penandpatience

WRITERS WORDS: “Life is always going to be stranger than fiction, because fiction has to be convincing and life doesn’t. –Neil Gaiman, author

MARCH 2018 MONTHLY MUSING

HOW TO CREATE A WRITER RESUME

Resumes are an ongoing resource for hiring managers. A Human Resources Director for many years, I mentioned in an earlier post resumes may make or break an applicant’s opportunity for consideration. Grammatical, spelling errors and extraneous personal information and, most important, not meeting required qualifications will send a resume into a reject pile with a gracious “thank you but no thank you” response. These basic no-no’s aside, a professional resume is often a key element in securing an interview appointment. Although most resume requirements remain the same today, resumes, like many other documents, have been affected by technology and industry changes.

In the past, an “Objectives” paragraph was a mainstay header in a resume. However, some applicants may alter their personal objectives in response to an advertised position tailoring the paragraph to meet the open position. Today, I believe, in lieu of an Objectives overview, writing a brief professional summary outlining your writing qualifications and history would be a more self-promoting, marketing tool.

A Writer Resume requires the same basic parts as other careers: Qualifications, Work History, Education and Awards- Memberships. Qualifications should include all professional writing experiences, i.e. editing, copywriting, desktop publishing, publications, corporate/business and any other relevant experience. (Hey! Did you write a best seller:) Work History, beginning with the most recent work experience, should include Job Title, Dates and, again, a brief description of writing activities. If Work History includes other employment not relevant to writing, include it. Additional skill sets advises a potential employer of your versatility and employability. Education should include any college degrees beginning with the most recent and working backwards.  Also include previous employer “on-the job,” vocational training, online course studies and any other education that might be relevant. List Military Service, Organizational Membership and Awards as applicable.

Personal information, the ending paragraph within a resume, usually listed a candidate’s hobbies and interests. Today, I feel that a personal information paragraph is passé and suggest including only a personal hobby if it’s applicable to a job posting. Recruiters today research potential candidates through social media and internet sites often locating information regarding an applicant before requesting an interview.  Note: Media sites (i.e.-Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Blog Sites) should reflect professionalism. Political or religious rants, negativity, or any other derogatory statements that could be misconstrued or deter a potential employer should never be posted. However, if you’re an artist, graphic designer, photographer, etc., posting samples of your expertise are always a positive addition.

Additional Points to Ponder:

A Resume should be one page, two pages maximum in length.
An accompanying cover letter is mandatory for most employers (include why YOU are the best candidate for the position and how your skills will benefit the organization).
A resume should not be a list of performed tasks. Emphasize your skill sets and how they contributed. (10 years as a competent editor resulting in a promotion to Managing Editor for XYZ Publication).
Brief, concise entries are important. No recruiter wants to or will wade through long, wordy paragraphs and extraneous details.

Should every writer have a resume? What about the novice writer just testing the writing waters, a self-employed free-lance writer, or an unknown writer working on publishing that first completed book?  I’ve always been a firm believer everyone, whether an individual’s background is sparse or extensive, should document their professional history in writing.

The following are a few great writer resume sites:  http://www.writing-world.com  (Moira Allen-Editor)  http://www.thebalance.com (writer resume example) and http://www.anneneugebauer.com (writer resume template)

HAPPY READING AND WRITING!

AND READERS, NEXT MONTH, APRIL2018 IS NATIONAL AUTISM MONTH. DON’T

FORGET!!! “LIGHT IT UP BLUE FOR AUTISM.”