3/04/2011

CAN YOUR HOMEMADE RESUME BEAT THE RESUMES OF PROFESSIONAL WRITERS?

Can your self-written resume beat the winning resumes of first-class professional writers? NO, not in this job market which is the most challenging ever.


For a resume to impress recruiters today, it needs to be a standout -- appealing, focused and preferrably tailored. Do you know how to do this? Most job seekers need professional help. (If you've written only 5-10 resumes so far, you are still an amateur as a resume writer. Frankly, you are probably NOT QUALIFIED to write a winning or tailored resume for 2011! It is NOT easy to do it.)


Always remember, the interview lands you the job, but the resume lands you the interview!


In 2011, a focused resume is the best job search tool. With hundreds of job seekers (both qualified and unqualified) applying for every vacancy, yours could be screened out in only five (5) to 15 seconds! Why? Mainly because it may look too "basic" or amateurish or incomplete! Homemade resumes do stand out but for the wrong reasons. Many are not only weak but unfocused, poorly formatted, badly organized, and unattractive!


Your resume is YOU-ON-PAPER. That's all that a perfect stranger or employer or recruiter can tell about you. How does it look? Does it "sell" you?


Would you go to a job interview without putting on make up or shaving your beard? Of course not; it may turn them off. But that's the kind of negative impression that a self-written resume often makes and Sally the Screener won't waste her time scanning it! Why should she? She has hundreds of better looking resumes to choose from. "When in doubt ... Screen out"!


By contrast, resumes revamped or improved by first-class resume writers will have lots of "eye appeal". Professional resumes are surviving the screening process and are generating interviews. How is yours doing? Is it an outdated resume that might have worked five or 10 years ago. Or is it a focused and tailored resume to beat the Recession of 2011? When last have you had a face-to-face job interview? How long have you been looking for work? Quitting on yourself is the worst thing you can do.


Good Resumes Are More Important Than Having The Best Qualifications


Have you noticed that the best candidates are NOT usually hired? A study by psychology professors Hunter & Schmidt in "Psychology Today" found a typical employment interview is only 7 percent more accurate than flipping a coin. This is because the typical interviewer doesn't know the right questions to ask and makes a decision based on their "gut feeling" about a candidate. In such cases, having the best resume often gets you hired, NOT being the best qualified. That's why so many of my semi-qualified clients get hired! I see this all of the time! Or is it due to my "wizardry with words" as one client described it?


Why do so many Communications and Marketing people fail to sell themselves? What's wrong with their self-written or homemade resumes?


After 24 years of resume writing, I agree that most job seekers are able to write a "basic" or plain-facts resume but NOT a winning resume. Some executive resumes will even be well written in perfect English with very little that needs to be changed or corrected. But the most important section on Page 1 may either be missing or very poorly done. As a result, it won't be EFFECTIVE and that is always fatal. In my experience, only 5 percent (5 in 100) are able to write a WINNING resume or cover letter in which they "sell" or market themselves EFFECTIVELY on Page 1 and elsewhere.


Even the best self-written resumes do NOT present your VALUE or "selling points" up front, do NOT highlight your KEYWORDS and sadly, your ACHIEVEMENTS or accomplishments may lie buried in the text where they will be overlooked. One reason for this failure, is that most job seekers still do NOT know how to use resume BULLETS correctly and effectively as highlighters. (30-50 black bullets will do nothing for you.)


Many do NOT know how to use WHITE SPACE properly because they are trying to get it all down on one page or two. Their resumes are too cramped and congested to be scanned and will be screened out because they look so gray and boring. One unsuccessful architect, even designed his own format but it was not designed to sell or market him! That's why more than 90% of all homemade resumes will probably be screened out in 10 seconds or less. Today's screeners are brutal!


And the continuing infatuation with the weak but elegant Garamond font is pathetic. I very seldom see an effective resume that is also elegant!


