Why I became a professional resume writer
Several people have asked me recently how I got into resume writing. It started with my first government job. I was working part-time while attending graduate school and thinking about how to land a permanent position. A senior colleague took me under her wing, guiding me on how to navigate federal careers. She told me to make a habit of updating my resume regularly, and her guidance stuck with me.
By treating my resume as a living document that I tended to as devotedly as a bonsai tree, I was able to update it with specificity while the work was fresh in my mind. I made it a practice to learn more about resume writing, and incorporated those insights into my own resume. I look tweaked and polished and rewrote and restructured my resume hundreds of times. It’s always a work in progress.
For most of my years with the federal government, I’ve reviewed resumes and cover letters as a hiring manager or member of a hiring panel. That exposure showed me firsthand what makes strong resumes and cover letters stand out. Colleagues started sending me their resumes for review after hearing me talk about various resume best practices.
One friend commented, “Wow, your feedback on resumes is really good. Have you thought about writing resumes professionally?” I hadn’t. When the pandemic began in 2020 and my work travel stopped, however, I figured I would give it a try. I posted my credentials on a couple freelancing platforms, and soon found myself in business as a resume writer. To become more legit, I incorporated my career consulting business and earned certifications from the Professional Association of Resume Writers for both resume writing and LinkedIn profile optimization.
The spark that keeps me going is the intellectual challenge. Each person has an individual story and goal. Enabling them to take their next step is deeply fulfilling—and it’s often not straightforward or easy to do. One client needed me to condense an 8-page academic CV down to 2 crisp pages for private sector applications. Another client who worked for one company her entire career needed to showcase wide-ranging leadership skills to move into an executive role. Other clients need help highlighting transferable skills so they can transition into new fields.
The work is creative, stimulating, and forges a collaborative partnership between me and the client. It makes my day each time a client tells me the resume I wrote enabled them to land their dream job. I’ve worked with a huge range of professionals—from a food product scientist who invented one of the world’s best-selling potato chips, to tech entrepreneurs, musicians, veterans, film producers, and public service professionals from virtually every sector.
These are very cool people who have done very cool things. Equipping them with the tools to share their talent with the world is some of the most gratifying work I’ve done. That, for me, is the magic and wonder of being a resume writer.