You've posted your mini-bios at the MB Freelance Marketplace in hopes of snagging a great freelance - or full-time - gig. Smooth move! 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 goes to Dahna Chandler, who begins her profile with the following overview:

An internationally published American Society of Journalists & Authors member, I don't do the "me-too" piece for my national media clients. I'm passionate about putting a unique spin on personal and small business finance issues to provide readers with new tools to make informed money and business managment decisions. National television media have used my stoties as the basis of their own.

Jane says,

Of all the things you have in your arsenal to get someone interested in hiring you for freelance purposes, I question the use of your membership status in the American Society of Journalists & Authors as being the most relevant. With such little space available to entice a potential hiring manager to consider you for a job, do you think this is your most salient sell point? Focus instead on your editorial specialty areas. Get the reader interested right away by listing some of your biggest clients up front in your opening paragraph.

The biggest red flags I see in your profile is that you open up with an immediate negative. You describe yourself as someone who does not do "me-too" pieces. Instead of stating what you don't do, state what you can - and will - do for a client. Use a positive statement to differentiate yourself from your peers. Negatives can only hurt.

I like what you have written under "other" and suggest you bring some of this verbiage up top. It is not until here, at the bottom of your profile, that you describe yourself as an "investigative business journalist." If I'm hiring, I want to read this one-line synopsis of who you are first.

Also, don't forget to spell-check.

If you are interested in having your listing critiqued, send a note to the folks at the Marketplace.