Most job seekers simply lack the skills required to sell themselves effectively on paper. One of these anxious job seekers recently wrote to me as follows:


"Dear Matt:


"Dear Matt, I have attached two versions of my resume and a cover letter for review. I must admit that I have a stack of resume books on my bookshelf but I just cannot construct the standout resume that I need. If feels as though I am in a rut and need help to get out." (Sales/Marketing Executive)


Another frustrated executive writes: "I don't know how to communicate my value in a resume even though most of my background is in Marketing and Communications."


I am NOT surprised. It is a mistake to think that your experience in Marketing or Communications will somehow give you an edge or advantage or even "qualify" you to write a winning resume. You may know very little about SELF-MARKETING which is the art of selling yourself in a resume i.e. presenting your value on paper.


Writing a good resume is very different from writing a great speech for President Obama or P.R. press releases for BP or packaging and marketing a new consumer product such as Rooibos Hair Growth Formula. Resume writing is a different ballgame. It's what professional resume writers do for a living and is an art. Hundreds and hundreds of English majors have already discovered this and hundreds of Marketing executives.


"Thanks Matt....


"I've been reading all the good stuff on your blog. I learned a lot from you today and want you to know that I have great respect for you and enjoyed talking things over. Thanks for the great lesson.


You're a genius. I learned more from you in 30 minutes than I did in 3 university-level Communications courses.


Your 25 years of experience can't be found in any textbook. I know this to be true because I have a library downstairs with more than 90 Marketing and Communications books. Always a pleasure Matt. Carl"



"Thank you for your honest feedback of my resume." -- I.T. Program Manager


"Matt: Thanks for your honesty. It does not bother me at all...I want my resume to be the best...whatever it takes." -- I.T. Learning Management Manager


I often ask job seekers to excuse my candor or frankness when I critique or evaluate their resumes, especially those that are NOT working. It's a FREE service I offer. I have been doing it for 25 years and am also the published author of Winning Resumes (Penguin). As a rule, I do know what I'm talking about and my critique is FREE. [Other top resume services may charge $75-100 for this indepth critique and there are also those who will send you a boilerplated resume review where 90% or more is identical for everyone. (L ......com is known to do this.)


If I am to suggest to you what, in my view, may be wrong or missing or needs to be "fixed" or improved, I cannot pull my punches. That won't help you much. I honestly feel that I don't need to spend time on being gentle or diplomatic or politically correct in trying to help you or even rescue your career. That is too important. Being out of work is costing you thousands of dollars! So, please accept my constructive criticism and try to forget about or set aside your pride of authorship for a moment -- even if it hurts.




Photograph of Matthew Greene, M.Phil., resumé writer.Front cover Matthew Greene's book, Winning Resumes..


The Awful Truth About Many Self-Written Job Resumes is That ...



The awful truth is that many homemade resumes commence with a poorly worded Job Objective or "Profile" or amateurish verbiage such as "Highlights" or "Highly motivated ..." or "Dedicated" or the very stale cliche, "Results oriented ...". Or with a weakly written "Executive Summary" that looks very much like everyone else's. Or with a poorly written or weak or confusing branding or value statement. Some senior executives may write about how enthusiastic and detail-oriented they are. There are also clumsy sentences that look like they were copied from the same sample resumes. All in all, I find such self-written efforts boring and they don't "sell" me. They won't impress or "sell" picky recruiters either.


Even perfectly written English sentences may have little or no value in marketing you! Always remember: "Writing is easy; It's choosing the order of the words that is difficult." -- Robert Wilson (Writers Digest). Good resume writing is much more than English 101. You cannot learn the art of effective resume writing by creating five or ten resumes. You will still be an amateur.

That's why so many well-written Marketing and Communications resumes don't get past Sally the Screener. Why? Because they look so similar and uninviting. They cannot be scanned in seconds. Nothing jumps out at the reader. No italics or bolds are used. Accomplishments lie buried or hidden in the gray text. Nothing is properly highlighted despite the 20-30 black bullets used. (These bullets are neither smart nor strategic. They are used decoratively. (Please visit: Management resume bullets must be smart - Google Search)


And some executives foolishly leave out a 10-line branding statement or value statement. Out of either arrogance or ignorance, they fail or omit to address any of the employer's needs upfront. Unfortunately, this is not 1990, so Sally the Screener is compelled to screen them out.


