As I am still working on trying to find my niche, I was thinking about adding Resume Writing to my list of services, as well as Interview Coaching. I think with the economy and the job market the way it is, this would be a way for me to help others.

Although I didn't finish college, my major was Sociology with an emphasis on Human Resources. I was also a Supervisor/Manager for 6 years and have seen my fair share of bad resumes (and some really bad interviews. ) I am also going to start volunteering for the local community assistance program, which helps homeless people find jobs.

Is there anyone who is currently doing this type of work or who has done it in the past that could give me some advice on what else I need to do to get started? What additional research and self-training should I be looking into? Was this type of work beneficial to your business? What are some of the struggles you faced?

Thank you in advance for any advice you can give.

Jennifer,

I do not offer these services however I do work with a career coach who does and I do some of the back-end stuff for her. She works through CareerLink and some other government sponsored programs because she has found that people who are not employed generally do not have the funds to pay for the services. Note: she works with C-level and above people and college graduates.

You may want to focus your HR skills to smaller companies that need to expand utilizing your interview and resume skills. Many business owners need someone to go through their resumes/applications and so initial interviews of potential candidates saving them the time it takes to get this done.

Great idea on the volunteer work, it could bring come valuable connections.

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Lee Drozak

Lee - I thought the same thing about people not being employed not having any money to pay for these types of services. Then I realized that just because you are looking for a new job, does not mean that you are not currently employed. And just because you are unemployed, doesn't mean you are broke. I think that many people who are looking for jobs would be willing to make a small investment to make sure that they have income before their savings has run out.

There are several services that I found on the internet that charge anywhere from $80-$200 for a well-written resume. And they charge extra for additional items, like cover letters and thank you notes. While I think those prices are outrageous, I do think that a small fee is worth it to have someone help you secure your future. And for those that can't afford it, well that is why I am doing volunteer work.

Great idea on pre-screening job applicants for small businesses. I'll have to look into whether there is a need for that in my area.

I work with career coaches and like Lee, they offer resume writing as an addendum to a much larger offering.

It is my opinion that people who are seeking to change jobs will look for a complete package which will include career coaching, resume writing and cover letter assistance.

However, that is not to say people won't want someone to work on their resume. I believe that if you do decide to offer this service that you make it an HR niche so you can show that your specialty is working with those looking to change jobs or who are unemployed.

Janine

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I am thinking offering resumes and cover letters as I have experience with this; however Im not confident in interview training. Im not sure what to charge since I wont be able to give them the full service?

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My Virtual Services
Townsville, QLD

If it is a service that you want to offer, start on the lower end of the pricing scale, and as you build up a reputation, start to charge a bit more. And if you don't have any takers with the low price, there might not be a market for it.

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It is so important that you know how to answer the phone professionally.

LinkedIn is a great place to find people who want resume work.

You can offer to run a contest and build an email list. The winner will give you their email address in exchange you can offer to create a resume at no charge.

Then send out a newsletter, thanking those folks for signing up and offer a special price for resume creation. Consider creating a resume package to include a digital copy, a paper copy, and a cover letter. Google Human Resource Coaches and Human Resource VAs to see what they offer and how they package these services.

You can offer your services to an established human resource coach to assist with the create and editing of resumes. In exchange you can receive testimonials and referrals.

Janine

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I offer resume writing but have not had any jobs on this other than just typing up a resume and reformatting it. I offer reformatting and resume writing. The idea about starting a contest on LinkedIn for this is a good idea.

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Stephanie Cogeos
Wordprocessing & Design

Hi all... I need a resume that pops!! I keep seeing on one of my VA jobs sites that a resume that is not like a traditional resume will also help me get more VA jobs... this is out of my comfort zone because anything out of the traditional form just looks unprofessional to me but it could be cause I am a little old school. Does anyone know how a VA resume should look and if so how much do people usually charge to have one done?

Thanks all =)

Ash,

VA resumes are controversial. Some use resumes, many do not.

The feeling is that a resume places the VA in the realm of an employee when a potential client asks for one. Employers use resumes. VAs, as business owners typically use their references, testimonials, expertise and reputation in place of a resume.

If you search 'resume' in the Search feature in the upper right hand corner of this website, you will see a number of discussions about the use of a VA resume.

You can start with this thread but there are many others. http://www.virtualassistantforums.co...g-resume-22522

Janine

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