Award-Winning Resume Writing Strategy w/Hardy, Neumann & Watt

Are you ready for more great tips from award-winning resume writers?

As professional resume writers it’s critical to keep upping our game for the sake of client/job seeker success!

Plus, when we put enhanced skills to work in the 24th annual TORIs it can create an amazing business boost.

We’re further embracing winning strategy with three more TORI resume writing award winners sharing their resume writing tips, TORI strategies, and the ROI gained from entering the competition.

This week I’ll be interviewing:

Tiffany Hardy, CERM of Tiffany Hardy Executive Career Storyteller – 19X Winner
Amy Watt, CERM, CARW, CRS+ES, CRS+MCT of CareerMarketingCentre & EmergencyServiceCareers – 7X Winner
Renzo Luis Maúrtua Neumann, MBA, CARW, CRA of Area CV – 1X Winner (2023, 1st year entering).

During the interview they have answered:

How many years have you been entering and how many/what categories have you won? (Ex., Classic Executive, High Design Sales). Not looking for whether it was 1st place or 3rd.
Did you enter any years before you started getting nominated/winning? Any lesson there as to why you kept entering and what you did differently?
What software do you use to prepare your resumes?
What’s the least/most categories you have entered each year?
Why have the TORIs been important to you and what have they helped you to accomplish?
What’s one strategy would you recommend to a writer who wanted to improve their writing or design?
What’s one other tip would you give to a resume writer around entering or winning/getting nominated?
Any other resume writing advice?

Guest Introductions

Tiffany Hardy:

16X TORI-award-winning resume and LinkedIn profile writer Tiffany Hardy specializes in empowering executives and professionals to ascend in global leadership ranks and achieve greater impact in their careers. She has partnered with high performers from over 25 countries to create career marketing campaigns that showcase exceptional leadership profiles and authentic, memorable executive brands that elevate their careers. Recognized for her bespoke services and vast cross-functional and cross-industry business exposure, she consistently delivers career documents that attract the right opportunities and propel her clients to new heights.

Amy Britta Watt:

Amy Britta Watt is a distinguished professional in the resume writing industry, celebrated as a seven-time award-winning TORI recipient. Her expertise and dedication have empowered countless individuals to achieve their career goals through exceptional, tailored resumes. Amy’s profound understanding of market trends and recruitment practices sets her apart as a leader in her field. With unwavering commitment to excellence, she continues to elevate the standards of resume writing and career coaching.

Renzo Luis Maúrtua Neumann:

Renzo Maúrtua-Neumann, MBA, CARW, is the CEO and Founder of Area CV, a company renowned for its exceptional resume writing services and unparalleled customer satisfaction. With extensive experience in the HR industry, he possesses deep expertise in hiring processes and ATS resumes. Renzo is recognized as one of the top resume writers, personal branding strategists, and career coaches in Latin America.

Guest Resume Writing & TORI Tips

There is so much great advice provided by my guests in the show today. Here are short highlights of some of their advice:

Amy Britta Watt:

“RAP Your Bullet Points to Success.

Craft compelling bullet points using the RAP formula—Results, Action, Problem. Start by identifying the problem, detail the actions, and highlight the measurable results achieved. This approach ensures accomplishments stand out with clarity and impact.”

“Stand Out with Creative Resume Designs.

Elevate client resumes with unique design elements. Use tasteful layouts, strategic color choices, and modern fonts to showcase professional branding while ensuring readability and professionalism. A well-designed resume not only grabs attention but also reflects creativity and attention to detail.”

Renzo Luis Maúrtua Neumann:

“Plan Ahead for the TORI Competition.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give to any CDI member planning to enter the competition is to plan ahead. Carefully decide how many categories you want to enter, choose the best resumes from your portfolio, and make a plan to have them revised ahead of time, so you don’t end up rushing at the last minute.”

“Be Different with Your Resume Strategy.

You are competing with other skilled resume writers, so your resume needs to stand out. My best advice is to ensure the resume tells a story. Infuse it with personality, be bold, and apply personal branding tactics to maintain consistency throughout the document.

Additionally, entering the TORIs provides invaluable exposure and professional growth, so take the opportunity to showcase your unique style and capabilities.”

Tiffany Hardy:

“TORI Awards Build Credibility.

Why enter? Credibility.

Having a win, but especially multiple wins, helps you stand out in the careers industry where many resume writers have similar value propositions.

I found that having my wins recognized made calls with prospects more about personal connection and finding the right client-provider fit than trying to convince a skeptical buyer of my worth.

My biggest tip for entering is to study the winning resumes carefully, and notice what they all have in common: visceral language, a unique message of value, and a skimmable, balanced design. When entering, ensure you check all of those same boxes.”

“Do Your Research to Get Inspiration.

Industry publications (e.g. by Big Four accounting firms) on trends in the functional area of your client can be a gold mine of ideas of what’s in high demand to create winning value propositions. This is a TORI must have, but it’s also a must-have for your clients to win at job search.

Those publications also serve as inspiration for professional writing in general.

As to design, master the use of the most basic shape functions in Word and you can create absolutely stunning resumes with a little vision and creativity. It’s much less complicated than it looks.”

Replay & Next Livestream

Coming next week:

We’re going to be continuing this series throughout June, so plan to join us for more of 4-week series: Award-Winning Resume Writing Strategy & Competition ROI from TORI Winners next Wednesday at 3:45 PM Eastern.

My TORI-winning guests for that show on 6/19/2024 will be:

Barbara Safani, CMRW, CERM, CGRA, CRS+FS, CRS+HM, CRS+IT, CRS+PR, CRS+BD, CRS+HR of Career Solvers
Yuvika Iyer, CERM, CARW, CRA, MBA of Careerlinko
Arno Markus BA, MSc., CPRW of iCareerSolutions

Again, we’ve streaming on CDI’s LinkedIn page, YouTube channel, and in our Facebook page every Wednesday at 3:45 PM Eastern. And, don’t forget to like, follow, and subscribe so you stay in the know!