Writing a resume is a complex process.

It’s not a buzzword compatibility conversation, although you do need to show your skills and expertise. But it shouldn’t be alphabet soup.

The very most important part of me writing your resume is that it’s in YOUR voice.

We will start by having a 30-60 minute conversation about your goals and objectives. We’ll talk about the style of resume, the psychology of graphics and their placement, (based on the research of eye-tracking software), how people read and absorb resume information, and how we’ll address several audiences at once.

Chances are your resume is pretty good now and we just need to tweak it.  The conversation should bring out more accomplishments and value statements. We’re building your brand! Your resume needs to show the value that you bring and can add to your future employer by what you’re doing now, and what you’ve done in the past. This also helps when you get to the interview stage – the things we write will be the answers to the interview questions.

After we have talked, I’ll send you a short list of questions that are designed to help me get to know you and bring out the “Essence of You” and jog your memory about the things you do now and have done in the past.  This will be the hardest part for you and the most important part. You do so many things every day, some of which you don’t even think about and that you don’t think are important enough to mention.  We’ll dig into the projects you’ve worked on, what you did, the issues and how you fixed them, what you learned – the whole story.  Experience is often best displayed and described by describing a great project!

Then I’ll start putting it all together and send you a draft. We’ll talk some more and edit.  This is not a ‘slick and quick’ process. This is your resume, your life, your story.  It has to be the best we can make it.  Your future depends on it.

It usually takes 2-4 weeks to write a good solid resume, depending on how much work we need to do. If it’s a light tune up – probably a week, depending on how much time you have available to spend with me.  If its ‘from scratch’, it could take a lot longer – again depending on how much time you have to spend with me.  If you’re working, it may be harder for you to carve out an hour to chat and I understand that. But if it’s an emergency, we can talk everyday.

Then we’ll start working on your LinkedIn profile. We’ll look at style and how much information to put in – it shouldn’t be a mirror of your resume – close, and in sync, but not a mirror image. We’ll talk about recommendations and getting them, and your picture! The LinkedIn profile is as important a platform as your resume. Many companies are using it, rather than a resume.