3 Positions available at ADP

Major Accounts Sales Rep-

In a world where success is a constantly moving target, companies come to ADP because they want to focus on what matters.  Clients turn to ADP for solutions built with them in mind. They want to work with the best people. They want a partner who’s as passionate about their success as they are.  By choosing the right partner, companies enjoy the freedom to focus on what matters and realize their full potential.

Now is your time to join the ADP team as a Workforce Management Consultant (also known as Major Account District Manager).  In this critical role, you will enable companies to focus on what they do best by providing them with industry-leading technology and workforce management solutions that help to reduce labor and benefits costs, attract and retain their valued employees and stay compliant with complex tax regulations. Our Major Accounts division partners with companies with 50-999 employees and is in search of high energy individuals with aggressive hunting skills in a quota-driven environment.

ADP understands how important our workforce is to our continued success.  Our goal is to attract, motivate, and retain exceptionally talented and committed associates.  That’s why we are ready to invest in your personal success. We offer a comprehensive blended learning approach that combines virtual and classroom training. We also provide the latest online tools including Salesforce.com, the Virtual Learning Center, and ADP University, empowering you to work at the most efficient and effective level.

Responsibilities of a Workforce Management Consultant/District Manager:

• Cultivate a targeted list of companies within a protected geographic territory to implement workforce management solutions.
• Execute a top-down sales approach targeting Presidents, CFOs, and HR Directors to convert prospects into clients.
• Develop relationships with C-Level Executives.
• Offer additional solutions to an existing base of clients within your territory.

Qualifications:

• BS in Business Administration or equivalent education and relevant experience.
• 3-9 years of outside B2B sales experience
• Excellent prospecting, presentation and selling skills with the ability to achieve quota.  Ideal candidate displays maturity, competitiveness, business savvy and a good work ethic.

Benefits:

We’ll support your career growth with ongoing sales training, advanced sales tools, and an attractive compensation package designed to reward you for your initiative. Outstanding performers who achieve 125% of quota will be awarded with our annual President’s Club qualification.  Additional benefits include:

• Competitive base salary
• Uncapped commissions
• Laptop computer
• Car and Cell phone allowance
• Comprehensive benefits package that starts on your first day of employment
• ADP Stock Purchase/Option Plan
• Pension Plan
• 401K
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Bonuses, Trips, Merchandise and Lots of Fun

About ADP:

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADP), with nearly $9 billion in revenues and over 585,000 clients, is one of the world’s largest providers of business outsourcing solutions.  Leveraging nearly 60 years of experience, ADP offers the widest range of HR, payroll, tax and benefits administration solutions from a single source.  ADP’s easy-to-use solutions for employers provide superior value to organizations of all types and sizes.

ADP is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer; M/F/D/V. ADP believes that diversity leads to strength.

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Position 2

ASO Resource Sales Rep-

Please follow the links for more information:

http://resource.adp.com/

Click HERE to find more information on ADP Resource!

Click HERE for a Demo of My ADP Resource!

Job Description:

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (NYSE: ADP), with nearly $9 billion in revenues and over 585,000 clients, is one of the world’s largest providers of business outsourcing solutions. Leveraging more than 55 years of experience, ADP offers the widest range of HR, payroll, tax and benefits administration solutions from a single source. ADP’s easy-to-use solutions for employers provide superior value to companies of all types and sizes. ADP is also a leading provider of integrated computing solutions to auto, truck, motorcycle, marine and recreational vehicle dealers throughout the world. ADP Resource provides small and mid-sized businesses with an integrated suite of flexible services including HR administration, compliance management, safety and risk management, payroll, tax administration and employee benefit administration.

The ADP Resource District Manager demonstrates technical selling skills and product knowledge in areas of payroll, payroll taxes, human resources, 401(k), worker’s compensation, benefits administration and unemployment management.

A District Manager will be required to:
Display business maturity in ability to consistently use a consultative sales process.

