This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
We are rapidly approaching the end of the year, which of course brings you a chance to think about what you really want for 2021. Besides of course a vaccine, besides the chance to see your friends and family apart from Zoom, besides, you know, things to be somewhat normal or at least not the way they've been. Well, all those things of course, but if you have felt out of control of circumstances this year, first of all, you'd be like every other person on planet earth, no doubt there are some good lessons in that, you know, I've learned some things, I'm continuing to learn, but it's also good to consider what you can do to diversify your income and work process to be less dependent on factors outside your control. That's really everything I've been trying to do with Side Hustle School for nearly four years now, help you to create more self-reliance so that no matter what happens in the world, you have options, you have the ability to make different decisions and choices, not act out of desperation. So I'm so grateful for our amazing community, I'm so grateful for all the stories we've been able to feature, everybody who's participated in that process, everybody who's asked questions and so on.
And I've got a good one for you here today. In this story, here we are at the end of the year, a recruiter monetizes her resume skills, earning several thousand dollars a month on the side. My favorite part is that she started this project almost exactly a year ago and she had the idea to begin the service on a Friday and launched on a Monday. That's right, she had the idea on a Friday, launched on a Monday, love that. I wonder what inspiration all of us could take from that.
I'm gonna be thinking about that as I work on the rest of the story. I hope you enjoy it. Recruiter gives pink slip to boring resumes. That's the story, it's coming up in just 30 seconds. [Music]
As a technical recruiter for the past five years, Chelsea Opariato was the go-to resume writer for friends and relatives on the job hunt.
After all, smart and successful people aren't always great writers, but they still need a strong resume to put their best foot forward. Chelsea had plenty of experience reviewing applications for her work. She knew what makes a resume stand out. So during Thanksgiving week in 2019, she decided to use her expertise to launch Not Your Mother's Resume. The name was inspired by Chelsea's modern eye-catching approach to resumes.
These were not the formal traditional resumes from days of old. She had the idea on a Friday. By Monday, she was already accepting clients. To launch quickly and inexpensively, she didn't create an LLC, she didn't write a business plan, she didn't spend money on a website. Instead, Chelsea started an Instagram account called, well, Not Your Mother's Resume, where she shares resume and job search tips.
After all, necessity is the mother of all invention. Her goal was to get her first client by Christmas, but it actually happened much sooner. Within 10 days of starting to post, she received a text message from her cousin's friend asking to book her service. That friend had followed her on Instagram and liked what she saw. Just over one year later, Chelsea is averaging over $3,000 per month.
Best of all, she's helped her clients build confidence in their job searches, change industries, even in some cases, double their salaries. And she's done all of that without any paid marketing. So what worked? How did she grow the business so quickly? First up, Chelsea's skill is clear from her glowing testimonials.
One satisfied customer called her a master of language and said her work was priceless. Now, this service is not actually priceless, even though it's really good. She charges $119 to $249 per resume, depending on your career level. The name, Not Your Mother's Resume, communicates an approachable message to potential clients. Her Instagram feed includes dance videos that show her personality.
Her Instagram bio says it's created with heart and sass by a recruiter. Timing worked in her favor too. When Chelsea launched last November, she couldn't have anticipated what would happen this year. However, layoffs during the pandemic had created more interest in her services, as clients search for ways to stand out in a tough job market. So that's worked well.
What has been hard? Well, it turned out that what's been hard for Chelsea wasn't some external business challenge. It wasn't marketing so much. It was waves of doubt and imposter syndrome. I hear this all the time.
It's such a common problem. Chelsea sometimes compares herself to others and wonders if she's skilled enough to run her own resume writing business. But even so, she's used her vulnerabilities to connect with potential clients. On that Instagram account, she encourages people to recognize their own imposter syndrome, identify their strengths, and own their accomplishments on their resumes. "Don't be afraid to say what you're proud of," she suggests, "You should be proud of it." Her other advice for side hustlers is to find your people, and she's specific about this.
What does it mean to find your people? Well, for instance, in her case, Chelsea joined the Society of Elite Resume Writers, which doesn't sound like the most exciting party in town, but she says the support she's received has been invaluable. Might there be a group like this for your industry or your desired role? The resume writers she's met also inspired her to level up. A few months in, Chelsea added cover letters and later LinkedIn optimization to her services.
Resumes are still her most popular option, but about 30% of her clients add a cover letter or that LinkedIn service to the resume package. Since cover letters and LinkedIn profiles are also part of the job search process, this makes a lot of sense. And this past May, Chelsea finally set up an LLC, created a logo, and launched a website. Notice that she did that, what was it, six months or so, after actually starting the business. Chelsea celebrated the first anniversary of Not Your Mother's Resume on November 25th and says she's confident it will continue to grow.
After all, in this economy, everyone and their mother needs a professional looking resume. [Music]
Well, I love a lot of things about the story. Most notably, as I mentioned, the fact that she had the idea on a Friday and started on a Monday, that is a wonderful approach. I would love to see more people do that. It actually challenges me a little bit too, to say, well, what can I start in a few days, without necessarily spending weeks or months planning on it?
I also think it's really smart that she chose to add that upsell service for the LinkedIn optimization and the cover letter. Naturally, that's something that a lot of people are thinking about when they want to update their resume. And last but not least, I love this advice. Chelsea's got some contrarian advice, which I identify with so much. She says, my advice is to not accept advice from everyone.
Some people will discourage your idea because they've never started anything on their own. They're not successful, so they don't think you will be. They might have good intentions, but keep them at arm's length when it comes to business advice. So well said. Thank you so much, Chelsea.
Congratulations on your business. And listeners, inspiration is good, but inspiration with action is so much better. Here we are at the end of the year. As mentioned, today's show notes are sidehustleschool.com/1450. One, four, five, zero.
I hope your final days of 2020 are winding down well, as we all prepare to see, well, what happens next in 2021? Whatever it is, I hope we'll be as ready as possible. And whatever's happening in your world, I am cheering you on. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your world. I hope you will continue to join me.
Be sure you're subscribed. My name is Chris Guillebeau. This is Sawdustleschool. [Music]
- From the Onward Project.
