Introduction
Writer CVs are a peculiar thing. Usually, people try to land their dream jobs by emphasizing their achievements in their resume. Then, HR staff and recruiters read through this and decide whether or not they want to meet the candidate. With writers, it’s a bit different – your resume is, at the same time, a piece of your portfolio. You will not only be judged by your work experience and skills (as is the case in other industries) but the very writing style of your CV.
That’s why we have prepared this guide to the tricky realm of resume writing for writers. Let’s have a look at how you can craft the best possible CV!
Make it text-dominant
The usual piece of advice when it comes to CV writing is to keep it short, succinct, and visual. Many people use CV templates and diagrams to say as much as they can visually and not waste too many words. The reason for this is to grab the attention of the reader (HR manager) and stand out from other prospective candidates.
This is one of the main differences between a regular resume and that of a writer. As a writer, you should use text as a tool and a weapon, and not resort to the attraction tricks of visual elements. Being able to capture the attention of your reader using pure text says a lot about your writing abilities.
Make it readable
At the same time, text-heavy pieces need to be organized and neatly structured. Another peculiarity in this sense is that you would usually use bullet points, lists and short sentences to get your point across. In a writer CV, it’s different. You want to show that you can tackle „long stories“ without resorting to lists or similar elements.
Still, there are many tricks that you can use to achieve that. For example, you should make your paragraphs shorter and make a beginning indent in each – this makes the readability higher for the person checking your CV. You can also split different sections under different headings and give them interesting names.
Hire experts
Many writers use paper writing services to help them craft the perfect CV. It seems counter-intuitive to hire someone else to do it for you, but you can usually get clearer insights into your CV from a different perspective.
You can also use the Grant Writer service for your resume needs. Writers on this service usually craft grant proposals, so they are knowledgeable in fixed-structure work that aims to impress the reader and present the subject in the best possible light.
Flaunt your creativity
Employers who are on the lookout for writers are usually searching for someone who can think outside of the box. In other words, you need to show that you know how to view and observe things from an unusual angle and make the reader think.
A resume (or your motivational letter) is the perfect chance to take a fixed, rigid structure that’s prone to clichés and corny phrases and make it completely your own. For example, if you like using humor or cynicism, you can even make a slight parody of the CV form.
Emphasize your strengths
When you continue with the hiring process, it’s the company’s turn to impress you with amazing employee experience. However, whether you like it or not, the CV is considered your turn to impress the employer. You won’t get too far by being too shy and humble, unfortunately. No matter how you usually approach your work and your stance on bragging, it’s actually the perfect time to do so in your resume.
Think about what the employer or client could gain from having you in their writing team, that they can hardly find in other writers. When you think about this, put yourself in their shoes. If you feel like your client would prefer speed to creativity, present that you are able to write very quickly (of course, only if you really are).
Refer readers to your portfolio
With every writer job application you submit, it is always best that you add a portfolio of writing samples you are most proud of. You should also emphasize that readers of your CV can see examples of your actual writing in the samples that you have enclosed. Unfortunately, the resume itself can sometimes divert too much attention from what really matters. If you are lucky, recruiters will be looking at your work first, and then the resume. However, it’s often the other way around.
Avoid clichés and buzzwords
This is a piece of advice that can be applied to any resume, but it’s infinitely more important for the CV of a professional writer. When you add cliché phrases to your CV, it is like you are instantly demonstrating a lack of skills to express yourself in an original way. This may be acceptable in a job application for a data scientist where other skills take centre place, but it should be absolutely avoided in a writer’s resume.
The sneaky thing about clichés and buzzwords is that you can start using them without actually becoming aware of it. They can even slip under your radar after you’ve read your CV several times. That’s why it’s a good idea to run it through writing checkers like Grammarly that will underline cliché phrases.
Conclusion
A writers’ resume is important, but you should also emphasize your portfolio and writing samples. In most cases, employers and potential clients will focus more on these than the resume itself. That said, it is still important to make sure your CV is high-quality, especially when it comes to correctness. In writer resumes, there is zero-tolerance for mistakes.
Dorian Martin is a professional writer working with PhD students. He helps students around the world submit high-quality, innovative work on time. Dorian is especially interested in the fields of HR and psychology.
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