I realize I’ve been covering professional resume writing quite a bit for those who are perplexed by who to hire, what to spend, how it works, etc. But for those who  choose to write their own, here’s some advice for you that I picked up off of another career advice blog, Clue Wagon, today. It may seem simple, but I thought it was an important point that can easily be overlooked…work on your resume when you’re happy.

As the blog post points out, “When do people update their resumes?  It’s when they’ve just found out they’re out of a job.  This is one of those tasks that people put off as long as possible. Now, how do you feel about yourself and your career in the few days after you’ve lost your job (or think you might)?  You’re scared.  You’re depressed.  You feel like a loser.  Guess what sort of resume you’re going to put together under those circumstances? A resume should show the reader what you look like on your best days.  It should reflect those days when you go home and say, “We did it!” or “I made it!” or “I love my job!”  That is the spirit you want to capture on your resume.”

What a simple notion. It’s easier to inject enthusiasm for our skills, our abilities, and our industry when in fact, we are feeling enthused by them. The author goes on to suggest e-mailing yourself on these days when we’re feeling good, days when we’ve accomplished something, or finished a task. Write a few lines and save them away. Then pull them out when that rainy day comes to add to your resume or before interviewing to remind yourself of your accomplishments.

“It’s really hard to remember your small victories after the fact,” Clue Wagon writes. “If you do something huge, like landing a plane in the Hudson River and saving a bunch of people…well, that guy won’t have any trouble updating his resume when the time comes.  The rest of us, though, probably need a little help. Keeping track of your accomplishments as they happen is the best insurance you can get in terms of getting your next job.  It will make everything so much easier if you find yourself in trouble later.”

Nice advice. Take a look at the whole post here.

Today we’ve got our interview with Barbara Safani, a career strategist, resume writer, and author who lent us her expertise for this week’s column on choosing the best resume writer for you.

Safani is President of Career Solvers, a career management firm specializing in career coaching, resume writing, and on-line identity campaigns for senior professionals and executives. Prior she worked in recruiting. Here’s what she had to say about finding your writer.

“First of all have a conversation with the person,” she say. “Make sure you have a rapport. They should be able to show you samples or have something on their web site to get an idea of their writing style.”

What should you look for in those samples?

“You want a person that’s writing a clear message and  conveying your value,” she says. “Are they getting past tasks and talking about impact?”

What to watch out for?

“Lots of people are retyping and not changing context,” Safani warns.

How about accreditation?

“If you don’t have an accreditation, it doesn’t mean you’re not a good writer,” she says. “Ask the writer questions like how long have they been in the business, have they been published?
Resume writing is a specific technical skill. So if someone is doing all kinds of writing, it’s probably not good.”

Big Companies vs. Individual Writers?

“The benefits of a sole entrepreneur is that they’re going to spend time on it versus someone  at a big company where they don’t pay them much money. Services with job boards usually contract it out to someone. So you’re not working with the person you’re talking to on the phone.”

How important is it to know the field?

“Part of  a writer’s job is to probe and put things in context. You should be able to write for people even if you haven’t been in that industry,” she says. “The focus should be more about qualifications as a writer—even if it’s someone that hasn’t done what you do.  Strategies transcend knowledge of the field. Can that person create a powerful advertising campaign for you versus do they know the technical aspects of what you do.”

Any warning signs when talking to writers?

“If you ask a writer questions they can’t answer or aren’t willing to answer or their web site doesn’t convey a professional presence,” Safani says. “Find out how they got into the business. The main thing is if you don’t get clear answers to your questions and if they don’t understand the goal to your project. A relationship is important. You should feel the writer is an advocate for you and can articulate the process and value of working with them and they are willing to look at your resume as is and make some quality assessments.”

“It’s a collaborative process,” Safani adds. “The writer is your muse, but they have to get the right information from you. You have to have time to think about what you want on a quality resume.”

How has the business changed in this economy?

“The biggest difference is clients have had to reinvent themselves,” she says. “A financial services person may need something more flexible. The writing isn’t that different, but the strategy is different.”
What should you expect in price?

“If there is no face to face interaction between you and the writer it should be less expensive,” she advises.  “A resume for $100 probably isn’t good. Anything under $400, there’s probably not a lot of workmanship going into it.”

For more information on what Safani can do for you, visit her business web site.

Louise Fletcher, President of Blue Sky Resumes, provided detailed advice for anyone considering using a resume writer for my latest Media Daily News column. Following are some additional details and tips from Fletcher that are well worth reading if you’re in the market for a professional resume writer. -

-Shop around. Even if you like the first person you talk to.

-The ideal way to find a writer is through a referral. Consider who provides the reference. For example recruiters, career coaches and other web sites are generally good sources.

-Look at samples of resumes the writer has done. Don’t use anyone who won’t provide samples.

