1. What led you to writing resumes? Do you have a background that made you an ideal fit for the industry?
I began writing resumes because as a Certified Career Management Coach (CCMC) I saw the importance of great CareerComm (Career Communication) documents. I’ve always enjoyed writing and CareerComm allows me to fuse that interest with my passion for a great work-life.
2. How long have you been in the industry? Would you recommend it to others? Why?
I began writing career documents for my friends and family about ten years ago. When I began coaching full-time in 2004, I expanded this service and in 2012 I completed the “Get Clear, Get Found, Get Hired” (G3) certification through the Career Coaching Academy. As the digital age offers more opportunities for job seekers to raise their visibility and credibility, I see CareerComm as a growing business opportunity, one that I love.
I would recommend a CareerComm career for anyone who enjoys words and gets a little power surge from finding the best descriptor to position a client for a career opportunity.
3. What is the single best tool you recommend for building client relations? Building your business? Improve efficiency?
My business has grown by referrals from satisfied clients and my active participation in LinkedIn. Of all the social media outlets, LinkedIn is my favorite. I’ve connected with former colleagues and friends-of-friends who see me as credible because of our mutual acquaintance and because of the recommendations and endorsements they can see.
4. If you could share one learning experience/great lesson, what would it be?
Learning to view career management as a series of marketing campaigns has opened my eyes to new possibilities for CareerComm. Perhaps this resonates for me because I spent two decades in business leadership, always focused on what the market needed and how to fill that need effectively, but I had previously viewed the resume as all about the job seeker. My perspective now is that the application, resume, cover letter and other documents are the job seeker’s tool for communicating how they are the best solution to the business’s need.
5. Looking back, what would you have done differently? Done the same?
The one thing I would have done differently is to have embraced writing sooner.
My best move—the one thing I absolutely wouldn’t change about my career path—was to engage in top-notch training. Each year, I budget my professional development expenses right along with my utilities and business equipment.
6. What advice would you give someone just entering the resume-writing industry?
I am an ardent advocate of learning from masters. First, enroll in an excellent resume-writing training program and learn the tools from the industry leaders. And then write—a lot. The best way to hone the skills of CareerComm is to practice, practice, practice. So start writing for anyone who will allow you to do so and develop your craft.
7. How do you see our industry transforming over the next 12 months? 5 years? What do think resume writers need to know in order to survive?
In the short-term, resume-writing will be re-defined as CareerComm—communication tools for career management—including social media profiles, marketing materials, personal leadership briefs, case studies, etc. Creative minds will continue to develop new ways for candidates to position themselves and we can be there with the writing skills and industry knowledge to help careerists express their unique brand.
As social media grows and mobile devices become more powerful, employers will look for faster and better ways to review candidates. Resumes—or whatever they might be called—will be the length of a few tweets. That trend will demand concise and targeted writing.
