay, your location (not as big of a factor as it was 10 years ago, but still relevant), and a host of other variables. Working it out can feel like a hurdle you can’t quite get past.

One simple calculation is to determine an hourly rate. 

STEP ONE: Estimating Expenses and Income

The first step is to take a look at your estimated expenses. Remember to include your marketing expenses, supplies, rent, utilities, etc. Add your estimated expenses to what you want to make in income. For example, if you want to earn $100,000 a year in your business and you estimate $20,000 in annual expenses, then your income target will be $120,000.

Annual Expenses (Estimate): _____

(plus) Desired Annual Income: _____

(equals) Income Target: _____

STEP TWO: Your Billable Hours and Schedule

Consider how many billable hours you can work each week. This information will help you determine how many clients you can work with each week, and then you can calculate your annual billable hours. (Don't forget to include vacation time into your estimate. For example, if you normally vacation two weeks of the year, then your billable hours will be multiplied by 50 weeks, not 52 weeks.)

Here's an example:

If you have 25 hours available for billing each week, then multiply that by 50 to give you 1,250 billable hours each year. Also consider how much non-billable time you need to spend on your business. (If you're having a hard time estimating billable vs. non-billable time, keep track for a week and then extrapolate it.) You can make adjustments to your plan as you go along, and you can consider outsourcing some of your non-billable tasks as your profits increase.

Billable Hours Per Week _____

(times) Number of Weeks You're Expecting To Work _____

(equals) Total Number of Billable Hours Per Year _____

STEP THREE: Calculating Your Hourly Rate

Business owners charging for their services use several different methods. You might bill by the hour or by the project (but the quote is often based on the anticipated number of hours the project will take, multiplied by the hourly rate).

Calculating your hourly rate is easy, because you have the information you need. Simply divide your "Income Target" (STEP ONE) by the "Total Number of Billable Hours Per Year" (STEP TWO). For example, $120,000 divided by 1,250 billable hours gives you an hourly rate of $96/hour

Income Target _____

(divided by) Total Annual Billable Hours _____

(equals) Hourly Rate _____

Creating a solid pricing structure requires you to do a little more digging. So with your starting number in line, take a look at:

Your Competition. This might take a little detective work, since a lot of resume writers don’t publish their rates online. But if you pay attention to their websites and social media, ask a few discreet questions, and get on their mailing list, you can figure it out.

Be realistic about who, exactly, your competition is, though. Don’t undervalue or over-sell yourself. In other words, make sure you’re comparing yourself to another provider who shares the same skills, market, and track record, rather than simply looking at who you strive to become. 

You can also take a look at statistics from the resume writing industry as a whole. Career industry professionals -- sign up here to receive the current edition of the "Profile of Professional Resume Writers: Who We Are, What We Charge, How We Work."

Your Skills. In some fields, this is easy. There are certifications and educational programs that allow you — by virtue of having achieved them — to charge a certain rate. If you’ve followed this path, then pricing will be easy for you. If not, take a solid look at what you can legitimately claim as a skill.

Look, too, at your track record. Have you proven yourself by helping former clients (and do you have the testimonials and case studies to show for it)? If you do, consider a higher price range than you might have first thought.

Your Market. In the game of setting rates, it’s your market that has the final say. As any first year economy student can tell you, the price of anything lies where what the buyer is willing to pay meets what the seller is willing to accept.

If your goal is to give new college graduates a helping hand and lead them down the path to success, that unfortunately means you can look forward to low paying gigs (unless their parents are paying for your services!). That’s not a bad thing — everyone needs help in a job search — but it does need to be acknowledged. If, on the other hand, your target market is executives, then a higher fee isn’t just warranted — it’s a must. They will expect a higher price, and will not find value in the lowest-cost provider of anything, whether it’s coffee beans or business coaching.

Finally, don’t forget that pricing is never set in stone. It’s flexible. If you find you’re attracting the wrong market (or no market at all) you can always change your rates. Working too hard for not enough return? Raise your rates.

It’s your business. You get to call the shots. 

How to Embed a Google Calendar in Your Website Using Iframe Code

If you're a careers industry professional who hosts a lot of events or wants to create a resource for jobseekers, a Google calendar can be a good way to organize the information.

But how do you display the information onto your website so other people can access it?

The answer is to embed the Google calendar on your website -- using iframe code.

First, log into your Google account and create your calendar.

Then, go to "Settings" under the gear on the top righthand side of the page.

Click the blue "Calendars" tab.

Click the calendar you want to work on (listed on the left) -- you may have one calendar, or multiple calendars associated with that Google account.

Next to "Calendar Address," click the blue "HTML" button.

Click the blue "Configuration Tool" button in the popup.

On the next screen, under "Calendars to Display" (on the left), check the boxes for all the calendars you want to display. (As I mentioned, you can display a single calendar or multiple calendars all on one page).

Next, on the top of that page, click "Update HTML."

Copy-and-paste that code to embed the calendar.

NOTE: You must make sure the privacy settings on EACH individual calendar are set to PUBLIC if you want it to show up. (If your calendar page is blank, this might be the issue.)

Resume Writers: Overwhelmed? Start Here.

One of the questions I get most often from my resume writing colleagues is how to manage multiple clients/projects simultaneously.

The Resume Writers' Digest Annual Industry Survey reveals that most resume writers take on two new projects each week -- but that doesn't take into account the projects from previous weeks that are in various stages of being finalized, or resume or LinkedIn updates from previous clients -- not to mention the marketing and business development projects you're likely working on. 

The best way to manage anything is to create a system. When you systemize all the processes that need to be completed, you’ll feel yourself up to be even more creative. Some people balk at the idea of systemizing anything creative but the truth is, it’ll make a huge impact on your work if you do.

• Use a Project Management System. While most resume writers use a simple Excel spreadsheet, you can also consider using a specialized system like Asana.com or Basecamp.com to help you get and keep everything organized. Or use a system like Honor Services. Once you set up a system, you’ll find that you can get far more done in less time. 
• Put It in Your Calendar. Most project management systems can do this for you, but if you want to, you can use Google Calendar as your project management system. Organize everything you need to do and then make it into a to-do list for each workday.
• One Thing at a Time. It’s important to set up your schedule so that you’re doing one thing at a time in the right order. For example, if you're working on writing a career services book, you can order a graphic from your graphic designer for your book cover before you’ve finished the book, so that it’s done when you need it.
• Manage Your Resources. Resources involve human, financial, and technical assets that you have and can use to help you create amazing content for your audience. The better you use what you have at your fingertips, the more successful your creative process will become. 
• Remember Your Goals. Everything you do starts with a goal. If not, then you need to go back to the beginning and create goals for each thing you want to create. Whether it’s a video or a text blog post, you need to have a goal in mind for it. 
• Be Prepared. Everything starts with preparation. You can’t be creative if you have distractions. When it’s time to sit down and get work done, turn off distractions. Shut off your TV and social media. If you work from home -- and most resume writers do!! -- talk to your family and tell them how much time you need uninterrupted. 
• Analyze the Results. Like most things, just doing it doesn’t let you know if you’ve been successful. You need to look at the metrics to find out if you need to make changes or adjust anything within your process to ensure better results. Some things to track: How many new clients you are working with each week (and the revenue from each). How long it takes you to write each resume. How long the "client management" part of the resume process takes.

You can’t sit around and wait for inspiration to hit you. Each day when you get started working, it will help to know what you need to do that day. When you work on things this way, you’ll experience far more success than you would if you had no plan of action to follow.