* Rates will not be adjusted for categories entered after the initial TORI registration purchase. Refunds will not be issued should you opt not to enter a purchased category after registering or submit after the deadline. Please plan your time during the several months available for TORI registration and entry to meet the deadlines.
Global Membership Organization of Professional Resume Writers & Career Coaches
$100K+ Success for Resume Writers & Coaches
Toast of the Resume Industry Awards
(TORI)
The 2021 Awards Offer Opportunities for More Classic Resume Writing Designs to Be Recognized!
Each year, CDI hosts the resume writing industry’s most prestigious Toast of the Resume Industry™ (TORI) resume writing competition. The TORI™ Award competition is truly the resume writer’s #1 secret to explosive business growth.
CDI members are eligible and encouraged to strive for TORI™ awards, because while they help elevate the industry as a whole, they also allow professional resume writers to stand out as leaders in their craft. The TORI™ winner page is CDI's most popular web page attracting attention from thousands of job seekers worldwide.
Many winners and nominees state that being listed on that coveted page was like flicking their business switch to a solid ON, allowing them to pick and choose their ideal clients, work on the projects they are passionate about, and charge a premium for their services.
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.
The 2021 competition offers a BIG TWIST which equals immense opportunity for a large pool of professional resume writers!
There are still ten (10) categories to enter, 50 chances to be nominated, and 30 chances to win, but this year a more classic resume style will be recognized.
We love and embrace the immense creativity and design of today's TORI-winning resumes. Our founder, Laura DeCarlo, was an early pioneer in this area, winning resume writing awards for Most Visually Distinctive Resume and Most Creative Resume.
While Laura knows the immense value that a graphically-enhanced resume brings to a networking job search and an online search (when either made ATS-friendly with our how-to tutorial or when accompanied by an ATS-friendly resume), she feels it's time we also embrace the more traditional resume styles at the other end of the spectrum:
Classic Equals Exceptional Writing, Keywords, and Light Design for Ease of Read and Engagement.
For the sake of TORI award category titles, these available categories will be called "Classic" as in Best Classic Executive Resume. (We didn't think that Best Light Design Executive Resume makes a lot of sense to job seekers!!)
Examples of Classic Resumes
The following resumes are TORI winners from 2008 and 2009. These resumes would still be exceptional today, with a little ATS content inclusion, and represent the level of minimal design we think all resumes should aspire to in 2021.
2009
1st Place
Executive
Peter Hill
Chief Financial Officer
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
2008
1st Place
New Graduate
Jennifer Rushton
Marketing / IT Graduate
Consulting & Professional Services
2008
1st Place
Information Technology
Jennifer Rushton
Software Engineer
Communications & Technology
2008
1st Place
Executive
Sharon Williams
General Manager
Hospitality & Travel
2008
2nd Place
Executive
Barbara Safani
General Management Executive
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
2008
3rd Place
Executive
Laura Labovich
Global Vice President
Communications & Technology
2008
1st Place
Sales
Barb Poole
Vice President of Sales
Retail Sales
2007
1st Place
Information Technology
Gillian Kelly
Avionics Maintenance Engineer
Communications & Technology
Let me further define this with sample resumes, do's, and don'ts.
Do's
- Write at the same elevated level as the prior TORIs, with emphasis on avoiding word repetition, maintaining same verb tense and voice, writing powerfully, using personal branding, and emphasizing results with CAR-type stories.
- Focus on a layout that imparts readability and easily guides the eye to critical information by being visually engaging. This can be done with use of bullets, spacing, font choice, knock out text, typographical elements (bold, underline), optional light use of color and simple line-based page borders, simple divider lines, symbols as bullets, and text boxes/basic shading for non-ATS data like a quote from a reference.
- Include keywords and other ATS-friendly content.
Don'ts
- Mistake this as a content-only competition. The resume must still be visually appealing in such a way that the reader is drawn into wanting to scan quickly or read further. Classic does not mean basic ugly template.
- Use graphics. You should avoid all background graphics, images, logos, photos, clipart, smart art, borders (besides simple line), full backgrounds, charts, or graphs.
- Focus on a bare-bones ATS style. Instead make it visually appealing while avoiding text boxes for critical ATS content. You are looking for a happy balance between ATS and human review.
Benefits of the TORI Competition
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.
Imagine you woke up this morning, a morning seemingly like every other morning except for one considerable difference – today you’re swamped with new resume clients who are excited to have the chance to work with you and pay your rates.
