This site is intended to provide much more than pure writing instruction. It explains the importance of communicating a clear, concise and targeted message, key in attracting the attention of any prospective employer or recruiter.

Please allow me to give you a snapshot of my background. I am a business and marketing communications writer by trade and it is also my passion. I edit puffy, overblown writing, as well as technical writing and I'm delighted if I can translate it into structured, common-sense English.

As a technical writer, I have worked for hardware companies as well as software firms and technology consultancies. Most recently I was engaged in a long-term assignment with American Honda where I developed an ongoing communication that took as its source, computer technical information and often complex business instructions. I would subsequently rewrite the information so it made sense to Honda and Acura auto dealership staff.

Earlier in my career, I worked in the human resources department at a large university. Beyond writing HR policies and procedures, I was involved in counseling grievances, assisting in promoting people and recruiting. As a recruiter, I scanned through thousands of resumes and interviewed an equally large number of job applicants.

It was amazing to see all the badly written resumes crossing my desk. They were submitted by educated people; many with advanced degrees. If they were indeed highly qualified, why were they unable to provide targeted and related substance in the content?

It was also disappointing to watch people struggle with the most basic job interview questions. Beyond being nervous, they were unable to respond coherently and caused themselves to be rejected.

We know that interviews are a less than perfect way of determining how a person will behave once on the job. My concern was, did the university miss out on selecting (possibly) good people simply because they lacked the ability to communicate effectively on a resume, cover letter or during an interview?

It troubled me. I began to feel that people need to be shown how they can do better. My attention went into two areas where a lot of people struggle:

• Effective Writing: I felt there was a need to assist in how to prepare a targeted resume as well as to write in a way that is structured so that it is easier for the reader to understand the logical flow of ideas and information. An ideal resume is one that is custom-written to fit the specifications outlined in the job ad.

• Clear and Concise Communications: While writing is very important, it is only part of how we reach and persuade others. I also wanted to provide the tools that make one better prepared for an interview; be it for a new job, a promotion or on the ability to get good ideas across.

Writing and communicating together formed the basic motivation for the creation of My Writing Resources. The web site went live in 2004 and has been serving continually ever since.

Because I am actively engaged in coaching job seekers, I continue to rethink and update the information being presented to site visitors. If you are out of work today, I know first-hand how difficult it is and how hard the task of finding employment can be. My hope is that the information you find here is a help to you. You are not alone in these difficult times. Keep your chin up and keep pushing yourself during your job search.

I am a volunteer at the VA. I love coaching our nation's veterans on how to conduct a smart, results-oriented job search. The veterans I work with don't ask for much, but they certainly deserve a break after leaving their families and serving at high personal risk. If you are currently in the armed services, a veteran or related to a veteran, I encourage you to look at the Military and Veteran Resources page. It offers links to resources including programs and employment through the VA and other agencies.

Finally, I wanted to draw to your attention my other pride and joy, Vantage Point Magazine. The first-person articles in the magazine offer an opportunity to learn from real-life experience. I am grateful to the people who are willing to share their personal insights and wisdom in the magazine.

In closing, if I can assist you with a resume, freelance writing project or a consult with your company on a documentation challenge, I would be happy to get involved. Thanks for stopping by the My Writing Resources web site. If you have suggestions or comments, feel free to drop me a line using the e-mail link at the bottom of each page.

Bill Pike

Need business writing, resume or job interview skill assistance? Have a comment or question? Send an e-mail message.