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Quiz: What's Blocking You?
    Which of the following best describes you?

    Resume Writing Award Winners

    (TORI & WBRW)

    Award-Winning Resume Writers and Their Winning Resumes

    Toast of the Resume Industry Awards

    Each year, CDI hosts the resume writing industry's most prestigious Toast of the Resume Industry™ (TORI) resume writing competition. This is an international competition in which contestants submit their best work in a category.

    TORI Award logo
    World's Best Resume Writer

    World's Best Resume Awards

    CDI embarked on a unique competition in 2008 to find the World's Best Resume Writers!

    The competition was opened to any English-writing individual in the world who wanted to try their hand at professional resume writing. The competition was standardized by providing all candidates the same note files. Two separate competitions were hosted with industry professional judges and the general public.

    Selecting a Resume Writer to Hire

    A resume writing award is just one of the criteria you should consider when selecting a resume writer to hire. We recommend you take a few moments to learn more about selecting a company at CDI's How to Select a Career Service Provider page.

    Addendum 3/08/2021: CDI has changed the game with the TORI competition by introducing classic design categories. 

    Addendum 1/20/2020: It is now possible to make graphic resumes ATS-friendly! CDI has released a 94 minute video training that is free to members entitled How to Design ATS-Friendly Graphic Resumes. Now claims that these design-heavy resumes cannot be ATS compatible is no longer true. However, the following is still our current standing on the TORIs while we encourage everyone to embrace the techniques in this training.

    TORI and World's Best Resumes are networking resumes, which are used for job seekers in networking their way into jobs. Networking is the method in which over 80% of all job opportunities are found.

    A scannable resume or an ATS resume, meant for automated tracking systems, is needed when a job applicant is applying online or when that type of resume is requested. Professional resume writers will advise their clients to first have a visual resume -- one that combines visual impact, spatial segmentation of content for readability, and strategic branding to tease out the job seeker's unique value. To complement this resume, a scannable version is always needed. Depending on the method of job search this may be an ATS resume which is customized for each position or it might simply be an ASCII resume. Both of these require dumbing down the format by stripping out the elements that make it friendly for a human while ensuring the key words are needed to match the job ad.

    When opportunities emerge for a job seeker where there is limited certainty on what version to use, it is a good idea to send both. A simple line in the cover letter stating, "For your convenience I have also included an ATS-friendly resume" will suffice.

    Bottom-line, the TORI and World's Best resume represents the epitome of excellence for job seekers to stand out from the competition in a personalized, networked job search. An ATS-friendly resume is a necessary complement to that resume but should never be the ONLY tool a job seeker uses since they dehumanize the document. Until machines are the sole decision maker it will always be necessary to appeal to the human aesthetic.

    2022 TORI Award Winners and Nominees

    Nominees are listed in no particular order. 

    Best Classic Executive Resume

    Melissa Orpen-Tuz - Vivid Career Services
    Amy Britta Watt - www.CareerMarketingCentre.com & www.PoliceTestTutor.com
    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes
    Paula Christensen - Strategic Career Coaches
    Rachel Raymond - RVP Career Services

    Best Classic New Graduate Resume

    Jheneal McDuffie - The Resume Chic & Co.
    Amy Britta Watt - www.CareerMarketingCentre.com & www.PoliceTestTutor.com
    Betsy Shepard Reed - BSR Career Development
    Rebecca Worthen - Career Keystone
    Tamara Cameron - iCareerSolutions

    Best Difficult Transition Resume

    Pam Foster - Career Stylr
    Carolyn Whitfield - Total Resumes
    Angela Watts - MyPro Resumes & Recruiting
    Kamee Gilmore - Paradigm Solutions | PRCS Canada
    Barbara Safani - Career Solvers

    Best Executive Resume

    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes
    Julio Mesa - Higher You LLC
    Pam Foster - Career Stylr
    Marie Plett - Aspirations Career Services, Inc.
    Deborah Schuster - The Lettersmith

    Best New Graduate Resume

    Julio Mesa - Higher You LLC
    Deborah Schuster - The Lettersmith
    Ashley Watkins
    Bridget Batson - Houston Outplacement Resume Writing and Career Counseling
    Jheneal McDuffie - The Resume Chic & Co.

