Resumes: A Key Self-Marketing Tool
I was recently asked for a copy of my resume for a conference presentation I will be doing. I hadn’t updated my resume for a couple years and it got me thinking. What value, if any, is a resume if you aren’t actually looking for another employer.
Well, after reading the opinion of others and thinking this through, I have come to the conclusion that a resume is VERY important. This, I believe, is true whether you are self-employed for working for someone else. Think about it. A resume is a summary document of your skills and talents as an income producer. The fact is, a resume is probably your most important marketing material in print.
When job seeking, your resume is almost always the first contact you will have with the potential employer. The key to the resume is to get you the interview. That is where you can make the real sale of your knowledge and abilities. Douglas B. Richardson wrote an excellent article describing how an employer actually reads a resume. See his article, Skeptical Resume Reader Tells How He Really Thinks at CareerJournal.com (a Wall Street Journal publication).
Even when working for yourself, your resume can help sell your services to others. If you start a service business, your customers will want to know why you are the best person for the job. Your resume speaks to your ability to perform, even if the work is not identical. Even if your business sells things, your resume describes your business acumen and experience. This can be key when selling wholesale to a company that needs to know you can meet your obligations.
To learn more about writing and updating your resume, check out the information at Monster.com.
