The 30 Minute Online Resume Workout

As you can imagine, it's a busy time to be a career coach and resume writer: given the climate on Wall Street and the ensuing trickle-down in Manhattan, the phone lines are buzzing.

In the process I've been reviewing resumes of many talented people who never expected that a job hunt would be in the cards right now.

Given the prevalence of Blackberries and cell phones, the notion of "doing more with less" has clearly stretched beyond fiscal frugality and extended to personal time (quite simply, there's less available as there are fewer people available to help with work). Frequently, I'm contacted by clients who say, "I'd do this myself, but I don't have the time" and don't know how to get started. Here are three suggested strategies to get started on a resume rewrite in 30 minutes or less.

1. Consider hiring someone to help you, or review tips from the pros. I strongly recommend Career Hub's free e-books on resume writing, networking, and interviewing.

2. Read job listings and position descriptions to develop a sense of what employers want. Do a "Google" search on yourself to know what you look like "online." Then develop a strategy for how you want to be known.

As an increasing number of employers are using LinkedIn and other social networking tools to find candidates and make hiring decisions, help them find you. I particularly recommend Chris Brogan's Write Your LinkedIn Profile for Your Future for this purpose.

3. Revise your resume by starting with your LinkedIn Profile. LinkedIn has a strong search engine ranking and offers you a substantial but a controlled amount of space in your profile section.

Because LinkedIn limits the number of characters you can use in your work, it is a great site to write a resume draft: you can search for people who work in similar roles to your own (and make observations on what works and what doesn't). If you put together your profile carefully, you'll have a concise summary of skills and experiences that you can then use as a base for your resume. An added bonus: your voice will sound consistent across both your LinkedIn and your resume since you'll be speaking in the same language.

To your success!