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How to Be A Resume Writer

October 8, 2018

In the last several years, resume writing profession became increasingly popular. There are many benefits to this job including the ability to work from home and it also gives you a lot of flexibility. You can either do it part-time or full-time, whatever suits your current economic and personal needs. On top of that, there are no signs that the profession will decline any time soon. Resume writing is very important for clients as it increases their odds, not only of getting a job, but also getting a better job. This by itself is worth the money. But being a resume writer can be much harder than you think. It requires good business acumen, fine writing, and interpersonal skills. With all that being said, not everyone will become a top resume writer. However, with little practice and persistence, everyone can become at least a decent one. Here are some things you need to know if you wish to become a professional resume writer.

How to start

Every beginning is hard. This is especially true when it comes to resume writing as there is no school or university which can prepare you for this kind of a profession. If you really wish to work within this field, your best bet is to graduate an English language course, journalism or business communication. Basically, you have to have a good command of English language but also to understand how the business world works. The job is particularly suited for people who write nicely but keep in mind that writing resumes is not the same as writing articles or essays. Actually, it’s much less demanding. Here is a breakdown of everything you need in order to become good at your job:

1. Needless to say, you have to be able to write English perfectly. Resumes have to be flawless grammatically so no type of error is allowed. While there are certain programs which can help you out with minor mistakes, you still have to have a solid basis. Knowledge of English is especially important when making the opening statement as this section is one of the most important parts of the resume.
2. You have to have great communication skills and to be thorough. Resumes are made together with clients. You have to properly interview a person and ask him the right questions. Omitting one crucial piece of information can be a good reason for a candidate not to get a job.
3. Oftentimes resume writers are pressed by the deadlines; clients usually ask for the service prior to applying for a specific position. A good resume is a golden ticket that would allow them to land that job. For you, this means that you will have a very limited time. You have to work with deadlines and be able to handle several clients at the same time. This can be really tricky as you also have to be thorough during interviewing.
4. Knowledge of the particular industry is usually very important. Every industry or niche has special requirements when it comes to employees. While discipline will be sought after in one industry, some other profession will value creativity. As a resume writer, this is something you have to know. You need to focus on particular character traits, skills, and achievements that will help a candidate land a job within a particular field.
5. Besides knowing the industry you’re writing for, you also have to have good general knowledge of marketing. In the end, resume writers’ job is to sell. If you’re unable to create persuasive CVs, you probably won’t last long in this profession.

Most of these skills can be learned or perfected over time. Nowadays, most of us are forced (whether we like it or not) to use English language on a constant basis. Nevertheless, you will have to improve it to a level where you’re comfortable using it. The same goes for writing. As for the marketing skills and industrial proficiency, unfortunately, most of these things are learned through experience. Even if you have graduated a business university, you will still need some practice until you figure things out. Still, as initially mentioned, most of these skills can be improved over time. So, chin up!

Main elements of a resume

One of the great things of resume writing is that you’re able to do this job online from your computer. However, if you intend to do work like this, there is a good chance that people from other countries will approach you looking for services. An important part of this job is adaptability; whether we’re talking about adapting to a different country, resume types or industry, you have to think on your feet and be able to take various tasks. Still, no matter what kind of a request you get, some things always remain the same. To be more specific, the main elements of a resume will almost always remain the same. Here they are:

1. Contact details
2. Opening statement
3. Education
4. Work experience
5. Strengths, weaknesses
6. Additional skills (with an emphasis on technical skills, computer skills, and languages)
7. Awards and achievements
8. Hobbies and additional activities
9. References

The layout of a resume may change depending on the country or the industry. Still, these are more or less the main things you have to include. Keep in mind that resume has to be relatively short; 1 or 2 pages are ideal. You might also want to omit certain irrelevant information and instead, focus on things that are important to a particular company. Your main task is to create a readable copy that will intrigue recruiter and allow the candidate to have a better chance to land an interview and subsequently, a job.

Being a freelancer

There are basically two main approaches resume writing: you can work as a freelancer by looking for various online jobs or you can create a company. Let’s examine the first option. If you don’t have any experience in this profession, perhaps it’s better to start as a freelancer. This way, you can acquire the necessary experience by working on various projects and still, you can earn some money along the way. There are lots of websites that are great for freelancers such as Freelancer or Upwork. You can choose jobs based on your proficiency level and move upwards. Each site has its own set of rules so better check them out in advance. The biggest issue with these platforms is they take a part of your profit. However, it is still a good way to start as it allows you to take smaller jobs without committing to any resume company. They can also be a good source of additional part-time profit once you start working more seriously. Once you’re ready, you can try and apply for a job in a resume company.

Creating your own resume writing company

Of course, there is also an option of creating your own company. Needless to say, you will be taking the whole risk with this move. Also, you will have to have at least some knowledge so you can either write resumes by yourself or you can check work that is being done by your employees. Basic requirements will vary from country to country at least when it comes to paperwork. Still, most things will remain the same. You will have to:

1. Found a company
2. Purchase all the necessary equipment and rent a working space
3. Create a viable marketing plan
4. Decide how you wish to provide your services (either locally, on country level or globally via the internet)
5. Start promoting yourself online

Running your own company is a hard task. Like with any service, you will have to work closely with all kinds of people. This means that your performance will be crucial for retaining customers as well as gaining new ones. Resume writing is a job that relies heavily on word of mouth promotion especially given that it is often used by people of the similar age (primarily in their 20s and 30s but not only). Your initial costs will be much higher compared to working as a freelancer, however, potential profit will also be much higher. In the end, it all depends on how ambitious you are and where you wish to take your career.

Conclusion

Resume writing is a new, exciting profession. It has numerous benefits such as the ability to work from home and to program your free time. So, if you’re looking for something fulfilling, you should definitely give it a try.

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