Freelance Marketplace Critique of the Week: 7.11.05
You’ve posted your mini-bios at the MB Freelance Marketplace in hopes of snagging a great freelance – or full-time – gig. But, are you completely satisfied with your listing? Do you think you’ve described your accomplishments, specialties and skills in the best possible light? Let’s check in with our expert, Jane Ashen Turkewitz, the premiere resume writer for MediaBistro, in our weekly segment where a real Marketplace profile, just like yours, is critiqued to give its owner insight on how to make it even more effective. As a former media recruiter, Jane has reviewed thousands of resumes and has successfully placed candidates at Time Inc., Hearst, Hachette, Primedia and other major media companies. Turkewitz has written hundreds of resumes for writers, editors, publishers, sales executives, marketers, graphic designers, business managers, technology executives, public relations professionals and others.
The critique of the week belongs to Sarah Belk King, whose profile begins:
Food, wine, travel, health, home design, collecting, and lifestyle have been my editorial focus for 25 years. I’m a writer and prop stylist and I also produce photo shoots. A Master’s degree in Art History and a culinary degree from L’Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris helped shape my future. After paying my New York dues, I lived in Virginia for 10 years and am now located in the Northern Rockies.
Jane says,
Sarah, it’s not that your profile is bad, I just feel that it’s not the best it could be. The “Professional Overview” is so very important drawing the reader in. It really needs to highlight your most salient sell points. The fact that you were nominated for a James Beard award for “Best Book of the Year” certainly puts you in a class above others. Get it up top. I am also a big believer in name dropping. Your work at Bon Appetit and other mainstream publications should also be listed in your summary.
I also think you should be consistent in your voice. Re-read the content you have in the “other” area. You state: “I reside in the Northern Rockies and am familiar with the locale. Let me be your eyes, ears and palate in the West!” I like this tone and suggest you build on it in your summary.
Finally, where are your clips? You need to have a well-rounded sampling of your work attached to your profile. Good luck…
If you’d like your profile critiqued by Jane (and really, if you took the time to create one you should have the best one possible), drop a line to the Marketplace people.
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