By Anne Anderson – NRWA Staff Writer
Crystal Johnson is a welcome addition to the healthy contingent of members hailing from the Washington, DC, area. Although her family has roots in Omaha, NE, she grew up in Arlington, VA, and now lives in McLean, where she shares her home with her fiancé and two dogs, Kobe, a boxer-lab mix and Julius, a Jack Russell terrier.
As an undergraduate at George Mason University, Crystal studied psychology with a minor in criminology, law, and society and obtained a master’s degree in criminology, law, and society with a focus on policy and practice. Her particular interest was research in advancing/fixing current policies within the criminal justice system. After serving in several internships, she landed a federal government internship with the Pathways Internship Program, which allows graduate students to begin their federal careers while being a full-time student.
During her time in this internship, her supervisor realized that she had a talent for writing and superior analytical skills. This started her career as a contract specialist. She has worked for the Department of Education, United States Coast Guard (USCG), and Department of Transportation (DOT). She currently works at the Department of Homeland Security for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Crystal formed her professional resume writing business in 2019, serving various clients, especially in IT, federal, and administrative positions. She is seeing more entry-level clients and those transitioning from entry-level into strategic career positions.
Crystal joined the NRWA in 2020 to expand her knowledge, stay current on the latest trends, and benefit from the organization’s network of professionals. She is gearing up to begin the certification process, aiming, she states, not just for a credential but to become a better resume writer. She especially appreciates getting to know colleagues from across the country and hearing about the latest trends. She participated in the 2021 conference and found it “super beneficial.” Wanting to expand her business and add subcontractors, she is finding NRWA to be an excellent resource for guidance and support of these efforts.
Crystal assists the NRWA’s Director of Membership. She is interested in helping to expand the group’s member base and enrich the knowledge of current members. The committee meets monthly to brainstorm ideas. She has helped with polling on the Facebook forum, as one example. She says, “I love bouncing ideas off people who are just as passionate about resume writing as I am.”
Contact Crystal at Linkedin.com/company/jcsllc/ or [email protected].
Anne Anderson is an HR Manager at Charter Spectrum and a professional resume writer. She has been a member of NRWA since 2013. Contact Anne at [email protected].