-Look at multiple samples. Are they different from each other or is the writer just using a template?

-Do resume samples impress you personally? If not, don’t use that writer.

-Ask about guarantees. If writers won’t refund your money, will they guarantee results if you get bad feedback or no results? Don’t sign up with someone that won’t give any guarantee on their work. Fletcher guarantees her work 100%.

-Evaluate the writer’s qualifications. Some of the resume certification services aren’t rigorous, so don’t be misled by that as a criteria. Dig deeper. Ask the writer when they got certified. Ask about their professional background.

-Bigger resume services do a lot of outsourcing. If you decide to use one of them make sure to ask who is going to do the writing.  Ask about the qualifications of writer.

-Ask writers what they don’t do. Some people will take on any business that comes their way. Ask if there are any types of resumes they don’t write. Their answers will tell you something about their ethics. Not everyone can do everything well. (For example, Fletcher doesn’t do academic or military or federal government resumes. She’ll refer to someone that does.)

-Make sure the writer is web savvy. Look at their web presence. Make sure their web site looks good and is up to date. Is the writer up to date on social networking? So much about job, search has changed in last 5 years. If the writer doesn’t market themselves well how can they market you?

-Check the writer’s references. If it’s not appropriate to call ex-clients, has the writer collected testimonials on LinkedIn? Some writers have references on their website.

-Ask about the process. Not every writer is the same. Blue Sky uses an in depth questionnaire. Others will do a one hour phone call.

-Don’t base your decision on the resume writer on price. While it’s a consideration, it should be last thing you look at. (Most of the resume re-writes Fletcher does come from “cheap” services.)

For more on Blue Sky Resumes visit their website and check back in the coming days for more expert interviews with professional resume writers.

In this week’s Media Daily News column, I answered the question “How do I find the best professional resume writer?”

Recognizing that there is a major surplus of resources available for resume help (and some better than others) and that it is a confusing and time consuming process to find the best writer for a particular executive’s needs, I turned to some professional resume writers to hear what they had to say about what makes a resume writer great and what to expect.

Here is a more detailed look at what one of my pro’s, Jane, had to say.

Jane Turkewitz, President and Founder of T & Jam Résumé Services

“The key to any business is to differentiate yourself. I have a niche and a specialty as a recruiter and I’m someone that has worked in the media business.”

Turkewitz is a contract recruiter in the media and entertainment industries as well as a media marketing veteran herself and she writes resumes for, you guessed it, media and entertainment executives (as well as cover letters, executive bios and more.)

She advises that finding a writer who knows your industry is the way to go, guaranteeing that they understand the skills and accomplishments you want the document to emphasize.

“The person needs to have credibility within the industry that you’re working in. You’ll see that I do blogging, have done seminars, and am involved in the media community,” she says. “If someone comes to me and has a background I’m not familiar with, I don’t want to do their resume. I think if people don’t understand the business they won’t know what questions to ask and they can’t do a proper resume.”

Additionally, according to Turkewitz,  the writer’s past experiences in the industry and years as a writer are as good an accreditation as any.

Many of the resume writers I interviewed agreed that certifications and accreditations from different associations shouldn’t serve as a writer’s only credential, but rather their depth of experience is a better indicator of their ability to capture your value on paper.

Once you’ve decided what you’re looking for in a writer, the next issue is where to find them. “The way people find me is through major job search sites and through trade organizations that publish information regarding their industries, but 90% of my business is word of mouth.” Other writers I spoke with agreed that most of their business was through referrals. Asking colleagues and friends for recommendations can free up some of the time you’d spend perusing hundreds of web sites.

Once you’ve got a few recommendations, Turkewitz has a few tips for what to look for in a website.

“Credentials are a big part of what people look for,” she says. “Reputable corporate backgrounds and an understanding of what hiring managers are looking for.”

“Asking for references is a good idea,” she adds. “The idea is to talk to someone that has a similar background to yourself. People have asked for samples of my work, and I’ve done that in the past.”

Asking a writer about their process will also give you some insight into their credibility, she says.

“I create a customized questionnaire for each client and tell them to prepare for meeting with me,” she says. “It’s their option to do it by phone or in person. Some just want to fill it out and send it to me. Once the client answers my questions, the resume should be back within a week at the most.”

“Look for the process that they use,” she says of choosing your writer. “Is it online only? How many times can they get revisions?”

For more info on T & Jam visit her website.

Check back in the coming days for more interviews with resume professionals from varying companies and backgrounds.

By Beverly Weinstein

There’s no shortage of resources that offer resume writing services. The challenge is how to choose the right one. For help navigating the process, I asked some professional CV writers, as well as large career sites for their advice.

Where to Start

Career Builders, The Ladders, Vault and even The Wall Street Journal, are among the major Web sites that offer resume writing services. These resources and others large ones like them generally outsource writing.

