Julie Walraven, Professional Resume Writer, and Executive Coach

I invited Julie Walraven to write this guest post on HireFriday because of her undying support of job seekers everywhere. She’s a passionate supporter of the HireFriday movement on twitter, linkedin, and facebook. In fact, she retweets the posts of more job seekers, than just about anyone else in the #HireFriday twitter stream. Looking for a job is hard work. Julie makes it a little easier. It’s people like Julie that make our online community the unique and special place that it is. Last week, she and I had an interesting conversation about HireFriday, and the job seekers who were using it. We both realized that there are ways to present yourself. More importantly, there are ways NOT to present yourself. We put our heads together, and I asked her to write a post. You are about to hear from a professional career coach and resume writer with excellent credentials.

Julie Walraven is a 20+ year résumé writer and career professional with an arsenal of cutting-edge strategies to help her clients find the help they need to win new positions and take their careers to new levels. Now that I’m done tooting her horn, read why I think she’s the one to follow. Her post is compelling, useful, and is sure to help you on your career path. So get ready job seekers, and learn how to get ready for HireFriday!

I love the concept of #HireFriday and I think that Margo Rose is both brilliant and so compassionate for understanding that job seekers need the help of the whole HR community and career industry. I am very happy to connect job seekers with potential opportunities using the power of #HireFriday. Margo has created a very clear set of guidelines for both the job seeker and the helping community of HR professionals and career professionals.

As I have watched job seekers put themselves out there on #HireFriday, I have seen some so ready for the opportunity and others, well… not so ready. Just like in the normal job search, if you are pushing yourself out there with a low-level résumé and no strategy for what to say when you are contacted by a potential employer, you will end up disappointed.

Critical to every job search is to create the right first impression. I caution my clients to make sure that physically they are ready to interview at any time. If they hand-deliver a résumé in torn jeans, dirty tennis shoes, and looking more like they just got done mowing the lawn, then they will potentially ruin their opportunity to be seen as serious contenders. I work with multiple levels of job seekers from entry level and students to executives and my advice to them is the same. You need to look the part, act the part, and have the sales tools with you to sell yourself every time you are in front of a potential employer.

Margo Rose’s #HireFriday is no different. If you are participating in #HireFriday and have your résumé on your blog/site or are using your LinkedIn profile, you need to make sure that you look the part of a prepared job seeker.

How? If you create your résumé yourself, make sure it is packed with keywords, accomplishments, and résumé stories. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete but not a clone of your résumé. Use the resources of the many career professionals who blog about résumé writing, job search strategies, interviewing, and all the intricacies of the job search.

Don’t use tired old phases: “excellent interpersonal communication skills” or the dreaded words like: “responsibilities include” which is like fingernails on chalk boards to résumé writers. Quantify and qualify your résumé throughout with numbers and stories. Ask yourself questions that draw out the details, and follow that with “and what then?” Too many people stop before they even they tell the story. Make your value pop!

Many of us (career professionals) have samples on our sites. Don’t duplicate them, they were created for specific people and will not fit your talents and abilities but use the samples for inspiration and to make sure your résumé makes the cut.

Passionate about writing, I am a Career Marketing Strategist, with thousands of happy clients, who use the resumes and career marketing materials I have created for them to reach their potential and find new career opportunities. Job search strategies are critical in this Web 2.0 world especially in the recovering economy.

When you look at LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and the changing array of applications, the challenge of trying to work with even just one of them can be mind-numbing. My own journey into “social media” connected me with talented people all over the globe and I love teaching others how to find connections, build relationships, and move online to real life connections.

*editor’s note: HRMargo wants to leave you with a motivational song that will get your HireFriday going, and motivate your job search. Unemployment can be hard, but it’s not impossible. Remember, never give up on your dreams*

You can find more about Julie at http://designresumes.com

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