• Develop a business plan with Sales Director / Sales Executive detailing activities to be followed during the fiscal year.
• The District Manager will be responsible to achieve and/or potentially exceed assigned quota.
• Prospect the entire territory through individual efforts such as; phone canvassing, foot canvassing, vertical marketing, direct mail, developing client and CPA referrals or other referral programs.
• Also responsible for developing working relationships and lead flow with counterparts in other ADP Divisions such as TotalSource, SBS or Major Accounts.
• Works at improving both product and professional skills by participating in or facilitating training sessions within ADP Resource and/ or through their own independent efforts.
• Maintain accurate records of all activities (prospecting, sales calls, presentations, sales, etc.) within their assigned territory, including the use of CRM database to maintain accurate records to maximize territory potential.
• Attends and participates in Roll Call / Start Call meetings and completes all steps and paperwork necessary to start new clients efficiently and effectively.

ADP is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer; M/F/D/V. ADP believes that diversity leads to strength.

Education: Bachelors’ degree in Business Administration or similar focus

Experience: Experience as a Sales Representative with proven proficiency in developing strategic sales plan continually achieving or exceeding assigned quotas. Proven ability to assist management in assessing market competition required. Must be PC literate.

Generic Skills: Strong prospecting, presentation, and conceptual selling skills with the ability to achieve assigned quota. Display maturity, competitiveness and good work ethic, as well as proper business etiquette

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Position 3

Small Business Sales Rep-

Watch ADP’s video at:

http://corpvideoweb.adpcorp.com/corp/recruiting/video.htm

ADP is the world’s largest providers of payroll processing and information-based business solutions.

ADP is also a Fortune 300 company and was named “America’s Most Admired Companies” by Fortune Magazine.
ADP Sales Reps earn up to $65,000 in their first year and many Reps earn 6 figures in year 2 and 3.

Most successful Sales Reps move into Sales Management opportunities within 3 to 5 years.

We offer…

Competitive base salary
Uncapped commissions

Comprehensive benefits package that starts on your first day of employment
Car Allowance

Cell Phone Allowance
Exceptional 12 week initial sales training program and ongoing sales training
Significant advancement opportunities for outstanding performers
ADP Stock Purchase Plan

Laptop Computer
Tuition Reimbursement
Bonuses and President’s Club trips

Promotion from within

Job Description:

You will be responsible for selling ADP payroll services and HR solutions to small businesses within a protected geographic territory.
Business is generated through targeted prospecting, referrals from accounts, banks and clients and cross-selling to existing clients.

You will be generating new business and developing relationships with accountants and banks and clients.  This is a high energy role, with lots of

opportunity to make an impact and advance your career with ADP.

Required:

-4 year degree

-high energy personality

-driven to succeed, maturity

-1 year sales and prospecting experience

Amy Wolfe • Sales Sourcing & Market Research Specialist

Staffing, Diversity & Inclusion
Phone (866) 744-7226

e-mail amy_wolfe@adp.com

I don’t know if it’s just because it’s spring and everything is brighter, but I get the feeling that there’s truly a feeling of optimism emerging among job seekers. Honestly, I don’t think that we’re going to see a huge boom, but I’m beginning to see signs of hope. As usual, I’m going to try to give some practical and helpful advice to give you some strategies on how to take advantage of this optimism.

1) Test the waters with informational interviews:

Informational interviews are going to be a great way to get a good perspective on what’s going on in the marketplace. Don’t be surprised if you get varying opinions in different industries. Key thing to remember, when you’re on an informational interview, don’t specifically ask for a job. Your goal is to gain insight and information about the company or industry. Ask questions; learn; be a sponge…then apply that knowledge appropriately. Remember, ALWAYS THANK the person with a thank you note.

2) Get up to speed on Social Networking:

In case you haven’t read my more recent posts, I’m a big advocate of getting on Linkedin and consequently Facebook and Twitter. If you haven’t done so already, quit delaying, set up an account, and get comfortable with social networking. It’s not a matter of just being on these sites; you’ve got to make yourself visible. Get your profile up to speed, upload your resume, join at least 5 groups, and participate in discussions. Don’t forget to link up to people so you can grow and expand your network.

