June 2026

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

Colleagues,

This issue of The Watercooler keeps circling back to one of the most important parts of our work: trust.

Trust shows up in the way we talk with prospective clients. 

Guest webinar presenter Connie Kadansky reminds us that selling is not about pushing harder, explaining more, or trying to convince every inquiry to become a client. It is about slowing down enough to find out what is actually true.

Trust also shows up in a more alarming way in Wendi Weiner’s must-read warning about identity theft and executive job scams. Her story is unsettling because it hits so close to home. Our credibility, photos, credentials, LinkedIn profiles, and professional visibility are not just marketing assets anymore. They can also be copied, distorted, and weaponized by scammers.

And trust shows up inside the NRWA itself. This organization runs because members step forward. If you care about where the profession is going, please take a serious look at the open volunteer opportunities in membership, marketing, and sponsorships. The NRWA is truly a team!

Also in this issue, you’ll find a helpful Grammar Matters tip from Donna Tucker. Confused about when to use italics and quotation marks? This will set you straight.

And don’t forget to check out the Member Milestones. Find out what NRWA’s members have been empowered to achieve.

As you read, remember that our work is never just about documents. It is about judgment, credibility, communication, and care. Those are the things clients are really buying. They are also what keep this profession strong.

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:

• Stop Trying to Sell. Start Finding Out What’s True.
• A Must-Read Warning from One of Our Own
• Help Shape the Future of the NRWA
  
• Grammar Matters
• Member Milestones

Stop Trying to Sell. Start Finding Out What’s True.

By Connie Kadansky

Resume writers don’t just write resumes. They stand at the intersection of emotion, identity, and decision-making.

Every inquiry is more than a transaction. It’s a moment where a job seeker is quietly asking:

Can I trust you with my story, and will this investment move my life forward? Yet too often, these conversations get reduced to pricing, turnaround time, or formatting preferences. That’s where opportunity quietly slips away. The reasons are rooted in fear, self-judgment, and assumptions about how people behave.

But you can strengthen your sales muscles when you realize that selling is a matter of perception, presence, and emotional discipline. It’s about what is happening psychologically in the moment, for both you and the client.

Here is a way of approaching your next prospect that can help.

Qualify Your Prospect

Before responding to any inquiry, it’s worth pausing and asking a simple question: Is this truly a fit?

A qualified prospect isn’t just someone who needs a resume. They are someone who has a problem you can solve, is the decision maker, has a sense of urgency, has the budget to invest, and can trust you, or is open to building that trust. When even one of these elements is missing, the conversation shifts. You’re no longer guiding a decision. You’re managing uncertainty, hesitation, or comparison shopping.

Rookie vs. Pro Resume Writer

Rookies respond. Pros inquire. Instead of jumping into solutions, experienced resume writers ask:

• What’s prompting the need for an updated resume?
• What have you tried before?
• What does urgency look like for you right now?
• How will you know you’ve found the right resume writer?

These aren’t just intake questions. They are positioning questions. They shift the conversation from, “How much do you charge?” to “Is this the right move for me?” And that shift changes everything. When you ask them, you help the client think rather than react.

What’s Really Happening Beneath the Surface

Objections are common, and it’s easy to feel blocked when a prospect seems headed toward a “no.” But the truth is that many of the most common objections aren’t objections at all. They’re signals. When you recognize what’s beneath them, your response becomes more precise and far more effective. Here are some common examples:

The Indirect Referral

“Give me your card. My friend needs a resume.”

This isn’t a committed buyer. It’s someone testing the waters safely. There’s curiosity, but no ownership yet.

Your role? Keep it light. Invite conversation. Don’t force a sale that hasn’t begun.

The AI Evangelist

“Why would I pay you when I can use AI?”

They’re not dismissing you. They’re questioning value. They see resume writing as mere word production rather than career strategy. This is your moment to elevate the conversation: You’re not editing words. You’re shaping positioning, clarity, and market relevance.

The Bargain Hunter

“I’ve seen resumes for $50.”

This is a comparison of price, not impact. When you stay in the pricing lane, you lose. When you shift to outcomes, differentiation begins.

The DIY Comparison

“My friend wrote his own and got a job.”

They’re asking: Will hiring you make a meaningful difference?

And that’s the right question. Because the answer isn’t about resumes. It’s about trajectory, clarity, and confidence in how they show up in the market.

The real opportunity every one of these scenarios presents is choice. You can defend your pricing and justify your process, or you can guide the conversation to a higher level. Opportunity isn’t just about whether someone needs a resume. It’s about whether they are ready to engage in the kind of thinking, clarity, and partnership that creates meaningful results.

The next time an inquiry comes your way, pause for a moment and ask: “Is there an opportunity here, and is it with me?”

The answer may be the difference between a transaction and a transformation.

Connie is an Arizona-based sales trainer with a background in psychology. She spoke on March 20 as part of the NRWA’s members-only webinar series. NRWA members can access it in the member library. Meanwhile, NRWA members can access a longer version of this article within the NRWA’s Business Resource Page. 

A Must-Read Warning from One of Our Own

NRWA member, attorney, and executive resume writer Wendi Weiner recently shared a deeply unsettling story in the publication Above the Law, and it's one every resume writer, career coach, and job seeker needs to hear.

Wendi's professional identity was stolen and meticulously cloned.

Her name, headshot, LinkedIn headline, branding banner, credentials, and signature block were used to construct a fake version of her, which scammers then deployed to target a chief technology officer named Charles.