Why an Outstanding V.P. Failed 170 Times


An outstanding V.P. of Information Technology recently sent me a resume to evaluate because it was not working although it was written by himself and in perfect English. He had no response to over 170 mailed resumes to date. Why? This is what I found:


First, his vague 4-line Profile describing himself as a "Dynamic professional...." was nearly identical to hundreds of others. (Were they all copying from the same sample resumes?)


Then followed his Education -- two very old college degrees dated 1996 and 1989 that should be recorded at the END of any senior-level resume and NOT up front like a recent graduate.


Next came his "Experience Summary" which was mislabeled. His three columns should have been described as "Core Competencies" or "Areas of Skill and/or Expertise or Experience". Such a weak 15-line opening was a killer. His resume was probably screened out in only 15 seconds by Sally the Screener.


Next, this executive presented his "Experience Highlights" which were NOT highlights at all -- 53 pretty black bullets that were all used WRONGLY because they failed to draw attention to anything in particular.


Worst of all, his outstanding accomplishments lay buried or hidden in the text!!! Not a single keyword was highlighted. All in all, his resume was crowded. The text was gray, boring and NOT scannable at all.


But this senior I.T. executive confidently assured me that he does tweak his resume -- to address the specific requirements of each and every job he applies for.


Despite this, he had had no success at all in 170 attempts because there were too many things wrong with the resume. What other result could he possibly expect? He is still an AMATEUR resume writer who does not know how to present or MARKET his impressive accomplishments. The same applies to many, many self-written resumes. How about yours?


Albert Einstein once said that ''doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results, is insanity or madness.'' You need to realize that if you are searching for a job but you're not getting results, you need to change what you are doing or using.


Perhaps you should stop relying on your ability to write good English and learn more about marketing yourself on paper. You probably need a better and more effective job resume. Try visiting a first-class professional writer.




Photograph of Matthew Greene, M.Phil., resumé writer.Front cover Matthew Greene's book, Winning Resumes.


Ineffective Resume of a National Sales & Marketing Manager





"Dear Matt: I know that my resume is outdated and needs some work. I also don't think it accurately reflects what I have accomplished or what I bring to the table."


"Dear Peter: Thank you for writing to me. You are 100% correct so please excuse my extreme candor . You have been using a very old resume template that was first included with Windows 98 about 12 years ago. Today's resume formats for Sales Management are much, much better and the formatting is different. Yours will NOT do you justice in this highly competitive job market.


First, the format needs be improved and modernized to make you look like today's accomplished Senior Sales & Marketing Executive. Your outdated resume can actually be beautiful and the change or makeover will be dramatic. (This is a classic Before and After resume scenario.)


Your Job Objective is very amateurish, weak and unsuitable. It will get you screened out. (Only God knows what all of your skills are -- not the average employer.)


Although the Experience section of your resume is well written and you do have an excellent track record and several accomplishments to offer, these lie buried or hidden in the text and may be overlooked by Sally the Screener. This is a very serious resume miótake.


Worst of all, there is no Value Proposition or Statement-- what you bring to the table which is a fatal mistake because a resume is a marketing document that has to impress the screener in 10-15 seconds. This crucial 10-15 line section needs to be created/developed/written for you.


However, the very good news is that your outdated resume can be transformed into an effective winning resume for today's job market at minimal cost and I will greatly enjoy assisting you.


When are you available for a FREE phone consult? I am on Eastern time. Do you have 2-3 suitable job ads to send me?


Regarding the cost. I will give you full credit for much of the actual writing and information in the Experience section and therefore my fee for the revamped and revitalized resume will be very reasonable. I do NOT charge top dollar!"