3) Be Strategic:

One of the most common mistakes I see job seekers make is that they’re not strategic enough. I could write several articles on this topic, but for now, I’m going to limit it to a specific thought. As you’re applying to jobs, networking, and getting up to speed on the social networking sites, be strategic. By this, I mean plan out your strategy and map out your goals. Who are you going to talk to this week? What companies do you need to get informational interviews with? Where are you finding your most helpful information?  I find that job seekers have better results when they have a specific plan in mind. Eliminate the things that aren’t working in your job search and concentrate on the things that are working.

4) People want to hear good news:

I think we’ve been bombarded long enough with bad news regarding the job market. I tend to believe that when people want to hear good news, they make good things happen. Stay positive about your search and give people good news. Give employers a reason to want to talk to you. We’re hearing news about jobs being created and companies starting to make money. Take advantage of that good news and feeling of optimism by getting your resume out to people, networking, and accentuating the positive.

5) Research new industries:

Take this opportunity now to think seriously about emerging careers and industries. We’re hearing quite a bit about the green industry these days. If a career change is in order, see if you can carve out a niche for yourself in an emerging industry. A few years ago we had never heard of cybercrime. At this point, I don’t think I need to define what it is. There are jobs in information technology that didn’t exist 10 years ago. In light of “Healthcare Reform” (I’ll keep my opinions to myself), once it’s all figured out, I imagine that there will be new jobs created to ensure accountability and regulation conformity. Someone somewhere is going to need to know what the heck this all means and inform the rest of us. So, to wrap up without going down a controversial path…research new industries and find out how traditional industries are changing. Look for opportunities in those markets and something is bound to become available. Just be ready with an updated resume when it does.

Hope you enjoyed it. Keep reading,

Beth

I have referenced Linkedin and methods on how to use social networking for your job search. I’d like to take some time to emphasize how important utilizing these tools are to your job search.  Recently I invited some recruiters to sit down with job seekers as part of a job club that I lead in the Annapolis, MD area. There was a small group of us and we were very fortunate to be able to speak candidly about what they look for in resumes and their various recruiting methods and philosophies.

Here are a few things that they shared:

1) They are diligently using LinkedIn and Facebook as an avenue for recruiting.

For anyone who is in an active or passive job search and wants to be found, get a Linkedin profile and get on Facebook. More importantly than just getting on those sites, is to actively engage in the site. There are hundreds of groups on Linkedin specific to job seekers, industries, and companies. Recruiters aren’t just looking at people’s profiles, they are looking at group activity. If you are posting some great questions or are providing good responses to questions in a group, recruiters will take notice.  I do hear some valid objections from some job seekers about using Linkedin. I’ll try to address them in another entry.

2) If you’re interested in a specific company, see if they have a Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin Account.

Ok, I haven’t mentioned Twitter, not exactly my favorite site, but I’m not going to ignore its power or following. Many companies who understand the power of social networking are on these big three. Check to see if a company in which you are interested has an account on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter. If they do, join their group, become a fan, or become a follower. They post job openings on these sites. Recruiters who are using these sites want to see you there. They want to see a little more beyond the resume. In using social networking for job search, just make sure there’s nothing posted on your page that you wouldn’t want your grandmother seeing. If you’re good in that arena, then you should be good for the job search arena.

3) Employers value the free exposure from these sites and you should too.

Most everyone has been required to “cut back” due to less cash flow in recent years and we know all too well that businesses fall into that category. If they didn’t fall into the category, you wouldn’t be so hard up for a job. Social networking, and Linkedin, Facebook, and Twitter have helped recruiters feel as though they’ve hit the jackpot. It’s free for them to use these sites. Yes they can choose to pay for advanced features and some do, but the cost comparison is minimal compared to subscription costs to major job boards. They can market themselves and their products/services, attract a loyal following, and use these sites as a recruiting tool. It just makes sense.

These sites are free to you as well. I’m not knocking certain “subscription based” sites that attract six figure earners, but one job seeker in my job club mentioned, he’s finding good job leads on LinkedIn that are not included in the sites to which I am alluding.

4) If you’ve been resisting, get on the social networking band wagon.

