I collaborate with public, commercial, non-profit and private groups to teach resume writing workshops. My goal is to share my 20+ years of resume writing expertise with the widest audience possible. The digital market has made job hunting much harder for many of the people most in need of work, and I want to help level the playing field.
Different groups have different reasons for choosing to host a resume workshop, such as:
- Staffing agencies assisting clients with placements
- Libraries assisting public patrons with job applications
- Libraries training staff to assist patrons
- Community organizations supporting local career development
- Private individual groups seeking personal career advancement
- Non-profits assisting marginalized populations with job applications
The goal of my classes is to provide participants with the tips and tools they need to craft resumes in alignment with contemporary professional conventions, and an understanding of online job hunting best practices so they can make the most of it.
Class Topics Available
While there are some core principles that apply across the board, resumes are never one size fits all. There are content considerations for everything from experience level to industry to career path. With this in mind, I offer a number of classes (with more in development) so organizations can provide the information most relevant to their participants.
On-site Classes
Businesses, libraries, non-profits and private groups can arrange to host a resume seminar at their site, at a separate meeting venue or even in a private home. Participants are encouraged to bring a draft of their resume and be prepared to ask any questions they have about the specific challenges they’re having.
Virtual Classes
Any group or organization can arrange to host a virtual class session just as if it was a live class. Small group classes are done as a regular Zoom session, and everyone is welcome to participate and ask questions. Larger groups generally need to be hosted as a live webinar, with more structured openings for questions and answers with participants.
Note: Due to COVID-19 health and safety concerns, classes will only be available virtually until further notice.
Class Materials
All class participants receive an extensive, hands-on tutorial bundle of templates and worksheets so they can take what they learned and apply it directly to their own resume. These contain extensive explanations and real world examples to help kick start the writing process.
Class materials are provided for free via a download link with a class specific access code at the end of the session.
The class materials are the same resume tutorial materials available for purchase here, without taking a class.
Class Size
Smaller sessions are more conducive to individual discussions. As class size grows, the presentation is necessarily more structured and Q&A needs to be limited during the presentation. That said, I’m always willing to take as long as necessary afterward to make sure everyone’s questions are addressed. I’m also happy to answer questions from participants via email after the session.
Fee Structure
Some organizations, such as libraries, pay the class fee and offer the class to participants for free. Other groups go in together to split the class fee, either among themselves with a single point of contact, or working through me individually. There is a lot of flexibility, and I’m happy to arrange a call to discuss your group’s needs.
Libraries and Non-Profits
A substantially discounted session fee is available to help make this critical information more readily available to the job seekers who need it most. Contact me to discuss your organization’s specific needs.
Scheduling
Class Timing
Resume related activities bring with them the assumption of a need for discretion. People who are currently employed can typically only engage after hours or on weekends, and class availability takes this into account.
Classes may be scheduled during regular business hours, and this may be desirable if the session is for unemployed candidates who have the flexibility. Otherwise, it’s expected that sessions will need to be in the evening to accommodate participant schedules.
Class Length
It’s recommended to allow 2 hours for an instructor led resume writing class. It’s common for organization to limit the class schedule to 90 minutes, and the presentation can be completed in that time. But, one of the core goals is to assist participants with their individual questions, and that consistently takes longer.
It’s also possible to arrange a full afternoon working session in a computer lab that allows participants to take a much deeper dive into their individual questions, explore a wider range of concrete examples, and do some initial drafting while in class.
Advance Notice
Available classes may be scheduled just a few weeks in advance. If there is interest in a class in development, a few months of notice will be necessary. If your group needs a customized presentation, contact me to discuss your needs and the amount of time it would take to pull it together can be determined.
There is no such thing as scheduling too far in advance, it’s even preferable. It’s routine for organizations such as libraries booking adult educational programming to schedule classes 6 to 9 months out.