    Best Classic Difficult Transition Resume

    Kevin Morris - CareerMobile
    Krista Morris - Virtuoso Resumes & Recruiting
    Alexis Ankersen - Calibrate Career Coaching
    Sally Johnson - Omnia Writing Services
    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes

    Best Classic High Tech Resume

    Danielle "Elle" Holmes - Career Services by Elle
    Tamara Cameron - iCareerSolutions
    Kevin Morris - CareerMobile
    Scott Nichols -Advanced Method Resumes & Career Services
    Alexis Ankersen - Calibrate Career Coaching

    Best Healthcare/Medical Resume

    Marie Plett - Aspirations Career Services, Inc.
    Tamara Cameron - iCareerSolutions
    Rachel Raymond - RVP Career Services
    Alexandria Doyle
    Sharon Williams - JobRockit

    Best High Tech Resume

    Marie Plett - Aspirations Career Services, Inc.
    Jheneal McDuffie - The Resume Chic & Co.
    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes
    Julio Mesa - The Essay Expert
    Kamee Gilmore - Paradigm Solutions | PRCS Canada

    Best Sales Resume

    Carolyn Whitfield - Total Resumes
    Melanie L. Denny - Resume-Evolution
    Amy Britta Watt - www.CareerMarketingCentre.com & www.PoliceTestTutor.com
    Bridget Batson - Houston Outplacement Resume Writing and Career Counseling
    Deborah Schuster - The Lettersmith

    Special Thanks to 2022 Judges:

    Director of Awards - Gayle Howard - Top Margin Executive Resumes & Coaching

    Erin Kennedy - Professional Resume Services, Inc.
    Tiffany Hardy – TiffanyHardy.com
    Skye Berry Burke - Skye is the Limit Resume & Career Solutions
    Robin Schlinger - Robin's Resumes
    Dawn Bugni - The Write Solution
    Julie Walraven - Design Resumes
    Tammy Shoup - Breakthrough Resume Writing Service, LLC
    Grant Cooper - CareerPro of New Orleans / Strategic Resumes
    Amy Adler - Five Strengths Career Transition Experts
    Mary Elizabeth Bradford - Ceoresumewriter.com
    Gillian Kelly - Outplacement Australia / Career Edge
    Laura Labovich - The Career Strategy Group
    Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter – Career Trend

    2021 TORI Award Winners and Nominees

    Nominees are listed in no particular order. 

    Best Classic Executive Resume

    Melissa Orpen-Tuz
    Amy Watt - www.CareerMarketingCentre.com & www.PoliceTestTutor.com
    Carolyn Whitfield - Total Resumes
    Rebecca Henninger - The Job Girl
    Lauren Charbonneau - Protagonist Career Solutions LLC

    Best Classic High Tech Resume

    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes
    Laura Smith-Proulx - An Expert Resume
    Marie Plett - Aspirations Career Services, Inc.
    Paula Christensen - Strategic Career Coaches
    Scott Nichols - Advanced Method Resumes & Career Services

    Best Difficult Transition Resume

    Pam Foster - Career Stylr
    Elle Holmes - Career Services by Elle
    Marie Plett - Aspirations Career Services, Inc.
    Amy Watt - www.CareerMarketingCentre.com & www.PoliceTestTutor.com
    Tiffany Cruz - Power Writers USA

    Best Healthcare/Medical Resume

    Melanie Denny - Resume-Evolution
    Deborah Schuster - The Lettersmith
    Carolyn Whitfield – Total Resumes
    Marla Emery - Emery Consulting, Inc.
    Jheneal McDuffie - The Resume Chic & Co.