Who knows what the next latest and greatest thing will be to arrive on the next platform. I can expect that at some point down the road, something will come along that leaves our current social networking forms in the dust. Until then, social networking is not going away, more and more businesses are leveraging its value, so get on board. Whether you’re in a serious job search, passive job search, or not looking at all, if you want to be considered for any jobs at all, get on the social networking band wagon. After all, this may be the one way that the perfect job DOES actually end up in your “in box”.

Title: Requirements Analyst
Job location: Edgewood, MD – CHPPM
Salary: 80-95k
Security Clearance: Must be able to obtain Secret (interim Secret to start)
Job Requirements: * Bachelors Degree, preferably in Computer Information Systems or related field (or equivalent related work experience) * Technical Skills: Proficient in MS Excel and MS Word. Familiarity with Project, PowerPoint and Visio * Effective interpersonal skills – Strong communication (oral and written) and client interface skills * Solid organizational and analytical abilities * High degree of attention to detail * Ability to quickly take on new tasks and handle multiple concurrent tasks * Good technical knowledge of usability of web-based applications * Ability to efficiently work and communicate with project team members * Experience in defining requirements related to software applications (web-based or otherwise) * Experience developing and using Use Cases * Ability to analyze and document process flow and workflow * Knowledge of software development lifecycles and methodologies * Knowledge of requirements documentation techniques Job Duties:
Software development RA for web applications. Experience REQUIRED in gathering requirements for software development. * Manage the initial completion and ongoing maintenance of detailed written business requirements * Collect, analyze, document and communicate business requirements * Produce documents using templates, following writing standards for documents and use cases * Facilitate requirement meetings * Participate in the definition and documentation of templates, writing standards for documents, use cases and software requirements specifications

Contact:

April Rose

NMR Consulting

April.rose@nmrconsulting.com

NMR Consulting is an EEO Employer

Help Desk Technician
Location: Edgewood, MD
Responsibilities/Duties:
• Perform technical functions such as system analysis, user and server accounts management, password resetting, evaluate software and tools, create images, programming, provide users and technicians support, create alerts to notify team of known problems, update drivers, patches, software, etc. for the technicians’ server, maintain terminal server, install and support client software for secure e-mail systems.
• Prepare plans for the resolution of complicated computer problems.
• Conduct site surveys.
• Assess and document current site network configuration and user requirements.
• Other duties including operation of Help Desk mailbox; responding to user voice-mail messages; assisting users with laptop computers, and troubleshooting and tracking hardware/software PC and printer problems.
• Must have at least 2 years experience remotely resolving IT issues and an excellent track record in customer service.
• Applicants selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
Contact:
April Rose
NMR Consulting
April.rose@nmrconsulting.com
NMR Consulting is an EEO Employer

A job seeker posted this question on a LinkedIn discussion board. “How do you get by on only one resume. When I was looking for a job I rewrote/edited my resume for every different job being sure to call out everything they were looking for in the description. How do you do it any other way?”

Job seekers need to remember that you have a job title…SALES PROFESSIONAL

Once you understand that, you must start thinking like a marketing and sales professional. The first successful strategy for all sales people and marketing/sales professionals is to define your target market, understand their needs, and package your product accordingly. So the first rule of resume writing is to target an industry, understand their needs, define your strengths, and write your resume accordingly.

The next step is understanding that you are not trying to go work for every employer out there. You must identify with the overall needs of the businesses in the industry which you are targeting. Do your research and homework. Identify the key words, lingo, and gain a better understanding of what these employers require from their employees. Then create your resume.  The marketing world calls this “market research” and “product packaging.”

Next, choose your market base. Change your thinking, rather than you shopping for an employer…the employer is shopping for you. You are a product. Would you rather be found on a shelf at Wal-Mart or in a niche specialty shop where a choosier shopper is looking for something unique, and is typically willing to spend more money?

Job seekers waste a tremendous amount of time trying to change their resumes and make it match every single word in every single job announcement. If you do your homework to begin with, and identify the primary key words for a specific industry before writing your resume, why would you need to change it for every employer? To begin with, those words and qualities should already be in the resume. Another marketing phrase for this is “Branding.” Quick Quiz…What type of Kellogg’s cereal uses Tony the Tiger? Answer: Frosted Flakes…See, branding.