Without any hesitation, Peter ordered and received his revamped / improved Sales/Marketing resume in five business days on 6/25/10 and immediately wrote me as follows:


"Dear Matt: Thanks. It looks really great! I went through and made a few changes (hope that's ok!). I am very happy with how this has turned out -- a night and day difference from the original one I sent you!" -- Peter S., Miami, Florida



Believe me when I say that I am NOT trying to advertise or "peddle my wares". The best reason for hiring a first-class resume writer to assist you is because it is never easy to be OBJECTIVE about oneself. The well-known Scottish poet, Robbie (Auld Lang Syne) Burns understood the problem when he wrote: "O would some Power give us the gift / To (be able to) see ourselves as others see us."


Can you be objective about yourself? Are you comfortable writing about yourself? Can you identify your skills and strengths? Why should marketing experience qualify anyone to write a custom or tailored resume with a touch of creativity that gets attention and "sells"? Can everyone write good advertising copy? No! Can everyone bake a successful cake? Following a pastry recipe or adapting from a sample resume cannot produce spectacular results. It may be better to hire the special talents or gifts of a master baker or expert professional resume writer.


William Shakespeare advised you to ask an experienced shoemaker to repair your shoes -- not to try fixing your own!


Hundreds of Marketing and Communications people do not seem to understand what self-marketing is all about. Many do NOT know how to highlight keywords or draw attention to their accomplishments. A solid block of gray print does NOT have any "eye appeal". The "mashed potato" look will NOT enhance any resume! And pages and pages of elegant but gray Garamond print are lifeless and boring. They are definitely not scannable by Sally the Screener, especially nowadays when she can only give you 15 seconds of her time.


The reality is that if you've written only 5 or 10 resumes, you are still an AMATEUR as a resume writer and have not yet learned the art of marketing yourself effectively on paper. You need a skilled and experienced resume writer to help you -- one who has successfully written hundreds for successful clients. (Please check his or her testimonials.)



Photograph of Matthew Greene, M.Phil., resumé writer.Front cover Matthew Greene's book, Winning Resumes.


Why Recruiters and H.R. Persons Cannot Write Winning Resumes


Recruiters usually screen out a resume in only 15 seconds. That's quite easy to do. But are they also able to write their own resume in order to avoid being screened out themselves? And are they really qualified to assist you to write yours?


In my experience, most H.R. persons do NOT know enough about selling or marketing themselves in a resume. You see, their experience of scanning, reading, critiquing, and screening out thousands of incoming resumes, does NOT teach them how to write their own. They can only criticize! (An H.R. person is like a baseball catcher who has handled thousands of balls but now tries to pitch or throw a single change-up or curve ball. Only pitchers are trained to do that.) To sell an idea or concept is often referred to as "pitching".


This morning I reviewed the resume of a worried Human Resources person who writes: "I have done much recruiting." This means she herself has previously reviewed (and screened out) hundreds of OTHER resumes. But in designing and writing her own resume, she is being screened out in seconds! Why?


First, in her Job Objective she tells the reader only what she wants or expects. It's all me-me-me. She ignores the employer's needs or requirements. Nowadays, that gets you screened out. As an HR person, she ought to know better!


Second, her entire resume consists of five run-on paragraphs or blocks of solid gray text. That's utterly BORING! Although her individual sentences are written in very good English, the five blocks of solid print look like "mashed potatoes". (For her Cover Letter she has written another boring page even though it contains good material.)


Like many H.R. people, she does know how to screen out the resumes of OTHER folks but NOT how to create and format a winning presentation (with eye appeal) of her own. Why? Because she has little or no training or understanding of how to market or sell herself on paper. (So DON'T ask H.R. persons or recruiters to help you write your resume! They can only advise you on what NOT to write.)


In 2011, after the downsizings, layoffs and bankruptcies, employers are receiving a daily avalanche of hundreds of resumes. Sally or Jim, the corporate Screeners have only 10-15 seconds to scan yours. Will your self-written resume impress them in a few seconds? I honestly DON'T think so!


Are you using the same job resume over and over again even if it's NOT working for you? Are you blaming this lack of success on the job market? How many identical resumes have you already sent to different jobs without results?