If you’re looking for an individual writer or a small group of writers, check with your friends and business associates for referrals. Reading blogs and articles on career advice will also net some recommendations.  In addition, there are at least six associations that offer training or certification programs. Standards for each vary, and they all provide lists of writers by geographic region or by specialty. Beware, the lists are long and may add to, rather than simplify, your choices.

Comparison Shop

With so much to choose from, don’t settle too quickly. Consider doing some comparison shopping. “Even if you like the first person you talk to, take a look at other writers as well,” says Louise Fletcher, founder of Blue Sky Resumes. “It’s important to make sure you have a rapport with the writer, and you like their style.

“This is a significant investment, anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. More importantly, it’s your career, and you have a lot on the line. This should be a very strategic document,” adds Louise Kursmark, president of Your Best Impression.

Ask For Samples

“Resume writers should be able to show you samples of their work or have something on their Web site that gives an idea of their writing style,” says Barbara Safani, president of Career Solvers. Look at several samples to see if the person is using “cookie cutter” templates or if the resumes are unique and the writing is sharp. “Is the person writing clear messages and communicating value? Are they getting past tasks and talking about impact?” Safani asks.

Big career sites will also provide samples. The Ladders has a section on its site that features member testimonials and articles about their resume writing experience, explains Ware Sykes, director of Career Services.

Qualifications

Most of the pros I talked to advised that clients look past professional certification as the main criteria in choosing someone. Instead, evaluate the writer’s skills. Find out about his or her background. Was he or she in HR or working for an executive recruiter? How many years has he or she been writing resumes? Is this a part-time or full-time profession? If the writer can’t or is unwilling to answer questions about their background or if his or her site doesn’t convey a professional presence, that’s a warning signal to stay away.

Consider asking the writer for references from past clients. Check LinkedIn or the writer’s site to see if they have client testimonials.

Specialization

Some writers feel it’s crucial to have a background in the field they are writing for. Jane Turkewitz, president of T and Jam Resume Services and a former media-marketing executive commented, “If the writer doesn’t understand their clients’ business, they won’t know how to delve into their backgrounds and get the right information for a strong resume.”

Sykes agrees. “We pair clients with a writer who specializes in writing resumes for their field. A software engineer and a marketing professional have very different areas of expertise which means their core competencies and accomplishments should be presented differently.”

But not everyone saw eye to eye on the subject. “The strategy for writing is consistent across industries and part of the writer’s job is to probe and put things in context. A good writer should be able to write for people even if they haven’t been in their industry,” said Safani.

A spokesperson from Career Builders weighed in somewhere in between: “It really depends on the client and their background, as well as their job searching needs. As more and more job seekers look to transfer their skills to other industries in this tough economy, it can be helpful to have a more general skills-based resume than one that is specifically tailored to one particular industry.”

The Process:

Generally clients will have a preliminary phone conversation with the writer to discuss how they work and what to expect. Writers, whether they are affiliated with large career services or are individual practitioners, will often offer to give a free brief evaluation of the client’s existing resume. Most writers have contracts that specify what they will be delivering.

After they’re hired, the writer will provide you with a detailed questionnaire or have a lengthy phone interview with you. Many will do a combination of both. Be careful you’re not just working with a typist that will take your answers and make them look pretty. The interview should delve deep into your goals and interests and what you uniquely have to offer

It’s up to the client to be a fully invested partner in the process in order to produce the best results. You have to be willing to provide information. Expect to invest time in the process.

Time Line

Don’t call the day before your big interview and expect to get a professional resume. There was agreement that it should take anywhere from 5 to 14 days for the first draft to arrive. Resume revisions are expected and generally done as part of the overall cost. However, everyone puts limits on revisions in terms of how long you have to ask for them and how many they are willing to do.

Resume Length

General agreement was that resumes should be two pages, except for more junior or entry-level clients. “The resume should be long enough to contain essential information and not any longer. My almost unbreakable rule is not to exceed two pages. You have to match the attention span of people reading it. I’m always striving to get to the essential core,” commented Kursmark.

Cost

You should be able to get a quality resume for between $400-$600 if you’re a mid-level executive. If the price is below $200, that’s a red flag. A senior level executive should expect to pay between $700-$800. A C-level executive might pay up to $4,000, but that price generally includes some personal branding and coaching.

Read the column on Media Daily News.

Today’s Wall Street Journal tackles the issue of the overqualified candidate. With so few senior level jobs available, many executives are trimming their resumes, changing titles, and even omitting some of their education to appear less experienced and thus less likely to jump ship if another opportunity comes along. Here’s an excerpt from the article, The New Résumé: Dumb and Dumber:

“Kristin Konopka sent out nearly 100 copies of her résumé in January in search of receptionist work, but got only one callback. That’s when Ms. Konopka, a 29-year-old New York actress and yoga teacher, took her master’s degree and academic teaching experience off her résumé.

