2005 PRWRA Conference
by Laura DeCarlo, President
Professional Resume Writing and Research Association

The Professional Resume Writing and Research Association’s (PRWRA) 4th Annual Convention in Las Vegas was recognized by attendees as absolutely the best one yet. Participant feedback ranged from "I can honestly say that I have rarely participated in a convention where the sessions were so worthwhile (and this was probably my 30th conference)" to "Spectacular, Informative, Enriching, Rejuvenating and Profitable are some of the words that come to mind following this great conference! As a regular attendee to some of the largest career conferences and events, I have never been to a conference with such high-quality sessions."

We kicked off the convention on Thursday with Kendall SummerHawk’s 4-Hour Marketing Makeover Power Workshop. This hands-on workshop focused on words that change minds was tailored specifically to the entrepreneur who hates to sell but wants to effectively control a selling conversation, easily close more clients, develop a simple 3-step marketing plan, and create a client capturing website. The response was tremendous with seasoned industry veterans exclaiming on the innovative strategies they learned.

Thursday evening everyone convened for our welcome reception where hors d oeuvres were served, new friends were made and old relationships rekindled. It was especially exciting to visit with strategic partners and members from as far away as Australia.

On Friday morning, if participants weren’t awake when Don Straits, President of Corporate Warriors presented Out of the Box Career Marketing Strategies, he rapidly gained their attention with the most dynamic presentation the PRWRA has yet to see. Don scored top marks from participants for the wealth of ideas he shared for marketing and positioning job seekers with innovative cash flow tools for the resume writer and career coach. He generously provided samples and entertained with his truly out-of-the-box ideas.

We never would have guessed that our employment attorney, Patrick Hicks, JD, of Littler Mendelson would have been quite so engaging and entertaining in his Resume Fraud presentation. He turned a negative topic into a powerful hour of insight as he shared what constitutes resume fraud, when and how companies prosecute offenders, and how resume writers can safeguard themselves and their clients.

Next we benefited from our panel of experts during Building Wealth: Profitability 101 with the Experts. It’s rare to have such an opportunity to learn from the pros with such a terrific line up of industry powerhouses. Fred Coon moderated the panel with participants Louise Kursmark, Janice Worthington, Audrey Field, John O’Connor and Grant Cooper. This interactive session gave the audience opportunity to ask questions and learn about the panel’s innovative business models, strategies, services / packages, and marketing programs.

Finally, Carolyn Broomfield of First Place Resumes in Australia presented Career Perspectives from Down Under: How This Aussie Gets a 93% Success Rate. What a tremendous opportunity attendees had to gain a first hand perspective on international resume writing as well as the eye-opening perspective of how this Aussie has created a successful empire in Australia.

That evening some of us braved the suddenly wet weather to visit Fremont Street for the Fremont Experience, a one of a kind entertainment venue in the heart of Las Vegas’ downtown central core comprised of a 90 foot high, four block long electronic canopy that presents spectacular sight and sound shows.

Despite the 24/7 fun that Vegas promises, everyone managed to make it to the morning speakers. A recognized industry expert with numerous credentials and publications under her belt, Louise Kursmark of Best Impression Career Serivces, Inc., did not disappoint with her Adding the Wow! Factor: Attention Getting Strategies for Powerful Resumes presentation. From the moment she captured our attention with her unique but effective "pants" analogy we were whisked into a program that Louise rightly terms, "exploring a variety of ways to give your resumes zing, sparkle, and pizzaz...always in a professional manner that’s as suitable for executives as it is for new grads." The samples and examples made such a difference and impacted the writing of many a participant.

A veteran trainer and career professional, Cory Edwards of Partnering for Success, offered up Training Tips and Techniques, complete with the tips, techniques, toys and ideas for capturing the interest of the adult learner. From dealing with difficult personalities to creating hands-on learning programs, she proved that lectures and workshops don’t have to be intimidating or boring.

Doug Hoxeng and Linda Judge of Stewart, Cooper & Coon, LLC, gave so generously in their Grow Your Business by Utilizing a Full Life Cycle Professional Services Model. They provided participants with an in-depth view of their full life cycle of services involving executive coaching on career direction and strategy, resume and innovative "executive portfolio" writing, direct placement advocacy to "best fit" target organizations and guidance for the interview and negotiation processes. The program highlighted ideas for targeting companies with alternatives to full-scale outplacement programs as well as strategies for expanding the breadth of services and value that can be added to individual clients.

Our final session was Building Strategic Partnerships & Alliances with Audrey Field and John O’Connor of O’Connor, Field & Associates. This current hot topic proved valuable for attendees eager to capitalize on this growing trend of expanding your business through strategic partnerships and alliances. Audrey and John shared their expertise on how they have created lucrative informal partnerships and formal collaborative relationships.

But the convention wasn’t over yet. We reconvened in a lovely banquet room for our semi-formal / formal banquet dinner and awards ceremony. Annual TORI Awards and President’s Choice Awards were presented, and officers and volunteers were recognized. The food and company were extraordinary, and excitement abounded with our 2006 convention announcement of Orlando, Florida in October of 2006.

For more information on the PRWRA or the 2006 Convention, visit www.prwra.com.