TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
This is good advice, for the most part; however, my current contract, a
very good, very well paid one, I got through a phone call from a
recruiter at a tiny local agency. On the other hand, I've been working
with one of the most respected, national houses for about 5 months. I
had an appointment to meet with them, I got brochures, we talked at
length, they do a lot of handholding, but...they're the ones who screwed
up my resume! They totally scrambled it.
All agencies revise resumes in order to delete your contact info so
there's no way an employer can go around them to get to you, but most of
them (I assume) are pretty careful. Others feel that they know the
"perfect" resume format and have a group of people who do nothing but
reformat resumes for them. That's where the trouble comes in. Those
people have no stake in your job future.
I think the best suggestion is for you to require that they run your
reformatted resume by you before they can submit it anywhere. I've
learned my lesson.
BJ
Barry Kieffer wrote:
>
> Lesson one:
> Manage you own career.
>
> Do not allow an agency (or anybody) to manage your career.
>
> Do not willy-nilly FAX your resume to every agency that calls you.
>
> Retain complete control over your resume - it is *your* resume.
>
> You have got to meet with a representative of the agency first. Talk to
> them, get a feel for them. Then you can answer the question: "Do I want to
> work with these folks?"
>