Do writers need a résumé?

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Food For Thought

Do writers need a résumé? Absolutely, even if you’re not actively job hunting. In a world where our industry is constantly evolving, having an updated résumé in your back pocket empowers you and instills a sense of confidence in your abilities.

Like many of you, I have multiple informal résumés online. I have my portfolio, LinkedIn page, and work-with-me pages on my blog. Every social media biography and byline is carefully designed to be a mini-resume in 50 words or less. Crafting a traditional résumé doesn’t exactly feel like a great use of time until you realize that you need one for grants, fellowships, bursaries, residencies - and jobs! A résumé feels so old-fashioned, yet the modern world keeps demanding one.

I had a vague sense of this back in 2020 when the pandemic came roaring in. I decided to take a few steps in case I needed to pivot away from freelancing. At that point, I hadn’t used a resume in nearly a decade, and nothing in my old work history had even the foggiest application to my writing career. I hired a résumé writing professional to help me with my first draft. The process was far more challenging than I anticipated but also hugely rewarding. Suddenly, on paper, I had a serious job, an important job, one that required a diverse set of hard and soft skills. I felt legit.

It’s taken four years, but I’ve finally used that résumé, as I recently applied for a grant. However, a lot can change in four years and my 2020 résumé needed some serious updating in terms of content and appearance. Along the way, I had a realization. Résumés can be a writer’s SUPERPOWER.