The calls started coming in. The slimmer version of her résumé landed in 30 in-boxes and earned her three callbacks and two interviews. “It definitely picked up the interest,” says Ms. Konopka, who realized quickly that people don’t “want to hire anyone who is overqualified.”

I touched on this very same issue and a few others that come along with it in a recent column. My advice, and that of the pro’s I interviewed, erred on the side of caution with deceiving an employer. Instead, creating a new type of resume placing emphasis on talent over title and skills over salary can put a new spin on your job hunt while still keeping you honest. The author of the WSJ article touches on this kind of editing rather than ommitting in resumes towards the end of the article:

“Some résumé writers advise reworking a résumé into a functional one stressing transferable skills instead of past job titles and accomplishments. “Instead of focusing on the big achievements that might scare an employer away, you can spell out what you can bring to an employer in the next position,” Ms. Kabell says.”

While creating a new, less traditional resume can shed a new light on your experiences and take the emphasis off your age and experience level, the overall question of overqualification seems to be less concrete to tackle than changing a resume. Many readers of today’s WSJ, commented on the fact that they see “overqualified” as a cloak term and that you’re either qualified or you’re not. That may be true, but what some readers see as descrimination against a more experienced and “very qualified” applicant, is a red flag to an employer who is looking for someone to stay on for the long run and not bail out for a better salary or title in a few months and can you blame them? Better to adjust to the times than try to fight it.

-Bev

Office supply giant Staples is offering 20 free copies of your resume and 40 free business cards in what they’re calling their Career Stimulus Program. It’s always fun to get free stuff, especially when you’re on the hunt for a job and have little dough to spare.  Hop into your local Staples before June 13 to take advantage of the offer. It’s a nice idea, though a slightly unsettling sign of the times.

As unemployment mounts, it seems a lot of people are looking for  ways to capitalize. Today’s Wall Street Journal reviews three  resume  web design sites. Turns out the one that’s  free gets a thumbs up (visualcv.com).  However, an issue that’s explored is the importance of design vs. content.  My vote goes to content.

Illustration by Jason Schneider via WSJ.com

Over the past few months I’ve mentioned in several of my columns the importance of branding and selling yourself, whether through your resume, by using superior networking and interviewing skills, or with tactics that go above and beyond. As the job market continues to be a daunting battleground for the unemployed it has never been more important or more challenging to stand out in the crowd, a crowd whose numbers continue to grow. Losing hope can lead to losing sight of the potential you have and the many ways in which you would be an asset to the company you’re applying to.

Yesterday, in the WSJ Online’s Reinvent section, an interesting section I’ve mentioned before with tips and stories of career men and women who are looking to turn over a new leaf, a piece on Building Your Brand offered some wisdom on the topic. Here is a quick excerpt from the piece:

“Personal branding serves as career protection in uncertain times. It’s also a critical tool for reinventing yourself because you can leverage the reputation and skill set you already have to prove you have the ability to do the job you want.”

Some suggested methods for creating a memorable brand for yourself were through utilizing social media and the internet. Creating a presence for yourself using online social tools, blogs, and podcasts helps the message you’re hoping to send to reach a broader spectrum of people. Using the web also allows you to have a visually cohesive and memorable theme.

More on using social networking for branding yourself and/or your business will be coming soon on DearBev, including start-up services for the less tech-savvy crowd.

My Director of Talent Research at Markham Media recently published a Career Haiku on MediaDailyNews with the idea that tackling your career doesn’t need to be so stressful and could even be fun. So, give yourself that well needed moment of zen and stop back here (and on MediaPost) each week for a simple token of advice in the ancient Japanese poetic form. Below is her Haiku as it appears on MediaDailyNews:

By Alyse Walsh

Let’s try something new

Career advice on the run

Why not a haiku

Alyse Walsh, a Markham Media colleague of “Dear Bev” career advice columnist Beverly Weinstein, has offered a “career haiku” as a way to stimulate some thinking, dialogue and maybe a little bit of poetry exchanging among the readers of MediaDailyNews.

A haiku, of course, is a form of Japanese poetry, consisting of three metrical phrases of five, seven, and five syllables, respectively.

If you’d like to try your hand at one, please post it here, and use it to connote or evoke anything you’d like to about your career in media.

Here’s another example:

Do you golf or ski?

Build a stronger resume

Add activities

Take a look on MediaPost: http://tinyurl.com/cn8ykl

One reader, already added to the dialogue by posting her own Career Haiku as a comment to the publication. Frances Page, founder of Frances Page Project Room LLC, a brand creation and media company wrote:

Auto, financial,

Pharma, Retail, QSR.

Upfront weak again?

I’d love it if you submitted your own to us as well!

Illustration by Doug Savage via KimandJason.com