Featured Article Carletter Ritter: Get your Resume in Order

This month we had a featured article. "Get your Resume in Order" with Carlette Ritter. This is an unusual topic for the POV Lounge but it's definitely important. People are seeking jobs daily and this can help in anyone's career.



We spoke to her about her article and asked a few additional questions. Read the interview below.



Dominique Watson (DW): What is your area of expertise?
Carletter Ritter (CR): I have a Bachelor’s degree in Human Relations (a combined discipline of psychology and sociology), a minor in Spanish and a M.S.A. in Organizational Development. I have been writing since I could hold a piece of chalk in my hand and draw a hopscotch map! I began working as a “beta” reader for one of my best friends about 4 years ago on a novel she was writing. After each chapter was written, she would email it to me and I would proofread and edit it. Then I would hash out plot development issues, continuity problems and work with her on characterization. I learned very quickly that I was doing what I loved. So I decided to start my business out slowly and work with the one thing that I knew a LOT about and saw a need for – RESUMES! I had always helped friends with resumes, stayed on top of the latest resumes trends and I had a LOT of practice. I’d been laid off 3 times since September 11, 2001.


DW: How long have you been in the business?
CR: Well, that’s difficult to answer. I’d say I completed my first stand alone fiction novel in 1997. I also worked on several short stories based on a character I’d developed named Robin Chase. Robin is a black female private detective. I also wrote erotica for an online magazine from 1997 – 2008. I officially formed Text Tailors LLC in January 2009, when I’d finally had enough of corporate America and quit my job. I put up a sign in my front yard, put ads on Craigslist and the local Pennysaver and was shocked when the phone started ringing!


DW: What is the number one mistake people make on their resumes?
CR: Not taking the resume seriously enough! People fail to understand that a resume is their one and ONLY shot to impress an employer. In this market, you have to be serious and your resume has to be tight. There is no room for arrogance or over-confidence in this highly competitive job market.



DW: How do you try to help those that came to you for advice on getting their resume in order?
CR: I shoot straight from the hip. If people can’t take honesty, then I won’t work with them. A person cannot apply for a job that they are not qualified for – period – and I won’t lie for them on a resume. The first thing I like to do is “interview” the person and learn a lot about their background (previous work). I am very good at making people feel comfortable and opening up. Because of my Psychology background, I know how to ask questions to get the right information out of people. I usually discover talents and skills they didn’t even realize they had or that they never considered would be relevant on a resume.


DW: Is it wise to include organizations you've been a part of that are non profit?
CR: Absolutely. Anywhere you have worked whether it’s been at a non-profit, volunteer work, internship, classes, seminars, and workshops – whatever! That participation could be counted as experience. Those are the types of things I learn about during an interview. I have a client who told me he didn’t have much experience but want a particular job. By the time I finished with him, his resume was 2 full pages! Things he didn’t consider important or relevant were certainly things that needed to be on his resume.


DW: Explain what a GS-15 position with the federal government is to the readers.
CR: GS stands for General Schedule. This is the pay system which most Federal employees fall under. Government jobs are ranked and classified by grades and steps, therefore, the higher the grade, the higher the status of the position which translates to more responsibilities and more money. The lowest grade in the government is about a GS-1-3 which pays the lowest money. A GS-15 position generally pays around $100,000 per year (to start). Of course, this can be higher or lower, depending on the hiring agency – that’s just an estimate. The responsibilities of a GS-15 are usually at the Director level.


DW: How much would it cost someone to hire a person to look over their resume?
DR: So people charge for a consultation, but I don’t. It doesn’t cost anything for me to evaluate a resume. If a person does not have a resume at all, that usually costs around $75.



I would encourage any job seeker to:
Take your resume seriously! Your resume is an impression of who you are. Don’t give an employer any reason to dismiss or discriminate against you before they even meet you!
Format your resume! Most companies scan resumes now so make sure your resume is formatted correctly for scanning.


Have multiple versions of your resume handy. Have several chronological versions made and several functional resumes made. Also have an educational resume! The concentration of your resume could mean the difference between you getting the job and someone else!


No one can guarantee your employment however, we can equip you with the strongest resume possible!



To read Carlette's full article on this topic, please refer to this link: http://fromawriterspov.webs.com/featuredarticle.htm Be sure to leave a comment if you have any additional questions.



Before we end today's blog...

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Signing Off,

Dominique Watson