He believed he was being considered for a senior Intel role with compensation ranging from $650,000 to $1.3 million. A fake recruiter shortlisted him, gave him a 72-hour deadline, and referred him to "Wendi" for resume and branding support. The Wendi who showed up was operating through a fraudulent Gmail account and requesting payment through Payoneer.

Fortunately, the transaction was flagged before Charles lost money, and he eventually found his way to the real Wendi through her website.

This one is close to home. Our names are our brands. We build trust publicly through LinkedIn, our websites, our headshots, and our thought leadership, and that visibility is now being weaponized against the very people we serve.

A few things Wendi highlights that are worth sitting with:

• We are the new attack vector. Scammers aren't just faking jobs anymore. They're faking us, using our credibility to make the scheme believable.
• LinkedIn hands them everything they need. Photos, headlines, credentials, and career narratives are all public and useful to someone building a convincing impersonation.
• The scam mimicked a legitimate executive search. That's what made it so effective. It followed the real rhythm of a high-level job search, which means our clients may not recognize it as a scam until it's too late.

Check out her full article and consider sharing the link with your clients, especially those currently searching. And it's worth auditing your own digital footprint, too. Think about what someone could lift from your public profiles and how easily they could reassemble it into something dangerous.

Help Shape the Future of the NRWA

The NRWA is run by volunteers. People like you.

And right now, we need you.

If you're reading this, you probably care about this profession and where it's going, how we show up for each other, and what this organization can become. Serving on a committee is one of the most direct ways to shape that. It's also a chance to connect with colleagues, build skills, and do something that matters beyond your own practice.

We're looking for members to step into the following roles:

Membership Committee: This committee is dedicated to supporting the growth, retention, and overall experience of NRWA members. This group focuses on welcoming new members, encouraging engagement, gathering feedback, and helping create meaningful connections within the association. Committee members play an important role in fostering a supportive professional community while helping members recognize and maximize the value of their membership.

Marketing Committee*: The Marketing Committee focuses on strengthening the NRWA’s visibility, messaging, and member engagement throughout the year. This committee helps promote NRWA programs, events, initiatives, and member benefits through strategic communication, social media, campaigns, and collaborative outreach efforts. Members who enjoy creativity, branding, communication strategy, content development, or audience engagement are a strong fit for this team.

*The NRWA is also seeking a chair for this committee:

The Marketing Committee Chair provides leadership and direction for the NRWA’s marketing and promotional efforts throughout the year. This role collaborates with committee members, leadership, and other committees to raise awareness of NRWA programs, events, resources, and member benefits.

Responsibilities may include:

• Guiding marketing strategy and communication efforts.
• Encouraging creative ideas to strengthen visibility and outreach.
• Collaborating with other committees to support organizational goals.
• Helping maintain consistent branding and messaging.
• Coordinating promotional campaigns for organization initiatives.
• Assisting with social media and member-engagement efforts.
• Encouraging creative ideas to strengthen visibility and outreach.

If you have experience in marketing, communications, or brand strategy, or just strong opinions about how we should talk about ourselves, we want to hear from you.

Sponsorship Committee*: We're looking for members to help build relationships that support the organization's work. If you have a background in sales, partnerships, or business development, this role could be a great fit.

The Sponsorship Committee works to build and strengthen relationships with industry partners and sponsors who support the NRWA’s mission and programming. This committee assists with sponsorship outreach, relationship development, partnership opportunities, and identifying ways to create year-round value for sponsors while supporting the association’s initiatives. Members with strengths in networking, relationship-building, business development, or strategic communication may especially enjoy contributing to this committee.

*The NRWA is also seeking a chair for this committee:

The Sponsorship Committee Chair leads the NRWA’s sponsorship and partnership efforts. This role focuses on creating meaningful sponsorship opportunities that provide value to both the NRWA and its partners.

Responsibilities may include:

• Identifying and cultivating potential sponsors and partners.
• Assisting with sponsorship outreach and communication.
• Helping develop sponsorship packages and year-round partnership opportunities.
• Maintaining sponsor relationships and supporting sponsor engagement.
• Collaborating with leadership and committees on sponsorship strategy.

Volunteering doesn't have to mean taking on more than you can handle. These are focused roles with real impact. If any of these sounds like a fit, or if you have questions before committing, reach out to Nancy Grant at nancy@regionalcareer.com. 

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

Italics vs. quotation marks:

When referencing publications, presentations, or creative works on a resume, use italics for titles of full-length works—such as books (The Great Gatsby), films (Casablanca), or journals (Harvard Business Review).

Use quotation marks for shorter works or pieces within a larger collection—such as articles (“How to Lead a Team”), essays, or poems (“The Road Not Taken”). 

Elizabeth Gross presented in Boston, MA, at the 2026 American College of Healthcare Executives’ congress in March. Her topics were “Optimizing LinkedIn & Aligning LinkedIn Profiles with Resumes,” “Building & Maintaining an Outstanding LinkedIn Profile,” and “Interviewing with Confidence.”

John House presented to the Washington Career Development Association (WCDA) held in May in Seattle, WA. His talk, “Resume Strategy, Relearned,” focused on how his approach to resume development changed after he earned the designation of Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW). He spoke about his challenged assumptions, standards, and his viewpoint on positioning and communicating human value within modern hiring systems.

Professional Development 

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

Certification Programs 

The National Résumé Writers' Association, All rights reserved.
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