    Best New Graduate Resume

    Carolyn Whitfield – Total Resumes
    Yuvika Iyer - Careerlinko
    Melanie Denny - Resume-Evolution
    Deborah Schuster - The Lettersmith
    Bridget Batson - Houston Outplacement Resume Writing and Career Counseling

    Best Classic Difficult Transition Resume

    Sally Johnson - Omnia Writing Services
    Tiffany Cruz - Power Writers USA
    Meg Applegate – Hinge Resume
    Scott Nichols - Advanced Method Resumes & Career Services
    Yuvika Iyer - Careerlinko

    Best Classic New Graduate Resume

    Yuvika Iyer - Careerlinko
    Mandy Fard - Market-Connections Professional Resume Services
    Amy Watt - www.CareerMarketingCentre.com & www.PoliceTestTutor.com
    Anne Galloway - power-to-change
    Sharon Williams - JobRockit

    Best Executive Resume

    Amy Watt - www.CareerMarketingCentre.com & www.PoliceTestTutor.com
    Laura Smith-Proulx - An Expert Resume
    Marie Plett - Aspirations Career Services, Inc.
    Yuvika Iyer - Careerlinko
    Bridget Batson - Houston Outplacement Resume Writing and Career Counseling

    Best High Tech Resume

    Laura Hartnell - Laura Hartnell Career Transition Services
    Julio Mesa - Higher You LLC
    Laura Smith-Proulx - An Expert Resume
    Carolyn Whitfield – Total Resumes
    Marie Plett - Aspirations Career Services, Inc.

    Best Sales Resume

    Pam Foster - Career Stylr
    Marie Plett - Aspirations Career Services, Inc.
    Jheneal McDuffie - The Resume Chic & Co.
    Julio Mesa - Five Strengths Career Transition Experts
    Carolyn Whitfield – Total Resumes

    Special Thanks to 2021 Judges:

    Director of Awards - Gayle Howard - Top Margin Executive Resumes & Coaching

    Erin Kennedy - Professional Resume Services, Inc.
    Tiffany Hardy – TiffanyHardy.com
    Rachel Raymond - RVP Career Services
    Robin Schlinger - Robin's Resumes
    Dawn Bugni - The Write Solution
    Julie Walraven - Design Resumes
    Tammy Shoup - Breakthrough Resume Writing Service, LLC
    Michelle Lopez - One2One Resumes
    Grant Cooper - CareerPro of New Orleans / Strategic Resumes
    Erin Kennedy - Professional Resume Services
    Laurie Berenson - Sterling Career Concepts, LLC
    Mary Elizabeth Bradford - Career Artisan
    Jill Kelly - Outplacement Australia / Career Edge
    Cheryl L. Simpson - Executive Resume Rescue
    Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter – Career Trend

    2020 TORI Award Winners and Nominees

    Nominees are listed in no particular order. 

    Best Accounting & Finance Resume

    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Rebecca Henninger - RH Resumes
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Carolyn Whitfield - Total Resumes
    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes

    Best Difficult Transition Resume

    Krista Mitchell - iCareerSolutions
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Matthew Dupee - The Resume Strategy
    Rachel Raymond - RVP Career Services
    Natalie MacLellan - Best Foot Forward

    Best Executive Resume

    Carol Adams - Ideal Resumes LLC
    Carolyn Whitfield - Total Resumes
    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes
    Jay Mesa - Higher You LLC
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com

    Best Healthcare/Medical Resume

    Lucie Yeomans - Your Career Ally / Agave Communications LLC
    Jay Mesa - The Essay Expert LLC
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Carolyn Whitfield - Total Resumes

    Best High Tech Resume

    Marla Emery - Emery Consulting, Inc.
    Scott Nichols - Professional Resume Services
    Jay Mesa - Higher You LLC
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com

    Best Hospitality Resume

    Bridget Batson - Houston Outplacement Resume Writing and Career Counseling
    Lucie Yeomans - Your Career Ally / Agave Communications LLC
    Rachel Raymond - RVP Career Services
    Jay Mesa - Five Strengths Career Transition Experts
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com

    Best Marketing Resume

    Lisa McDonald - Career Polish, Inc.
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Arno Markus - iCareerSolutions
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Carolyn Whitfield - Total Resumes