I’ll drive home my point. In a nut shell, you must understand your strengths and create your value proposition. What are you “selling” in your resume? You should have a targeted job goal, just as a sales person has a target market. You develop your marketing plan, go after your ideal target, and emphasize your most unique selling points that make you stand out above the competition.

Another little known fact is that when HR writes a job announcement, they write it thinking, “in a perfect world, we want an employee who has…”   Most companies know full well that they are not going to find a candidate who matches the job description exactly.  Employers are going to hire the best candidate that they can find to meet their needs. You as a job seeker have more control over your job search than you realize. You’re choosing an employer, not the other way around. Therefore, target your resume to similar companies within the same industry who have similar needs. This way, you shouldn’t need to change your resume for every single job to which you apply.

Let me make this final point. If you have multiple career targets, then you may need a couple of different versions of the resume with a slightly different angle. Think of it this way…you should never write a resume for a specific JOB; rather you should write your resume for a specific career in a targeted industry. Stop thinking JOB and think career.

Hope that helps in answering the question.

Target the resume to an industry…determine your value proposition…market yourself to YOUR IDEAL prospects.

Now that the Great Recession, as I’ve heard it dubbed, is officially over, your job search should be taking off, right? Well that’s what several people are hoping for but I’m still receiving emails and phone calls from frustrated job seekers wondering what is wrong with “those employers.” Ok, let’s think about it…those who are still gainfully employed are totally overwhelmed and probably would love to have extra help, but their own employers are holding off on hiring the extra help they need. Therefore, the vicious cycle continues.

I realize you’re not here to read about the woes of the employed, but to better equip yourself for dealing with your issue, the woes of the frustrated job seeker, whether currently employed or not. So, my next few entries will provide a few tips and strategies that will hopefully help you out. People wonder where I come up with this stuff…my own little noggin based upon what I know from 10 years of industry experience and what I perceive to be helpful from multiple resources. So if you like it, THANK YOU! I’ve had the opportunity to work individually with literally hundreds, probably close to 1000 job seekers over the last 10 years and I’ve always rooted for you. I’ve ALWAYS been on the side with job seekers and NEVER the side screening out job seekers.

Truth - All journeys begin with a travel plan, map, GPS, or something. You’ve got to know where you’re going.   Take a hard look at your individual marketing plan. What I mean is how are you selling yourself. Are you selling yourself as someone who is desperate for anything or confident that you’re the right fit for the next employer? Is your resume targeted toward a specific industry? Have you created a list of companies that you are marketing yourself toward? Have you measured up your qualifications to the job announcement and created a comparison? Have you been networking through both social media networks and face to face networks? Have you begun participating in a local job club in your community? Have you utilized some non-traditional resources? Think of it this way, if you were the latest and greatest new product on the market would people be interested in you based upon your current marketing? Even Apple had to create buzz over the i-phone.

Truth — Your current job title is Sales Director regardless of the industries in which you have worked. Create your targeted sales plan. Review the business journals and industry associations to determine what companies in your area are doing. Target companies, then jobs within the companies. Network with people who have specific contacts within those companies. Get to know what the the companies are about and package your resume and yourself in such a way so as to prove that you are the right fit. Most people work opposite of that, they target jobs and never companies. Change your approach and it will work better for you. Then you’ll begin to start moving in the right direction. Even McDonald’s and Disney know who their target market is, you should too.

Truth – If you haven’t figured it out by now, sitting at a computer, sending your resume into 50 online job postings (aka “black holes) a day is not going to get you a job. Look hard at your resume to determine what kind of value proposition you can make to a company. True story, I was working with a client making significant career transition. Because we worked together to emphasize his problem solving, team management, and customer service skills over specific job history, he became a very attractive commodity for the right company. He sent out 5 resumes, and got called for an interview. After the first interview for a technician’s position, the company called him back and said they wanted to consider him for a manager’s position. He’s now working as a manager for the one and only company he interviewed with. Five resumes, one company, 4 weeks of hard job search. His resume focused on the key strengths that he brought to a company. Even a princess will kiss a toad if she knows a prince will appear.

