Freelance Marketplace Critique of the Week: 9.30.05
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.
Today’s critique belongs to the lovely Andrea Thompson, whose profile begins:
A freelance and staff writer for Marie Claire, USA Today and Women’s Wear Daily, among other publications, the human interest piece is my first love. I’ve written articles on celebrities like Danny Glover, on young women suffering from diseases that typically afflict older people, on the disappearance and murder of a U.S. tourist in Spain, as well as fashion and entertainment stories. I’ve also been a television reporter and writer for CBS affiliate, WFOR-TV in Miami as well as producer and writer for Fox Television. I love the interview; delving into the lives of others and putting their words and experiences into stories that can help and/or entertain others. It is my passion (among other things). It’s no wonder I minored in psychology at Smith College.
Jane says,
Andrea, this critique is going to be short. Overall, I think you did a terrific job on your profile. I have a few suggestions. In your overview, you mention that you “love” to do human interest pieces and that you “love” the interview. It’s not that I don’t think enthusiasm is important. It is. But, I think you can make an even greater impact when you say that you are proven at doing the things that you “love.” My only other suggestion? You mention all these wonderful media outlets in your profile, yet you only show one clip and I have no idea where it ran. The title should say “Starving for her Art” – The New York Times, or wherever it ran. Attach more clips and make it clear where these clips have run before the reader has to open the document, not to mention, within the document itself.
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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