August has been a month about fiction writing. Before the month is over in a few minutes, I wanted to leave you with one final note about fiction. It’s more of a warning.
As a freelance writer, don’t fictionalize your own life to get jobs.
We’re all guilty of this to a small extent, though “fictionalization” may be a very strong word for what the normal writer does. Basically, we show off our best assets when we want a job. For example, if I’m potentially being hired to write a bunch of articles about freelancing, I’ll promote the work I do …read more

In the United States we use resumes and cover letters to help a potential employer understand who we are. I was suppose to be traveling to Cameroon for two weeks, leaving this coming Saturday. However the trip was postponed. My plan was to write a series of posts that would focus on employment in International countries. I will remain in the US over the next few weeks, but I thought I would share this post on Tips for Writing a CV. In Cameroon they use CV’s. But there are professions in the US who also use CV’s such as college …read more

At the end of your resume, you probably have listed two or three people the potential client or employer can call as references. If you have a stable of writers working under you or work closely with an editor, however, you could find the tables turned – you may be asked to serve as a reference.
Last spring, I offered an internship position for the first time. I found a great writer to work with me, and now he’s on the job market, looking for an office position rather than going the freelance route. He asked me to serve as a …read more

I had the opportunity to review resumes for job seekers who are not getting any opportunities for interviews. Many of them have been in the market for a long time and are feeling quite discouraged. The problem as I see it is their resumes are poorly crafted. The shelf life of a resume is 2-4 seconds at best in the hands of a recruiter or hiring manager. And if it is a poorly written resume, you can forget it.
As I mentioned to one of the job seekers I spoke to today, I never saw any of his skills. I was …read more

United We Work is a new nationwide service designed to stimulate hiring by connecting job seekers and employers without any recruiting, job posting or advertising fees. Any job seeker looking for work can join United We Work and be hired for free. Any employer can easily find, contact and hire job seekers without incurring recruitment costs.
…read more

Don’t get stuck in a rut. If you need a job and you can’t find one in your industry, consider changing industries. If you are struggling to get your phone to ring and/or get an interview, you may want to step back and evaluate your skill set. Identifying your transferable skills will help you make a successful transition to another industry. However that is not the only thing you need to consider.
If you want to or need to change industries you may want to consider a few more things.
1. Go back to school for a specific trade or skill you …read more

How do you get your resume in front of the right person? Well if you use the old traditional ways, you can be sure that it may be a great feat. The right person by my definition is the hiring manager and short of a person introduction, you have work to do on many levels to ensure that they see your resume.
First thing I recommend is that you have a well written resume and cover letter that is targeted for the position that you are interested in. The next thing that will help you in this market is networking. I …read more

Just a quick tip for today, but one that many writer neglect – updating your resume.
I have multiple copies of my resume on my computer, actually. First, I have a general resume that can be used in a pinch for just about any job. Problem is, when your resume is generic, your chances at getting a job are slim – you have to have a great cover letter or introduction email. Even then, you might not get the job.
My generic resume is a building block for my other resumes, though. I have one that is appropriate for blogging jobs, which …read more

Do you dare lie on your resume, or in your interview? I am amazed at how easy it is for people to lie about their credentials, about their work or life experience and then when caught, they either attempt to perpetuate the lie or they get angry for the exposure. I am publishing this post I wrote back in July 2007. With some additional information added. As a coach, I am asking you not to lie. Don’t lie on your resume, don’t lie on applications. Don’t lie in an interview. Don’t lie about anything. It will not serve you in …read more

Review your resume before sending it or giving it to anyone. There are a variety of mistakes people make when developing their resume. One blooper may be enough to move your resume from the interview pile to the circular file. Check out a few Resume Bloopers:

Woman who sent her resume and cover letter without deleting someone else’s editing, including such comments as “I don’t think you want to say this about yourself here”
Why Interested in Position: “to keep my parole officer from putting back me in jail”
The applicant listed her name as Alice in the resume but wrote Alyce …read more