Issue #2
February 7, 2006
IN THIS ISSUE:
  • Two Easy "Spin Offs" to Bump up Your Income with Little (or No) Added Effort
  • Looking for an Expert Opinion?
  • How to Write an "Objective" that Gets a Client Interviews
  • Make Big Money Writing Simple Letters
  • Wanted: Your Success Stories, Tips, and Ideas
  • Save Time and Ease Communication with a vCard
PROFIT BOOSTER: Two Easy "Spin Offs" to Bump up Your Income
with Little (or No) Added Effort

Here are two easy – and fast – services you should consider offering. Both can add hundreds to the bill you send any client. Instead of simply preparing a resume, provide these natural add-ons, too:

  1. Convert any resume you create into the proper formats for both online and email submission. This service can add another $75-$100 dollars to your bill, depending on the size of the resume or CV. In addition, you could even offer to provide 10 or 20 paper copies printed out on top-quality paper and with matching envelopes as well. Again, you can charge an additional fee for this.
  2. Go one step further. Don't simply prepare a busy client's resume, but actually do the submissions for him or her. You can easily take in another $150-$250 for this service – particularly if you position yourself as "in the know" in terms of the best places to post a resume and the best ways to do it. This saves your clients hassle and time, and it gives them the comfort of knowing the job is being done right. Keep a record, of course, of the places you've posted any given resume – send this to your client and keep a copy for yourself so you have it to refer to later.
LET US ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS:

Please keep in touch – and allow us to help you succeed. Do you have a question about how to get your resume business started, how to grow your business, or how something "really works"? By all means – ask. In future issues we'll address your biggest concerns and lay out answers to help you succeed – fast. Contact us at: resumewritingsuccess@awaionline.com

HOW TO WRITE AN "OBJECTIVE" THAT GETS A CLIENT INTERVIEWS
By Julien Sharp

The "Objective" you find on the top of an ordinary resume is likely to be uninspired. And it's likely to do more damage than good. Here's what I mean:

Picture an HR Director who's looking to fill a management position in the IT department of her firm. She places an ad online and in the town newspaper ... and receives more than 300 resumes from interested candidates. Wow! Great response!

But she has less than two weeks to fill this position. How is she going to decide which of the candidates she will call for a pre-interview conversation?

She'll start by reading resumes from the top down. And that means she'll start with the "Objective." She picks up one resume, and reads:

"Seeking a position in a strong organization with room to grow."

Boring. Vague. Not targeted for the position. This could be a resume for anything from customer service to corporate bookkeeping.

Most likely, it will not get a second glance.

(You do NOT want this to happen to a resume you write.)

Now, consider this one:

"Seeking a position using my extensive knowledge and successful experience within the Technology Industry."

Well, this is a little better. And if the HR Director gets only a few resumes, it might get your client a call. But remember, This HR Director got more than 300 resumes. She is going to call maybe 10% of them to "screen" for an in-person interview.

What's going to make her pick up the phone?

Here is an "Objective" that makes the cut:

"Seeking a management position in Information Technology, utilizing progressive experience developing business-technology solutions to maximize profitability and efficiency."

That's much stronger – targeted specifically to the position and stated in a single sentence. It lets the HR Director know that the candidate is:

  1. Able to develop business technology
  2. Solution-oriented
  3. A producer of both profitability and efficiency (two very strong "buzzwords" – and music to an HR Director's ears).

Kicking off a resume with an "Objective" like this allows employers to spend their valuable time only on people who look like they really want the job... and have the relevant training and experience.

If you don't include a tailored and specific summary like this for your clients, their resumes may never be read at all.

But keep it short. Remember, the employer must be able to read it in a split second. A resume with a long, rambling "Objective" may get tossed.

As a rule of thumb, avoid generalizations and cliches. For example, instead of "communications skills," say "technical writing" or "telemarketing" skills. Instead of "creative," say "graphic designer" or "photographer."

Bottom line:

Don't assume that the employer will look through all of your client's employment history to see if he or she is a candidate worth taking the time to interview.

Let your client's prospective employer know – right up front and without a doubt – what he or she will bring to the organization…

Focus on one specific objective – and back it up immediately with a "teaser" of your client's specific, measurable accomplishments.

I'll show you exactly how to do it in our next e-letter. Getting a handle on this concept will put you way ahead of your competition – and increase the number of people clamoring for your services.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Julien Sharp has been working with resumes for 20 years – writing, screening, and evaluating them. She's a member of the American Writers & Artists Inc. (AWAI) Board of Advisors and one of the creators of AWAI's Resume Program. For more information about that money-making blueprint or independence and financial freedom, click here: http://www.myresumebiz.com/rwss]

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SEND US YOUR GOOD NEWS, TIPS AND IDEAS

We love to hear about your successes. If you have good news to share – how you landed a new client, made the transition to full-time resume writer, or even a technique you've found works wonders, please tell us at: resumewritingsuccess@awaionline.com

FROM THE TECHNOLOGY DESK:
Save Time and Ease Communication with a vCard

To save time and ease your communication with new and prospective clients, create for yourself a "vCard."

This handy electronic "business card" allows you to quickly and accurately send your contact information to your online contacts. It's the electronic equivalent of paper clipping a business card to a letter.

Most email programs – including Outlook and Outlook Express – support this internet standard. It's something you can set up to attach automatically to all your correspondence or – better – merely attach manually to an email in which you're introducing yourself to a new or potential client.

The recipient will be able to automatically store your information in his address book. And, in turn, when you receive a vCard from somebody, you can do the same.

This saves everybody the time it takes to manually enter name, address, phone, etc. into an address book and also eliminates the risk of data-entry error.

If you are an Outlook user, you can read Microsoft's tutorial on vCards here:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011127311033.aspx. If you use a different email program – search the Help function for "vCard."

In addition, you'll find many varieties of "business card scanners" on the market, and these machines will convert a regular business card to a vCard in a matter of seconds.

COMING NEXT ISSUE

In the next issue Resume Writer Success Strategies, learn the secrets to writing powerful teasers that will highlight your clients' specific, measurable accomplishments.

* ABOUT RESUME WRITER SUCCESS STRATEGIES *

Resume Writer Success Strategies is a FREE weekly newsletter from the American Writers & Artists Inc., available to AWAI members and friends.

© 2006 American Writers & Artists Inc.

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