So, you want to subcontract as a resume writer.
There are many great reasons for becoming a subcontractor. For example, maybe you’re new, and getting business hasn’t exactly been easy. Or, maybe you want the added income that subcontracting brings while growing your own business. Another reason for subcontracting is because you want to test the waters. Maybe you’re not sure yet whether resume writing is right for you.
Let’s first start by me saying that subcontract writing can be lucrative.
However, like any other venture, you must work hard, be flexible and focused, and write high-quality resumes within the firm’s specified timeline, which is generally a few days.
Anytime you consider a new venture, you’ll have questions. For example:
How best can you find companies that hire subcontract resume writers?
How do you know that the company is a good match for you?
How do you handle working for more than one company at a time?
Can you subcontract and still run your own company?
In this article, we’ll guide you on making an informed decision about whether subcontracting is right for you.
Ready?
Okay, let’s get started!
The Basics of Subcontracting
Quite simply, a subcontractor is a person who gets hired and performs a specific service for a company.
Subcontractors are not to be confused with employees, however. The line between employee and subcontractor can get confusing. This is why the IRS has outlined in this post when a contractor is an employee. Be sure to read that.
Contract writers receive payment for deliverables (not a paycheck) and are responsible for paying their own operating expenses and state/federal taxes.
Those who subcontract and meet an earnings threshold receive a 1099 at year’s end from the hiring company unless payments are made electronically (e.g., PayPal).
Companies BENEFIT by hiring subcontract writers because they avoid unemployment taxes and health care benefits for those workers. Contract staff can be let go with little to no notice. This is great for the company, not the contract writer.
Subcontract writers BENEFIT because they can set their own hours and write from home. Taking on subcontract work is great for those who have a job or a home-based business that they are looking to supplement financially. Subcontractors can terminate their relationship with the company with little to no notice as long as they ARE NOT under contract or legally binding verbal commitment.
In the resume writing sector, subcontractors are frequently employed by companies in order to A) keep a stable of writers who have different skills and specialties, B) have writers available without paying a combined steady salary, and C) have writers throughout the country to cover time zones where clients might be located.
Other reasons companies use subcontractors might be to pick up the slack during busy seasons or to prevent backlogs of work as a company expands.
What Does the Subcontracting Role Entail?
The role of the sub depends on the company they work for. For example, some resume writing firms require their subs to manage the complete project and client relationship, from the initial sale and client intake to project management and subsequent upselling of services. On the flip side, some firms prefer their subs to be completely hands-off with no customer interaction whatsoever.
Companies will vary in their needs and expectations, so expect your role to vary from one company to the next.
How To Get a Subcontracting Job
Securing a subcontracting role won’t take long because there are many larger writing firms that are always on the hunt for new writing talent.
Here are a few resources to get you started:
Start by contacting larger resume writing businesses through industry databases.
You don’t need to be a member of these industry organizations because their databases are public.
For example, the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC) offers a public database that breaks members down by state, specialty, and certification. Another industry organization worth checking out is the National Resume Writers Association (thenrwa.com).
Not all resume writing businesses are members of industry organizations. Because of this, a Google search for ‘resume companies’ will turn up hundreds of firms worth contacting. This is a bit labor intensive though.
Narrowing the list.
You’ll want to wade through these and eliminate those that have low retail pricing. A perfect match would be a company that charges more than double what you require as your per-project rate. If your goal is to make $400 per resume and cover letter project, companies that charge retail ranging from $800 to $1,000 will be your target.
Ensure the company has the right turnaround times that are optimal to your schedule. If you’re a slower writer, eliminate companies who promise clients quick project turnarounds because that won’t be conducive to how you work.
Verify the company has a good reputation. If your goal is to later build a fledgling resume writing business, stay away from resume writing firms that have mediocre support systems for their writing staff that sparks unfair treatment of their customers. Use sites like Google Reviews and the Better Business Bureau (BBB.org) to uncover potential PR issues with the company.
As crazy as it sounds, review the sample resumes on the hiring resume company’s site.
You’ll want to size those resumes up to determine if they’re above or below your skill level. Determine if you’re comfortable working within their preferred formats/presentation styles.
Look at what the company offers for packages versus what will be expected of you.
How much time does it take you to finish the average resume?
Will you be required to write the entire service package, such as resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile?
What’s the company’s expected timeline for project completion?
Will you be required to provide additional document formats; e.g., ASCII, PDF?
How long are you required to continue making resume revisions for clients? What’s the company-approved cutoff? (**This is very important to know because each time the client requests resume changes/small rewrites, your project profits diminish)
Are you expected to upsell clients on additional services?
