April 2026

Editor's Message
by Ruth Sternberg, NCOPE – NRWA Newsletter Editor

Colleagues,

In this issue, we highlight resources and ideas that speak directly to the realities many of our members are navigating right now.

First, get a sneak peek at what we are offering in our upcoming virtual summit on modern resume writing. Learn more about the biggest pressure point in the field right now: Resume writers are still needed, but client expectations have changed. Details about registering for the May 6 and 7 event are also below.

If you haven’t heard, the NRWA now has a rapidly developing Business Resources Page. Read below for details on what you will find there, which supports our members with practical guidance on topics such as planning, marketing, client management, and more.

Also, do not miss this month’s Grammar Matters tip from Donna Tucker.

As always, the NRWA is here to support you with resources, education, and a professional community that understands the work you do and the business you are building.

Three reminders:
• Check the Midweek Memo for upcoming programs and details.
• Looking for a past article? Visit the newsletter archive for past Watercooler issues.
• Questions? Contact us at info@thenrwa.org.

Here’s to your professional growth.

Your Guide to This Issue:

• Job Seekers Need Our Resume-Writing Skills, But the Reasons are Evolving

• The 2026 Virtual Summit

• NRWA Business Resources

• Grammar Matters

• NRWA Success Stories

Job Seekers Need Our Resume-Writing Skills, But the Reasons are Evolving

By Vincent Vitale, NCOPE, NCRW

In the movie Other People’s Money (1991), corporate raider Larry “the Liquidator” Garfield (Danny DeVito) confronts the owner of a wire and cable company (Gregory Peck) with a brutal truth about technological disruption.

He says, “Even if the prayers were answered, and even if a miracle occurred. . .we would still be dead. You know why? Fiber optics.” 

In the late 1990s, copper wire was being replaced by fiber optics as the standard material for telecommunications and electricity, resulting in massive disruption to the industry. Garfield argued that the wire company’s business was not sustainable because nobody wanted the product.

Resume writers are experiencing this, too. The way many of us have performed our work, the tools we have used, and the processes that built our businesses are rapidly changing.

You know why? Artificial intelligence. 

This is creating profound uncertainty. But there is good news. The demand for skilled professionals to guide job seekers through the branding and application process will not disappear; it will simply evolve. Here’s why there is reason to remain optimistic:

The Myth of AI Replacement

Platforms such as ChatGPT and Claude allow job seekers to generate resumes in seconds. This creates a perception that professional services from humans are no longer necessary. This is false. 

Pricing Pressure and Value

If technology is free, justifying professional fees becomes harder. However, AI cannot replicate strategic positioning or nuanced storytelling. But AI cannot easily replicate the strategic career positioning, nuanced storytelling, or deep labor-market insights that career experts provide. 

The Changing Hiring Process

Even sourced candidates must provide documentation. In the end, this profession has never been solely about writing. It is about helping people articulate their value in a competitive market. 

As hiring evolves, those who understand both the technology and the human side of recruiting will remain essential guides within an increasingly complex system.

Join us to hear more on this topic from Vincent at the upcoming summit, The New Resume Playbook: High-Impact Writing in the Age of AI. 

Vincent is the owner of Star Resumes, focused on helping career changers and executives craft their professionally branded materials. He is also the HR manager for Mission Conversion Services Alliance, a government recruiting contractor to the Department of Energy. 

*The full version of this article will appear on the NRWA's Business Resources page.

Get Ready to Step Up Your Resume Game

Today’s winning resume is getting tougher to define. 

It tells a candidate’s career story. It defines a candidate’s value for a specific role in a specific industry. But it also has to be better than hundreds of competing applications, which means writers have to acquire and sharpen a growing list of skills.

Today, resume writers must know not only how to properly format and construct the narrative points, but also how to navigate a hiring system where AI is playing a greater role.

That’s why the NRWA is presenting a virtual summit, The New Resume Playbook: High-Impact Writing in the Age of AI, May 6–7.

Topics include how standards are shifting in the AI-influenced landscape, what clients need and expect today, how to use AI tools to streamline the writing process, and how to approach the process to become a Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW) through the NRWA.

Participants will earn 6 CEUs. Each will receive an $18 gift card for the Apple App or Google Play store, enough to cover two months of ChatGPT Go. Learn more and register here.

Need an Answer to a Business Question? We Have Your Back

It is easy to think of professional associations mainly in terms of community, conferences, and continuing education. But 75% of NRWA members run their own businesses, and they are navigating realities that transcend the work they do for individual clients.

These resume writers and career-services professionals must deal with pricing, planning, marketing, client management, burnout prevention, technology, and long-term growth.

The NRWA’s new business resource library, a benefit of NRWA membership,speaks directly to those needs. 

Topical Guides

The backbone of the collection consists of practical guides on topics such as business insurance, business structure, revenue planning, burnout prevention, marketing tools, podcasting, scam awareness, and even preparing to sell a business.

These are not abstract ideas. They are the kinds of resources that help members make clearer decisions, avoid preventable mistakes, and strengthen the foundation of their businesses.

Documents You Can Use

We have also provided white-label documents that our members can rebrand and use with clients. These include intake forms, LinkedIn worksheets, job-search tracking logs, prep worksheets, and sample agreements that can save members significant time while also helping them deliver a more polished, consistent client experience. 

Recommended Reading

The reading list extends that support. Titles focus on systems, visibility, pricing, coaching, AI, leadership, and long-term thinking and reflect a broader truth about this profession: Success is not just about writing skill or coaching ability. It is also about building a business that can support your work, your clients, and your goals.

In a field where so many professionals are building and refining their businesses in real time, access to practical tools like these can make membership valuable in ways that are immediate, concrete, and lasting.

Here is a tip from Donna Tucker to help improve your writing.

Capitalization

Capitalize a job title that comes immediately before the person's name or is used as part of their name when addressing them, as in President Cathy Lanzalaco.

If the job title comes after the person's name, or is used instead of the person's name, then it is generally not capitalized, as in Cathy Lanzalaco, president of the NRWA.

NRWA Success Stories

Have you written a book?

Delivered a talk?

Achieved something significant in our profession?

We want to hear from you!

Click here to fill out the form and get a mention in an upcoming issue of our monthly newsletter, The Watercooler.

Professional Development 

The NRWA offers live and on-demand webinars, a self-paced Resume Writing 101 course, teleseminars, and more opportunities for learning throughout the year.

Certification Programs 

The National Résumé Writers' Association, All rights reserved.
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