    Best New Graduate Resume

    Paula Christensen - Strategic Career Coaches
    Melanie Denny - Resume-Evolution
    Lucie Yeomans - Your Career Ally / Agave Communications LLC
    Krista Mitchell - iCareerSolutions
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com

    Best Portfolio Careers Resume

    Irma Rojas - RSO Resumes
    Angela Watts - MyPro Resumes & Recruiting
    Barbara Safani - Career Solvers
    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com

    Best Sales Resume

    Jheneal McDuffie - The Resume Chic & Co.
    Irma Rojas - RSO Resumes
    Carolyn Whitfield - Total Resumes
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com

    Special Thanks to 2020 Judges:

    Director of Awards - Gayle Howard - Top Margin Executive Resumes & Coaching

    Dawn Bugni - The Write Solution
    Julie Walraven - Design Resumes
    Tammy Shoup - Breakthrough Resume Writing Service, LLC
    Michelle Lopez - One2One Resumes 
    Grant Cooper - CareerPro of New Orleans / Strategic Resumes
    Erin Kennedy - Professional Resume Services
    Barb Poole - Hire Imaging, LLC
    Laurie Berenson - Sterling Career Concepts, LLC
    Mary Elizabeth Bradford - Career Artisan
    Jill Kelly - Outplacement Australia / Career Edge
    Cheryl L. Simpson - Executive Resume Rescue
    Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter – Career Trend

    2019 TORI Award Winners and Nominees

    The first list in each category designates the nominees, which are listed in no particular order. 

    Important difference with 2019 resume winners: We allowed for non-US spelling and A4 paper size to fully embrace our global resume writers. Therefore, some thumbnail images below will look longer and you may see some spelling that looks inaccurate to you such as organise instead of organize.

    Best Accounting & Finance Resume

    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Kimberly Robb Baker - This Little Brand
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Carolyn Whitfield - Total Resumes
    Sandra Ingemansen - Résumé Strategies

    Best Difficult Transition Resume

    Melanie Denny - Resume-Evolution
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes
    Sandra Ingemansen - Résumé Strategies
    Kimberly Robb Baker - This Little Brand

    Best Executive Resume

    Cheryl Lynch Simpson - Executive Resume Rescue
    Skye Berry-Burke - Skye is the Limit Resume & Career Solutions
    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Kimberly Robb Baker - This Little Brand

    Best Healthcare/Medical Resume

    Krista Mitchell - iCareerSolutions
    Arno Markus - iCareerSolutions
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Laura Smith-Proulx - An Expert Resume

    Best High Tech Resume

    Skye Berry-Burke - Skye is the Limit Resume & Career Solutions
    Krista Mitchell - iCareerSolutions
    Sandra Ingemansen - Résumé Strategies
    Kimberly Robb Baker - This Little Brand
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com

    Best Hospitality Resume

    Jay Mesa - Higher You LLC
    Marguerite Claxton - The Career Company
    Rachel Vander Pol - RVP Career Services
    Carolyn Whitfield - Total Resumes
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com

    Best Marketing Resume

    Lisa McDonald - Career Polish, Inc.
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Arno Markus - iCareerSolutions
    Laura Smith-Proulx - An Expert Resume
    Rachel Vander Pol - RVP Career Services

    Best New Graduate Resume

    Melissa Kelley - Kelley Resumes & Wordsmithing
    Tammy Shoup - Breakthrough Resume Writing Service
    Kevin Morris - CareerMobile
    Krista Mitchell - iCareerSolutions
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com

    Best Portfolio Careers Resume

    Lisa McDonald - Career Polish, Inc.
    Arno Markus - iCareerSolutions
    Kimberly Robb Baker - This Little Brand
    Sandra Ingemansen - Résumé Strategies
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com

    Best Sales Resume

    Laura Hartnell - Laura Hartnell Career Transition Services
    Kimberly Robb Baker - This Little Brand
    Carolyn Whitfield - Total Resumes
    Sandra Ingemansen - Résumé Strategies
    Marie Plett - Professional Resume Services

    Special Thanks to 2019 Judges:

