Selling your product or service might be the easiest thing in the world for you, after all that’s your passion, your all-consuming love affair, your baby. But sometimes when operating a small business you also need to sell yourself and – ouch – for some of us that can be so very difficult.
Scenario 1: A client calls with a big project. He’s calling blind having got your name out of the Yellow Pages or… so he wants to know a bit about you. Besides a quote for the project, he asks that you also submit – your résumé.
Scenario 2: Your business is going well but you have reached the point where you either borrow to expand or stagnate. You need to put together your documentation for your approach to the bank, but you know the bank will also expect, and require, a spiel about you – your résumé.
Scenario 3: Insert your own particular circumstances here – you’re bound to have one…
Now…what are you going to give them? You’re running your own business, after all, and believed résumés were a thing of the past for you.
Though what the client and possibly the bank manager will ask for is your résumé, what they really require comes a little more in the form of a professional Biography – or Bio for short – containing strong background information about your relevant professional history and personal strengths.
A professional Biography is a great addition to your Business Plan and is an integral tool when putting together a contract, an application for a loan or if you operate a consultancy.
Chiefly, your Bio aims to showcase your relevant experience, qualifications and skills. It is a vital tool for building a strong level of credibility and winning the reader’s (read client’s or bank manager’s) trust in your abilities.
There are several marked differences between a Bio and a résumé, though both will share a number of elements.
Differences will include:
- Length: A résumé is as many pages as it takes to effectively sell you concisely and with no wasted words. A Bio is usually between a half to two pages long.
- Style of writing: A résumé should never contain your own name except in the header, and should never contain personal pronouns. A Bio uses his/her/she/he and your own name throughout (see example below).
- Photo: Résumés rarely include a photo, the exceptions being for positions such as model or television presenter, and can open up a can of discrimination worms if a photo is used inappropriately. It is suitable, and encouraged, to include a professional head and shoulders shot on a Bio.
- Format: This can vary. By and large a Bio has whole paragraphs, whereas a résumé will fully employ short paragraphs, bullet points, tables and even graphs.
Similarities will include:
- Reverse chronological employment history – though an employment history is not necessarily included in a Bio
- Highlighting accomplishments and strengths
- Inclusion of qualifications, professional organisations or boards, industry awards, licences, possibly a list of high profile clients (with their consent) etcetera
Style of Writing
Whereas in a résumé the introductory paragraph would be tightly written and precise – reading something like this:
Highly respected senior executive presenting with advanced skills in people and resource management and an exceptional ability to conceptualise and drive sales, marketing and operational strategies to achieve peak performance. Acknowledged for ability to accomplish measurable results within concise time frames, excellent communication skills and decisive, efficient, hands-on management style enriched by a depth of creativity and empathy.
In a Bio the writing is flowing with a style more like an article:
Christine Stevens has been performing at a senior executive level since 1992 with Blue Water Resorts Ltd where she has drawn upon her advanced skills in people and resource management and her exceptional ability to conceptualise and drive sales, marketing and operational strategies to achieve peak performance.
Acknowledged for her ability to accomplish measurable results within concise time frames, Ms Stevens demonstrates excellent communication skills and a decisive, efficient, hands-on management style enriched by a depth of creativity and empathy.
You Can Create a Perfect Mix
It may even be that a mix of both the résumé style and the Bio style will work best for your unique circumstances. So long as the writing is kept sharp and to the point, that the document is not overloaded with irrelevant information and that the layout is utterly professional, there is no reason the two can’t mix.
So, now you have it. When a client or your bank manager asks for your résumé you know just what to provide and, of course, there are copies already prepared and sitting in your Business Plan just waiting to send. Well, there will be now!
(Image 
Matt Jiggins)
Beverley Neil, owner of d’Scriptive Words, is an internationally accredited, multi award-winning resume writer. She has been writing strong, focused resumes for the global market for over six years, and is passionate about teaching others to write powerful resumes and cover letters. To contact Beverley or to find out more information visit www.d-scriptivewords.com
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I very helpful read Beverley. Thanks