Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Marketing Yourself


by Kathryn Reid, ResumeEdge.com Editor and CPRW

Suppose you had just one chance to advertise yourself on a billboard overlooking a busy highway, and that passing motorists had only a few seconds to glance at it. It doesn’t matter what your occupation or skill set is. How would you make your advertisement meaningful and memorable?

Think of your résumé as a portable version of that billboard. The motorists whizzing by? Human resources professionals and other hiring entities. They don’t have time to read a biography of a jobseeker, and they don’t want to read your job description. (They aren’t interested in knowing that you report to work and do what an employer expects of you – the daily tasks for which you are paid.) They want to know what makes you special; how you add value; how you can make a difference in their organizations. They want to glance at your résumé and say, “Here’s someone I need to meet.”

It’s not always easy or comfortable for people to try to “sell” themselves this way. There’s a fine line between hollow bragging and effective advertising. Professional résumé writers know the difference, and ResumeEdge.com’s writers will work with you to turn a so-what list of responsibilities or accomplishments into a powerful marketing tool. Here are some real-life examples:

Before

· “Daily processing of portfolio transactions in accordance with department policies and procedures.”

After
· Provide investment managers and clients with accurate, time-sensitive portfolio information through diligent

processing, analysis, reporting and dissemination of cash and transaction data.

Before
· “Inspected, marketed and sold properties to first time homebuyers.”

After
· Created home ownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents who might otherwise be

excluded from the housing market. Provided prospective buyers with inception-through-settlement financial
consulting services and education.

Before
· “Presented PowerPoint presentations to civic, photography and hiking clubs around the country with client

endorsements.”

After
· Increased revenue and brand awareness by making sales presentations to clubs and associations countrywide,

incorporating customer testimonials about tour experiences as marketing technique.

Before
· “Organized profitable & charitable events.”

After
· Organized and ran for-profit and charity events attracting more than 45 musicians of regional, national and

international influence in the avant-garde genre, including two-time world DMC champion DJ Klever.

Ready to see yourself in a new light? Help is only a mouse click away!



Kathryn Reid is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with an undergraduate degree in English and extensive experience in commercial property/casualty insurance operations management. She has written resumes for ResumeEdge.com customers in diverse occupations: sales, science, finance, education, medicine, information technology, retail management, nonprofit, homemakers transitioning to the corporate workforce-- and even a professional viola player seeking a career change! Request Kathryn for your ResumeEdge.com product by keying her last name only, no caps (reid) in the 'request your editor' field of the ResumeEdge.com online form. http://www.resumeedge.com/



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