False — I should dumb down my resume so that I can get working again.  I strongly discourage that. You should take pride in the strengths and value you bring to a company. Companies will pay good money for top talent in any job market. If your industry is over saturated with talent, then make sure you stand out among the best. I know a few folks who can help you with that. LOL  give me a shout out. Stephen Hawking may have ALS, and he’s still valued for his brilliance.

False — Companies are discriminating against me because I’m over 50.  Again, I disagree. If you haven’t noticed, there are three generations of workers in today’s work place and most of them are over 50. Companies value that talent and experience because they know you’re not going to work forever. If you’re showcasing your talent appropriately and not coming across as a “fuddy duddy” during an interview then they’ll take notice and value it.  What are you selling them on? Your age or your accomplishments?  Accomplishments always win out over age and good looks. I will admit though, having a healthful appearance will be advantageous. Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that Bill Gates is over 50?

Truth – Traditional job search methods still work. I love how everyone says, “job search has changed” or “job search is now easier”. No it’s not…employers have just adopted ways to screen candidates faster. Online job databases, whether company-managed or through major job board search engines are all key word-driven. The resume must play a more strategic role than ever in your job search and must include key words. However, when you boil it all down…it’s still more about who you know over what you know.  That’s one reason LinkedIn is so popular. And my only little “quip” I can come up with is, sing it loud now, TRADITION!

I’ve got more to say, but one of my goals for 2010 is to blog more but say less in each blog. So, I’m sticking to my goal. Tag my site and stand by. I’ll put more out about this soon.

I’m sure that many job seekers are wondering, Should I contact a Professional Resume Writer? Of course, I’m slightly biased on this subject. However, I’ll do my best to give you some unbiased strategies of when and how to contact a resume writer and help you determine whether or not you should contact one.

1. Do I need a Professional Resume Writer?
There are several advantages of working with a professional resume writer. The main reason is, as a professional writer with expertise in branding and marketing job seekers, professional resume writers can look at your career objectively. We’re not as personally invested in your past, we’re more invested in your future. As a best practice method, we will focus on the positive aspects of your past career, minimize the damage of any “shaky” career periods, and partner with you to position you as one of the best candidates available. I consistently get positive comments such as “I never would have thought to do my résumé this way” or “I love how you did _____it really works”. And one of my all time favorites is, “WOW! I love the resume” Essentially, we bring a fresh perspective to your job search campaign and will utilize best practices based upon current career trends and information.

2. When should I contact a Professional Résumé Writer?
A. If you’re going to work with a professional writer, the sooner the better. Many sought-after résumé experts have waiting lists, making it difficult to turn around a project in less than a week. Each résumé writer has his/her own methods and you may have to do some “homework” before being able to even meet with the writer. You may also find that some résumé experts specialize their practices to niche industries, so it’s best to start your search early.

B. Contact a professional résumé writer before you actually NEED the résumé. Often, job seekers will call after they have been doing a job search for several months and get nowhere. At that point, you may or may not have the patience or the money to wait several days more on a new resume. If you try to put a tight timeline on a résumé writer with an already busy schedule, you could potentially find yourself paying a higher price for a rush job or worse yet, working with a subpar organization.

C. If you know that there is the potential threat of a company downsizing or a new supervisor has come into the office, get prepared early. New leadership brings change and new ideas. I often talk to job seekers who have successfully worked with a company for a number of years only to find out that they are not the “right fit” for the new supervisor who is now in charge. In that case, a job change is inevitable and it’s better to have something ready to go in advance of an untimely departure.

3. How much should I expect to pay a Professional Résumé Writer?
Most Certified Professionals who manage solo practices vary their pricing depending upon the project and his/her level of expertise. Ask for a project quote. What you can expect is that typically an independent writer with more experience is going to charge significantly more than an internet site that doesn’t have a face to it. Just make sure that you hire someone who is credentialed and participates in continuing education. Verify their credentials! In many cases, the professionals who make their individual livelihood working individually with clients will produce better work than an internet site promising fast turn-around for minimal cost. Experts who INVEST in their careers by earning credentials, joining professional career management organizations, and participating in continuing education are often in high demand, charge more, and produce better results.

