As a member of CDI you have the opportunity to be recognized for industry innovations, cutting-edge resume writing and association contributions.

CDI currently hosts four award programs:

• Toast of the Resume Industry™ (TORI) resume writing competition;

• President's Choice Award for Excellence in career services;

• Master Resume Writer™ Lifetime Achievement Award;

• Career Innovator™ Awards competition.

TORI AWARDS

Each year, CDI hosts the resume writing industry's most prestigious Toast of the Resume Industry™ (TORI) resume writing competition.

CDI members are eligible and encouraged to strive for writing and creative awards, which benefit the general membership, members' clients, CDI, and the industry as a whole.

CDI introduced the TORI™ Awards to  the industry in 2000 to celebrate a new standard in excellence through rigorous criteria requirements. While award standards have always been demanding, never before has the resume writing industry embraced the concept of a standardized criteria for resume judging.

Now CDI's judges will select first, second and third place winners from the top five nominees in each category to win gold, silver and bronze awards!

Learn more about the TORIs -- listen to the Q&A on Entering Call Recording: 

View 2007 Nominees and Winners.

View 2006 Nominee List and Winners.

View 2003 & 2004 Lists of Nominee and Winners.

It is a great honor to be nominated, but a truly distinguishing accomplishment to be selected as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place TORI™ Award Winner in each category. The competition gives each member the opportunity to:

• Participate in a fun and competitive venue for judging the quality of your craft against national and international standards.

• Attain recognition amongst your peers.

• Represent your services to potential customers as the "best of the best."

• Leverage media publicity for your achievement(s).

• Receive a prestigious TORI award and appropriate website / print graphics for marketing, advertising, and promotion.

• Further hone your resume writing skills by applying the standards represented in the TORI Criteria Check Sheets.

• Attend the annual awards banquet at the CDI convention (as part of convention registration).

Each year, the TORI Awards Committee selects the most applicable categories which best reflect current market trends. CDI members are welcome to contribute one (1) entry to each category.

The TORI Committee Leader will ensure all submissions appear anonymous to the committee so that fair and equitable judging can take place. The committee will select up to five (5) TORI nominations in each category.^* The CDI Leadership Team will then select the best of the best from the nominations in each category.^**

The 2008 TORI categories for entry include:

• Best International Resume - encompasses resumes written for any profession within a non-US market.

• Best Technical Resume - encompasses scientists, engineers, technicians, mechanics, etc.

• Best Creative Resume - encompasses creative-style resumes in full-color, unusual layouts, artistic writing styles, etc. Very open to interpretation.

• Best Executive Resume - encompasses any executive-level position in any industry.

• Best Cover Letter - encompasses any discipline, industry, or career level.

• Best Retiree/Second Career Resume - encompasses any discipline, industry, or career level as long as the focus in on a career change for a mature adult.

• Best Sales & Marketing Resume - encompasses any level of sales and marketing professional who focuses on business development.

• Best New Graduate Resume - encompasses any discipline, industry, or career level as long as the focus is on leveraging a recent degree as the career target.

• Best Military Resume - encompasses any discipline or career level as long as the focus is on a military job seeker transitioning to the civilian sector.

The Master List of TORI Categories currently include:

• Best International Resume

• Best New Graduate Resume

• Best Creative Resume

• Best Re-entry into the Workforce Resume

• Best Federal Resume

• Best Military Conversion Resume

• Best Executive Resume

• Best Technical Resume

• Best Web Resume

• Best Career Change Resume

• Best Cover Letter

• Best Career Web Portfolio

• Best Professional Resume

The entry deadline for submissions is May 15, 2008!

Additional information is available in the Members Only section (member login required).

Each year, the association President selects the individual who has made the most significant contribution to the association and the careers community for this distinguished award.

Former winners:

• Anne Kramer, Alpha Bits - 2003
• John Donovan, CRS Resume Service - 2004
• Freddie Cheek, Cheek & Associates, LLC - 2005
• Don Skipper, Career Beginnings, Inc. - 2006
• Barbara Safani, Career Solvers - 2007

The Master Resume Writer™ Lifetime Achievement Award can only be attained through years of definitive contribution and achievement to the resume writing profession. This distinguished recognition will be bestowed on any resume writer who meets the following criteria:

• Industry Longevity: Member of the professional resume writing community for a minimum of ten (10) years.

• CDI Continued Membership: Member of CDI for a minimum of four (4) years.

• Certification: Earn and maintain the Certified Expert Resume Writer (CERW) credential.

• Awards & Recognition: Earn a minimum of two TORI nominations or one TORI award in the last three (3) years.

• Continuing Education: Complete a cumulative 45 hours of industry training such as conference attendance or teleclasses over the past four (4) years.

• Industry Commitment: Provide CDI mentorship to at least two resume writers / career professionals in the past two (2) years AND/OR sit on a CDI committee for the past one (1) year.

The Master Resume Writer™ Lifetime Achievement Award will be conveyed once per year at our Annual Convention Banquet to all those members who have met the criteria. Members not in attendance will still be recognized and conveyed this prestigious award and recognition.

If you believe you have met the criteria to attain this recognition, then please submit your list of criteria to info@careerdirectors.com. 

Recipients:

• Gayle Howard, Top Margin Resumes Online - 2007
• Annemarie Cross, Advanced Employment Concepts - 2007
• Susan Guarneri, Susan Guarneri Associates - 2006
• Laura DeCarlo, A Competitive Edge Career Service, LLC - 2006

Please check back for award criteria.