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NCRW Corner: Plan Your Writing Strategy Around Your Client’s Voice

November 02, 2021 5:00 AM | Administrative Manager

By Nelly Grinfeld, NCRW, NCOPE

Is your next professional goal to start the NCRW certification process? If so, congratulations! To ensure a successful resume sample submission, make sure to closely follow the guidelines that have been outlined in detail in the NCRW Study Guide. Take your time to review all the Study Guide sections, and then plan your writing accordingly.

As you begin the task of writing a client’s resume, the first thing to think about is what information should be included to support the client’s target position, company, and industry. Without this clear goal, you run the risk of creating a document that is too general and irrelevant. In fact, before you type a single word on the screen, you should have a clear picture of what information is actually relevant to your client’s career goal.

For a District Sales Manager looking to switch industries from retail to consumer-packaged goods, is his prior experience as a food supply sales representative important? Discuss this with your client to clearly understand what skills their next employer is looking for and which of their skills are a match. Remember that the experience section does not need to include every aspect of all positions.

The Study Guide also urges you to think of yourself as a ghostwriter. The client’s communication style (not your communication style) must be the basis for building the resume document. During your intake process, whether by phone or in written form, you must gather information that will help you set the resume tone. A quality assurance specialist will, most likely, communicate very differently from a VP of Human Resources. The words and phrases you include on the resume will likely set the tone for your client’s interview – make sure that your writing accurately reflects how your client speaks about themselves.

This has been a brief overview of how to properly plan your writing strategy. As you craft your resume sample for review, make sure to thoroughly follow the Study Guide guidelines, and you will increase your chances of success!

Nelly Grinfeld, NCRW, NCOPE has volunteered for the NRWA since 2018 and serves as a grader on the NCRW Certification Committee. She really values her NRWA membership for all the fantastic learning and growth opportunities offered. She owns Top of the Stack Resume LLC in Cincinnati, OH. You can find her online at LinkedIn.com/in/nellygrinfeld/.

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