Those are the three top questions I can think of in terms of hiring a professional résumé writer. In all honesty, take time to evaluate your career, evaluate your personal marketing strategy, and evaluate your success rate from your current résumé. If it’s not producing at least a 10% return, then perhaps it’s time to INVEST in a professionally credentialed résumé writer.

While recently sitting in a seminar on social networking, it occurred to me that job seekers have a tool today that didn’t exist a few years ago; Social Networking. With so many opportunities out there to increase your online presence, it’s crucial to make sure that your online presence is consistent.

Let’s face it, employers know about these tools and regularly use them to research candidates as part of the reference check. If you’re on LinkedIn and have a professional presence but have information about you on your Facebook profile that contradicts the professional presence you established on LinkedIn, employers may question your character.

So as to ensure a consistent social presence, try applying these tips:

CHECK YOUR PROFILE ON EACH SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE
Ensure you’re sending the same message about yourself by reviewing your profile and sharing the same information.

SET GOOGLE ALERTS ABOUT YOURSELF
This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to make monitor yourself online. This way if someone else posts something about you, you’ll receive an alert and can take action quickly.

CHECK WHO YOU “FOLLOW”
If you’re on Twitter, who are you following and who is following you? Check to see if you’re following industry experts relative to your field so it will be evident that you stay “in the know.” Also, are others who are considered industry experts following you?

CONTRIBUTE TO GROUP DISCUSSIONS
What kind of information or questions are you posting into various groups? LinkedIn and other web sites offer the opportunity for you to be in groups where you can ask and respond to questions. Build up your professional profile by asking relevant questions and providing helpful responses to questions that others post.

AVOID THE DESPERATION MOVE
I can’t tell you how many posts I have seen that say Professional (fill in job title) seeking job in (fill in area). Are there any jobs left out there and why won’t anyone hire me? I’m not sure if people who do this just don’t know any better, think they’re being funny, or are really that desperate. Let’s face it, whining doesn’t work for most people or in the work place, so avoid making a total desperation move like that. It’s ok to post your credentials and to alert your followers that you are actively seeking work, just be professional about it.

FOLLOWING THESE SIMPLE STRATEGIES will help you maintain a solid and consistent web 2.0 presence. If you don’t have an online presence there are many ways to go about creating one, but that’s another article.

Now that there are more unemployed recruiters out there than gainfully employed ones, they’re taking stabs at Professional Resume Writers. Some unemployed recruiters and HR professionals, and life coaches struggling for clients have even begun to supplement their income by writing resumes. So, in defense of all the negative comments out there, I’m posting my In Defense of Certified and Professional Resume Writers comments.

1. Two Words, Certified and Professional — For those of us who have taken the time to better educate ourselves in the field of job development, recruiting, and career coaching, we have chosen to specialize in a niche market; Resume Writing. Many of us with the words Certified and Professional to our credentials earn a minimum of 10 CEU’s a year, most of us earn triple that, better educating ourselves.  I agree, thanks to a growth in our industry, there are many Certifying organizations, but the good thing is that all of them require a review of the resume writer’s work, and we do meet specific standards. It’s obvious to even the novice professional resume writer whether or not one has used a template, and recognizing such would be an automatic, failure for certification.

2. Pricing: Many people argue that our prices are too high and that $400-$800 dollars is a sham. Well let’s say I make $550 from writing a resume and the job seeker lands a position that pays him $7,000/month. Interesting…I have to continue to seek out new “jobs” at $550 a pop while the job seeker’s job is over.  What’s more interesting is that your typical recruiter would make 20% of that $84,000 a year salary, making their cut $16,800. Why is everyone picking on the resume writer who lives client to client for charging a mere $550.00? If you ask me, we’re the least greedy of them all.