    Director of Awards - Audrey Prenzel - Audrey Prenzel Career Transition Services

    Dawn Bugni - The Write Solution
    Julie Walraven - Design Resumes
    Cliff Flamer - BrightSide Resumes 
    Michelle Lopez - One2One Resumes 
    Grant Cooper - CareerPro of New Orleans / Strategic Resumes
    Erin Kennedy - Professional Resume Services
    Barb Poole - Hire Imaging, LLC
    Laurie Berenson - Sterling Career Concepts, LLC
    Mary Elizabeth Bradford - Career Artisan
    Jill Kelly - Outplacement Australia / Career Edge
    Gayle Howard - Top Margin Executive Resumes & Coaching
    Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter – Career Trend
    Amy Adler – Five Strengths Career Transition Experts

    2018 TORI Award Winners and Nominees

    The first list in each category designates the nominees, which are listed in no particular order. 

    Best Accounting & Finance Resume

    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Beverly Harvey - HarveyCareers LLC
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes
    Sandra Ingemansen - Résumé Strategies

    Best Executive Resume

    Cheryl Lynch Simpson - Executive Resume Rescue
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes
    Adrienne Tom - Career Impressions
    Kimberly Robb Baker - This Little Brand

    Best Healthcare/Medical Resume

    Kimberly Robb Baker - This Little Brand
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Rachel Vander Pol - RVP Career Services
    Barbara Safani - Career Solvers
    Sharon Williams - JobRockit

    Best Hospitality Resume

    Rachel Vander Pol - RVP Career Services
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Kimberly Robb Baker - This Little Brand
    Laura Smith-Proulx - An Expert Resume
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com

    Best Information Technology Resume

    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes
    Beverly Harvey - HarveyCareers LLC
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Sharon Williams - JobRockit
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com

    Best International Resume

    Carolyn Whitfield - Total Resumes
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Michelle Lopez - One2One Resumes
    Sandra Ingemansen - Résumé Strategies

    Best New Graduate Resume

    Pete Lavelle - Rez Builder Resume and Job Service
    Paula Christensen - Strategic Career Coaches
    Sharon Williams - JobRockit
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Sandra Ingemansen - Résumé Strategies

    Best Sales Resume

    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Melissa Kelley - Kelley Resumes & Wordsmithing
    Cliff Flamer - BrightSide Resumes
    Sandra Ingemansen - Résumé Strategies
    Eve Ruth - Compelling Resumes

    Special Thanks to 2018 Judges:

    Director of Awards - Audrey Prenzel - Audrey Prenzel Career Transition Services

    Sky Berry-Burke - Skye is the Limit Resume & Career Solutions
    Laurie Berenson - Sterling Career Concepts, LLC
    Erin Kennedy - Professional Resume Services
    Jeri Hird Dutcher – Workwrite LLC
    Grant Cooper - CareerPro of New Orleans / Strategic Resumes
    Susan Guarneri - AssessmentGoddess.com
    Barb Poole - Hire Imaging, LLC
    Laura Labovich - The Career Strategy Group
    Mary Elizabeth Bradford - Career Artisan
    Jill Kelly - Outplacement Australia / Career Edge
    Gayle Howard - Top Margin Executive Resumes & Coaching
    Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter – Career Trend
    Amy Adler – Five Strengths Career Transition Experts

    2017 TORI Award Winners and Nominees

    The first list in each category designates the nominees, which are listed in no particular order. 

    Best Accounting & Finance Resume

    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Barbara Safani - Career Solvers
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Kimberly Robb Baker - This Little Brand
    Sandra Ingemansen - Résumé Strategies

    Best Executive Resume

    Maria Caraballo - Career Branding Inc
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Laura Smith-Proulx - An Expert Resume
    Adrienne Tom - Career Impressions
    Kimberly Robb Baker - This Little Brand

    Best Healthcare/Medical Resume

    Kimberly Robb Baker - This Little Brand
    Tiffany Hardy - TiffanyHardy.com
    Marie Plett - AspirationsResume.com
    Barbara Safani - Career Solvers
    Cheryl Lynch Simpson - Executive Resume Rescue