But even after a resume has been "tailored" or tweaked to fit specific jobs, a previously unsuccessful resume may continue to bomb or be screened out! Why? Because focusing or tailoring a resume may NOT "fix" resume mistakes or remove hidden resume blemishes or "red flags". Tailoring will also require the skill and experience of a trained professional writer who knows how to do it better than an amateur like yourself! (If you have written only 5 to 10 resumes to date, then you are still an "amateur" -- as a resume writer.) Please read: [ http://www.winning-resumes.com/best_way_to_advance.htm ]


Photograph of Matthew Greene, M.Phil., rusumé writer.Front cover Matthew Greene's book, Winning Resumes.




Good Writing Skills Are NOT Always a Blessing. They May Prevent You From Creating a Winning Resume!



Job seekers with strong writing skills, mistakenly believe that they also know how to write a winning resume for 2011. But to MARKET oneself effectively on paper is a different ballgame. For example, many majors in English, Writing, Marketing, and Communications feel that they are also "qualified" or have all of the required skills to write an effective resume. Unfortunately, they are often dead wrong but have had to learn the hard way -- by losing many job opportunities! In my view, smart English graduates are those who have already learned that although they can write many different things, a winning resume is NOT one of them because it is a different ballgame that is more about Self-Marketing than English 101. Job seekers with good writing skills are often their own worst enemies and I have to point out that allthough every line has been well written and is in good English, the final resume does NOT work or as well as it should for other reasons.



Today's job seekers have to compete against the basic resumes written by other job seekers but also against the much better resumes written by professional writers.


A resume prepared by a highly skilled professional writer will be stronger and more focused than one done by an amateur like yourself who has written only your own. That's why the input of a trained professional writer who has written resumes for hundreds of challenging clients, will often give your application a competitive or winning edge.


ARE YOU QUALIFIED TO WRITE A WINNING RESUME IN 2011?


You need to ask yourself: "Am I qualified to write a winning or 'perfect' or 'tailored' resume for 2011?" I honestly don't think so! Not even after getting a bunch of "resume tips" from resume experts. Why? Because it takes a lot of skill and experience to write a winning resume. That's why there is a big risk that you WON'T produce a resume to succeed in today's job market. Job hunting in 2011 is very tough. Nowadays, getting the right professional help is the SMART thing to do. (DON'T TRY TO BECOME AN EXPERT RESUME WRITER OVERNIGHT EVEN IF YOUR BUDGET IS TIGHT!)


Recently, a senior Sales and Marketing Executive in the Healthcare field requested a FREE evaluation of his resume. Although he had a good track record, the first 10-15 lines of his resume were a complete turnoff. The rest of the resume looked awful and was not scannable. No keyword was highlighted and his accomplishments lay buried in the text. So what did he do? "I have taken your advice and made drastic changes." Instead of looking awful as before, his "improved" resume is now just amateurish and weak. No sir, you CAN'T become an expert or effective resume writer overnight!


This marketing executive now feels that any further improvement or restructuring or revamping is unnecessary "because most resumes will be converted online into an electronic format anyhow". He does not realize that a poorly done executive resume will be even weaker in electronic or Notepad format! (An ASCII or text-based format will be needed to correct all of the usual deficiencies.) This is an extreme example of a stubborn or sceptical marketing executive who does not understand what the art of self-marketing is all about. Is this arrogance or ignorance? Unfortunately, he will need to learn the hard way that his luck may NOT change anytime soon in the highly competitive job market of 2011.


Similarly, I recently gave a free consultation to a senior Biologist who was seeking his first MANAGEMENT position. I also evaluated his current resume. His resume presentation was very weak because, like many other scientists, he didn't know how to sell himself. (That is NOT a criticism.) But imagine my surprise when I later heard that he is now trying to write his own focused resumes! How did this biologist suddenly learn to write a management resume to beat the competition in 2011. com/management_resume.htm . In order to "save" about $200-250, he may now lose job opportunities worth $200,000 in lost earnings. Is that smart?