3. Personal Branding: Let’s face it, not everyone works at a Fortune 500 company. The majority of the employers in this wonderful country of ours are entrepreneurs who had an idea, developed it, and turned it into profit. I’ve worked with clients who had incredible talent and accomplishments but didn’t work for a “household name” company. Does this mean they have anything less to offer? Should I slight them because they don’t fit into a specific box?  I was recently working with an HR Executive who’s resume screamed strategic development, even contained the words strategic development in the top 1/3 of the first page, and a recruiter who didn’t bother READING anything other than the bold print, had the audacity to tell this client that they didn’t see any strategic development in the resume. My client was exasperated with this recruiter who actually called himself a professional.  How many CEU’s have they earned in their field in the last year? I bet, less than 25!  To all recruiters out there who only look at resumes for 5 seconds, be proud that I’ve made your job easy. I’ve put all the key information where you’ll see it.

4. Let’s call a truce: Look, I like recruiters. I have several friends and professional contacts who are recruiters. What their real gripe with Certified Professional Resume Writers is that we leave out all the negative stuff in an individual’s career. We’ve learned how to strategically hide the bad stuff and accentuate the positive. Recruiters should be thankful that Certified Professional Resume Writers can actually help them effectively market a candidate from an unknown company to a client. Why dump on us? We’re not the one’s charging 20% of an annual salary.

5. Recruiters and Professional Resume Writers should develop strategic partnerships rather than slam each other. I’ve developed several within my community. Recruiters could cut their candidate selection process time in half by talking with a local Professional Resume Writer and seeing if there’s anyone who meets their qualifications. Resume Writers love to see their clients get jobs, and I do everything I can to personally help mine. I actually network more for clients at a networking meeting than I do for my own business! How’s that for value add?

6. The competition: The competition on the internet for resume writing services is fierce. There are several frauds out there and I even went out of my way, for free, to try to assist someone who got ripped off by a company that profits millions off producing crap work. It made me angry that this firm charged her three times what I would have. Any search online regarding that particular company was listed in fraud and rip off reports.  That’s why when someone is considering have a resume written professionally, they should always look for minimum qualifications. I’ll even provide a few tips.

A. Check for CREDENTIALS and MEMBERSHIP from reputable non-profit organizations such as Career Directors International, National Resume Writing Association, Career Management Alliance, or Professional Association of Resume Writers. These are the most reputable and legitimate organizations. If your resume writer is not a member or credentialed from at least one of these organizations, keep looking. If a company says that they have certified professionals on staff, but requires exorbitant deposits and up front fees, keep looking. In defense of this, most Professional Resume Writers do require fees up front, however, you should be talking directly to the resume writer and you should have an idea of the strategy and process they use for the resume development. Are they personable, will you have an interview or telephone meeting with the writer, will they provide revisions as part of the initial service? Those are the kinds of things you should ask.

B. What kind of response do you get? I’ll admit, I can’t always answer my phone, but I do return my calls. Most of us in this industry are sole proprietors and we live by our reputation, service, and word. Ask us questions about the kinds of clients we work with, what are our specialties, and turn around time. Please don’t expect a turn around of 48 hours, it’s just not possible. Those of us who take our craft seriously take time, gather as much information about you as possible, and work several hours on your project. It doesn’t happen in 20 minutes, not by the kinds of resume writers I’m talking about.

C. Ask if they have works that are published. Please don’t think that if they haven’t been published in resume writing books, that they’re no good. I know many colleagues who are great resume writers, they just haven’t been able to find the time to submit works for books when people are soliciting for materials. Sometimes there are very tight deadlines for book submission and when our focus in on our clients, we just can’t meet them. I know that personally, I missed two deadlines last year because I had such a huge client load.

D. Ask when their last professional development was. If the resume writer you are talking to hasn’t participated in recent online training or at least a convention within the last 16 months, then find someone who has. Those of us who are Certified, Professional, and have thriving resume writing businesses take our education and training seriously.

So in defense of Certified Professional Resume Writers, understand that we are practitioners in a rapidly growing professional careers industry. We get lumped in with life coaches, executive coaches, recruiters, and fake resume writers. We are not magicians, we’re not super hero’s, but we do sometimes work magic and leap multiple barriers to employment. Our primary goal is to further advance individuals careers and if we have to charge between $400-800, or even more to do it, then so be it. Be thankful that we’re not asking for 20% of your annual salary.