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If you are active on social media, you notice career professionals talking to each other all the time on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and even LinkedIn. Funny thing about that, in a global market place, we are all competitors for the most part. Shouldn’t we be cut throat and stay as far away from each other as possible?
Career folks always did talk though. It was just that no one could see us talking. There are still career industry e-lists from Career Directors International (CDI) and others. When I joined the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARWCC) back in 1999, I think it was the beginning of me feeling like I was in an industry.
Career Industry is populated by sole proprietors
What you may or may not know about career professionals is that though there people who have larger practices with multiple writers, most of us are sole proprietors. I didn’t start out with the idea to be a stay-at-home mom. I started out with the idea that I could work from home and save on child care costs.
When I lost my job in property management in Naperville, IL, we moved back home to Wausau, WI and I looked for other employment. But my sons are 13 months apart and in 1987, people were offering me $7.25/hour. I got frustrated fast. I figured I would burn more money in child care than I would earn. I decided to pick up writing resumes as I had as a side business when we managed property in Wausau. It was then that the business name of Design Resumes evolved.
Job Search Resources Then and Now
In the years before PARWCC, I used books I found to grow my knowledge but there was no Internet. But the books were hard to find. It was only through PARWCC and then in 2000 by joining Career Masters Institute (CMI) that I learned about the great books available written by industry pros like Wendy Enelow, Lousie Kursmark, and Susan Britton-Whitcomb. It took Susan Guarneri moving back to Central Wisconsin in 2003 to get me to try the Certified Professional Resume Writer exam. And I passed!
Now there are multiple books by the authors I mentioned above plus blogs like this one and many other resources that were never there when I started in the industry. I just became an Associate of Career Thought Leaders, which was founded by Wendy Enelow:
We are the Career Thought Leaders Consortium, a think tank of career industry leaders working collaboratively to support both our colleagues and job seekers worldwide by providing expert leadership and innovation throughout all phases of career development, job search, long-term career management, and career fulfillment.
Career Thought Leaders Conference in 2010 was the first conference I attended. I was a little star-struck meeting so many of my peers and the industry leaders in one place. The best part of the industry is getting to take those relationships to the next level of phone or Skype or meeting in person.
Why do Career professionals talk to each other?
Career professionals talk to each other because its how we learn. In this field, a quality resume writer or career coach doesn’t typically do high volume. Customized resume writing and career marketing services are designed to fit the client. It takes listening skills and writing skills to make it in this industry.
The career professionals I know are caring, compassionate people who are drawn to resume writing because they genuinely want to help others. However, they too have mortgages, need food on the table, and everything else jobseekers need. So, while they are a helpful community, they do charge to help their clients.
On the other hand, the volume of free advice put out by career professionals, including resume samples and posts about how to effectively write resumes or effectively network your way to a job could help millions.
If you have been wondering why career people talk to each other? It’s pretty easy. We like each other!
Stuck in your job search or just ready to move on from your existing position? Julie Walraven can help you find a new career! To find out how, Click here!