A Senior Test Engineering Manager from Manchester, England asked his wife to convert his European style CV into an American resume. She was eager to help and soon found a resume template or sample to use. Her husband's resume now reads: "Highly motivated and results-orientated engineer with 33 years experience, etc . " Sadly, many American recruiters may screen out this resume in 5-10 seconds. Why? For three reasons: To describe a successful senior engineer and manager as "highly motivated" is amateurish. It is taken for granted. Second, the word "orientated" is British English and may be viewed as a typo in the U.S. where "oriented" is used (as in "detail-oriented"). Third, many American recruiters still discriminate against those with "33 years" experience who are viewed as "too old". Again, a short-term "savings" of $250 may result in missed job opportunities and lost income equivalent to one ၴhousand times that amount -- yes, potential losses of $250,000.

Clint Eastwood gave us very good advice in one of his movies: "A man (woman) must know his (her) limitations."


Photograph of Matthew Greene, M.Phil., resumé writer.Front cover Matthew Greene's book, Winning Resumes.


If you are a manager or executive, you should not even think of writing your own resume. It probably WON'T be as EFFECTIVE as it ought to be. In particular, your crucial value statement (in the top half of Page 1 of the resume) may NOT shine through as it should. (Please visit: Effective Executive Resumes by Matthew Greene )

This is one reason why millions of jobs are still not filled. (Visit: A Better Resume For Hard Times in 2011 at http://winning-resumes.com/better_resume.htm )

Hiring a skilled professional writer in this job market, has become the SMART and necessary thing to do!


So, what about the 50-year "tradition" that you should write it yourself? Here is the view of a recent college graduate:


Absolutely True! I agree. There is no person who knows you and your facts better than yourself. That's why there is no other or better person to write your resume than you. 2009-05-30 (name deleted)

Do you agree or disagree with this graduate who feels she should market herself on paper? I do NOT agree. Hundreds of English majors have realized that resume writing is an art and that it is never easy to write about oneself or present one's own skills snd strengths in a resume. In 2010, tens of thousands of anxious job seekers are hiring professionals to write it for them. Times and attitudes have changed!


Let's look at creating and writing a homemade resume in another way. It's all about presenting yourself in the best possible way -- on paper -- to a perfect stranger (recruiter or employer) who has never set eyes on you. It's almost like trying to get a blind date!


And talking about making presentations, would you be the right person to present your own case in Criminal Court because you may know the facts even better than your lawyer? I don't think so. It may be too risky. Rather leave it to your experienced lawyer to devise a winning strategy to get you acquitted. He or she will decide what facts to present to the judge and/or jury and what to say in his/her final Summation.


This is very similar to what an experienced professional resume writer will do for you in order to get you hired by an employer! Believe it or not, the mental process/es and strategy/ies involved are very similar.


Are you "qualified" to write your own resume or resumes in 2011? Can you select the best format in your case? Are you qualified to decide on the best length? Do you know how to focus it? Can you beat the efforts of trained professional writers?


How strong are your writing skills? Are you truly able to decide what to write about yourself and/or what to leave out? Do you know what to emphasize, where and how to do it? Can you detect any potential negatives or "red flag" items or other turnoffs that may be present in your resume? Are you good at writing about yourself or does this make you uncomfortable? Above all, do you know how to MARKET yourself on paper?


Photograph of Matthew Greene, M.Phil., resumé writer.Front cover Matthew Greene's book, Winning Resumes.



Most importantly, can you see yourself as a prospective employer will see you? You CAN'T because you would need to reverse your job search telescope. A professional writer will provide this type of OBJECTIVITY. He or she knows how employers and screeners think and what they are looking for.


Are you trained to analyze your own skills, strengths and abilities? Do you know the formal language of skills? Do you know how and where to present your achievements on paper? Do you know how to sell yourself in a resume? Very few people can do it properly and effectively.


Do you know how and where to address the employer's specific requirements in a resume? Most job seekers tend to mess up or sell themselves short. Good resume writing is the art of EFFECTIVE presentation or marketing.