Doing extensive vetting will ensure you join the right companies the first time.
This analysis goes beyond the company. Know what you prefer as well. For example:
How much money do you want to make per resume?
Do you prefer gathering information from the client via a worksheet or a telephone consult?
What career fields and job roles (e.g., IT, engineering) do you prefer writing for or want to stay away from?
How fast can you write resumes? Do you need several days, a week or longer?
Are you willing to handle rush projects with as little as a one or two-day turnaround?
Once you outline your own abilities and project preferences, narrowing down your list of preferred resume companies to work for will get easier.
Working For More Than One Resume Firm
We’re often asked if writing for more than one resume writing company is taboo.
Companies like their workers to be exclusive, but they realize this isn’t always doable, especially when they can only guarantee you a certain number of projects each month.
In general, companies cannot restrict you from working for more than one resume writing company at a time because everyone is given the fundamental right to earn a living.
The only restriction comes down to your time and energy. Consider how much time you want to commit in total to subcontract work versus the time you set aside for building your business and servicing clients.
There’s also writer’s burnout that we all deal with, which is something we’ll talk about in another post.
Applying For a Subcontracting Job
Write a Template Intro Email/Quick Message/Letter
This should be the easiest part for you!
After all, you’re a resume writer (or you want to be!), so writing job application content – in any form – is great practice for you.
To get your creative juices started, here’s example quick content you can use “as is” or customize to your liking:
Responding to your ad, I’m a Certified Professional Resume Writer with more than 10 years of resume writing experience/ I am at ease in almost every profession, although I prefer working in specific career fields, such as public relations, marketing, and social media. In 2018, I was a resume award finalist at the Uplift Career Association.
Attached you’ll find a copy of my resume, along with 3 sample resumes for you to review.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Regards,
Name Here, CPRW
Some resume writing companies specialize so be prepared to customize your response and resume examples to meet the required job roles/industries. For ExecutiveResumes.net, odds are the company works almost exclusively with executives and therefore you should customize your communications and samples accordingly.
Standing Out From The Crowd
As in any profession, whether an employee or subcontractor, there are ways to stand out from the competition.
In the resume business, there are three ways for doing this:
1. Certifications.
There are a lot of different certifications for resume writers.
Certified Professional Resume Writer
Nationally Certified Resume Writer
Certified Advanced Resume Writer
Certified Master Resume Writer
While no one is saying you need multiple certifications to get hired as a subcontractor, having at least one is a minimum requirement for many resume writing companies.
2. Accomplishments.
Highlighting related accomplishments can add to your brand.
Have you won any industry or writing awards?
Been published in any resume or cover letter books?
Developed a new product for the industry?
Write about your successes in your introductory/cover letter or email.
Of course, not everyone has these types of accomplishments.
Maybe you’re new to the resume industry and don’t have any achievements.
Never fear!
There are other achievements you can list.
How many clients have you written resumes for over the past ‘x’ number of years?
What is your success rate (percentage of satisfied customers)?
Or perhaps before becoming a resume writer you were a proofreader or editor for a magazine or book publisher. Mention that. After all, proofing and editing are important skills when polishing resumes.
3. Name drop if you can.
One way to stand apart from other candidates is to drop the name of someone they potentially know.
As an example, your name drop could look something like this: “I was messaging with Jon Petterson with ExecuR on Monday and he suggested I reach out to you about a potential subcontracting role with your company.”
4. Be the best at what you do.
Writing resumes isn’t easy, which is why you should get all the practice you can. There’s no better education than by doing.
You have to interpret a person’s career, identify their most important points and write/finalize the resume with a specific timeframe.
While you apply for subcontract roles, write resumes for fictitious clients.
Think about certain project complications (e.g., employment gaps) and how you would resolve them.
Take resumes you wrote last year and improve upon them.
This can be a fun process because you’re not bound by facts, so you can make up skills, achievements, client names, or whatever to help you write the best resumes.
Have fun with the design too!
Potential Sources for Securing a Subcontract Job
The below career professionals have utilized subcontract personnel in the past. This is a good list of companies to get your started:
Laura Labovich, TheCareerStrategyGroup.com
Janice/Jeremy Worthington, WorthingtonCareers.com
Marty Weitzman, GilbertResumes.com, [email protected]
CareerPerfect.com, [email protected]
Samantha Nolan, NolanBranding.com (formerly Ladybug Designs)
Please contact us if you hire subcontract resume writing staff and are seeking new recruits. We’ll add you to this list.
