I enjoy giving resume writing presentations. They are an important resource both for job seekers and for other resume writers.
If you are a job seeker, knowing what a great resume should look like will help you better partner with a professional resume writer. If you are a resume writer, receiving information from others in the field allows you to broaden and deepen your skills.
As a recognized leader in the fields of resume writing and career coaching and as a professional resume writer for 15 years, I have presented before job seekers at every career stage, before other professional resume writers, and before various organizations both in person and online.
Here are some of the key resume components and approaches that I share when speaking before those groups:
- Many people have misconceptions about the purpose of the resume. The purpose is not to get a job but to get an interview. A well-written resume also helps focus you, the job seeker, on where you want to go, your abilities, what you offer the customer and why you are the unique person to fulfill the company’s needs.
- A lot of people come to me and say “get me a job, any job and I want to keep all my options open.” If job seekers do not have a goal, they have no way to get to the goal. The resume is a map to get job seekers from where they are to where they want to be in their career. By “keeping my options open,” a job seeker may get so distracted that you completely miss the option you really want.
- Before writing, it is important to take the preparation time to strategically think through the resume. This essential preparation process will allows the writer to formulate a clear narrative that highlights accomplishments—which is what a potential employer wants to know.
- If you are a job seeker, do not expect companies to help you. You are your own career manager. Look at your full skill set and find jobs that meet your skills, accomplishments and personal criteria. You have to show why you are a match for the company and for the job’s requirements.
- You have to prioritize what is important to you. What do you find easy to do that others find hard to do—that is part of your brand. You may be blind to what makes you most important. There are books to guide you in finding your brand or you can go to a professional career coach.
If you would like me to speak before your group, my interactive presentations give your members a chance to ask questions about resumes and job searches. Please contact me if your group will benefit from my expertise in resume writing and career coaching.