In 2011, every job resume needs to an effective marketing tool with "sell" because it has to help you apply for a shrinking number of jobs. You can't blame the economy if your resume is not good enough to get you those interviews.


Will it help to copy from "perfect" sample resumes? Not much. That's what many people try to do but their resumes usually DON'T work as well as they should and they lose job opportunities.


Can you bake a successful cake? Creating a resume or resume writing is a lot like baking. It requires you to use all of your career and job "ingredients" in order to "bake the best resume cake" possible! But very, very few people are master bakers. It's an art and requires proper training. It is also creative.


After the Depression of the thirties, your father and his father were told to write vague and general resumes so as to keep HIS options open. But today's employers expect resumes to be focused and address their own and very specific needs. Your father's plain facts resume WON'T work in today's recession. (Some are saying it is another Depression.)


Times have really changed. From the 50's to the mid-90's, your English teacher was still the "resume expert" who taught you to write your first resume. You had to do it yourself -- to show that you could write good English. That's why even today, some of my resume writing clients still find it necessary to apologize for contacting a professional service: "I CAN WRITE IT MYSELF BUT I DON'T HAVE THE TIME".


They and you needn't apologize. As long ago as 1985, Ms. Magazine were very impressed by a resume I wrote and they definitely knew it had been done professionally . How did they react? They hired my client as Head Researcher!


Frankly, online writing services or even resume books that offer you a 10-minute resume or a 60-minute resume, are talking B.S. Here's another outrageous example: "In Only 3½ Minutes, You Can Quickly And Easily Crank Out A Killer Cover Letter That Is Guaranteed To Make Your Phone Ring Off The Hook... Without Writing A Word! "


It takes many hours to write a resume or cover letter that will work!

Photograph of Matthew Greene, M.Phil., resumé writer.Front cover Matthew Greene's book, Winning Resumes.




To hire a professional writer may have been frowned upon in 1971 but not in 2011. While it is true that many resume services are little more than factories or paper mills, nowadays some professional resume writers have credentials and belong to resume writing associations.


A select few have also written resume books based on their OWN writing experience. (In the past, a few best-selling authors had NOT created any resume except their own. This can only happen in America!)


All that a teacher or friend or spouse can show you is how to write a resume that sets out only your "facts" -- NOT your "sell". They don't know enough about MARKETING. That's why today's resume writing expert is no longer your English teacher but someone else who also knows how to MARKET you on paper and "sell" your value to an employer.


Employers are trying to cope with a daily avalanche of resumes. Most of these are badly organized, weakly constructed, poorly written and unfocused. Such resumes get screened out in seconds by Suzy or Jim the Screener. She/he decides who will be interviewed -- not her/his boss.


Forgive me for being blunt. In 2011, most job seekers like yourself need to stop wasting your time and money by trying to write a "perfect" resume. It is simply too time-consuming and nerve-wracking to try to do yourself.


In the past week I was asked to review three resumes that were supposed to have been rewritten and "improved" after an entire weekend of hard work. My opinion of them? Three wasted efforts that would NOT result in a single interview. All three job seekers had completely ignored what Suzy the Screener expects to see in their resumes.


Most experienced professional writers can improve your resume much more than you could. Their clients return most of the time feeling that it was worth the money.


Think of the shrinking number of job opportunities that you can't afford to lose. There are more layoffs and hiring freezes being announced each week. Rather let an expert resume writer help you to write or create a resume that works before your limited funds run out.


What is $125 or $150 or $200 or $250 or $300 (or more) to get more interviews or your next job or advance your career? But you first need to think and act like a WINNER. Then you'll also win in this horrible job market.


PLEASE WRITE OR CALL FOR A FREE CONSULT OR EVALUATION.


mattgreene@aol.com Tel.: 1-718-436-3504


Copyright, 2006-2011 by Matthew Greene. All rights reserved Tags: , , , , WRITE A RESUME IN 2011, WRITING RESUMES IN 2011,


 

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