So, what’s so different about today that suddenly your prospects seem to be sold before you even talk to them? Why they appear to be waiting to work with you? Why it’s suddenly so much easier to gain their buy in on the higher rates you are quoting for your services?
It’s not magic…it’s not a course to take, a certification you need to earn, or even an ad or marketing campaign you need to develop…
It’s the AWESOME power of taking home a prestigious TORI nomination or award.
If that makes you feel skeptical, take a moment and look at the testimonials from your fellow colleagues in the right column of this page.
While winning or being nominated will change your business forever, there are big wins for ALL who enter!
Here’s the thing about the TORI Award competition — you need to throw caution to the wind and JUST DO IT! Telling yourself you are not ready, not good enough or worse, too busy, causes you to lose out on an amazing opportunity to challenge yourself, grow, learn, and even surprise yourself!
It’s a loooong 365 days between each annual competition. Do you really want to wait that long to even challenge yourself and see where you rank in an anonymous review by a panel of industry top performers?
Not sure the TORIs are for you?
Listen to this recording from 2018 to learn about:
Tremendous ROI of being nominated or winning (expect your business to take off overnight).
Valuable expert-level free member resources you can use to hone your resume writing design skills.
Judging process.
Tips on what makes a winning TORI resume.
Common mistakes that are made with entries and how to easily avoid them.
Ways to get into the mindset of a TORI resume writer.
Strategies for making time to enter this year.
Here are seven ways you can win just by entering.
You Win and Overnight You Become a Business Success.
This one is a no-brainer, unless you discount just how much of a difference a TORI can make. Just read some of the testimonials below if you aren’t sure. It’s a total game-changer.
You Get Nominated for a TORI and Discover It’s Better Than Any Advertising You Could Ever Do.
Believe it. You don’t have to just win an award to benefit — making the top five puts you in a class by yourself, as you will rapidly discover.
You Win Just by Studying Winners.
Success doesn’t exist in a vacuum so when you prepare for the TORIs and look at former winning resumes, you help yourself see other possibilities and explore new channels for how resumes can be written and designed.
Spend some time with the TORI winning resumes and your whole idea of wording alone can be broadened immensely. It’s like taking a culinary world tour (if resume were food)!
Taking a Chance Challenges You and Keeps You in the Game.
Just like studying the winners, if you look at entering as a chance to elevate your skill, reach further, and present your best of the best, then you are winning in keeping your commitment to growing in your craft alive.
Being Motivated to Go to the Next Level Charges You Up.
Ever notice when you go to a live training event you feel charged up and rejuvenated? It’s because you are learning something new and that’s exciting.
If you dive into the TORIs, study winners, and then look at how you can take your writing to the next level, you ARE rejuvenated. Is that a win? You bet – when you aren’t tired of doing the same old thing, you are eager and alive. You and your clients win!
Solving Puzzles Builds Brain Muscles, Which Pays Off in the TORIs.
Just like games like Soduko can challenge and stimulate your brain (and keep it fresh as you age), figuring out why you don’t win a TORI can be your brain-building business success puzzle (and magic bullet).
IT IS A FACT that when those who don’t win sought feedback, made changes, and kept trying, they started to win at the TORIs. Many multi-time TORI winners were once entrants who previously didn’t even get nominated.
Not getting nominated or getting nominated and winning is an exciting call to action to gear up and strive for the next level! Don’t let not winning stop you. Accept the challenge. If you do, you really can win, and win big at that!
There are Multiple Winners Each Year.
Getting nominated for or winning a TORI works, plain and simple. Otherwise, you wouldn’t see the same names entering year after year (becoming nominees and winners).
While one TORI award or nomination can (and has) made a whole career, many choose to keep pursuing those wins each year and in multiple categories.
The beauty is that with ten categories there are 50 chances to get nominated and 30 chances to win. You’re not vying for only one coveted award — there is plenty of opportunity!
Take the advice of those who have come before you and cover your bases to win at this once-a-year career-making opportunity!
Want to Learn How to Improve Your Chances When Entering?
Access resume writing tutorials by winners.
CDI members have access to a growing library of video lessons from top TORI winners.
Winners have credited these lessons for giving their design and writing skills the necessary boost.
From resume magic tricks in MS Word to story-based branding, these tools set you up for success.
Here are 10 TORI-winning tips in 10 minutes.
Award Categories
Each year, the TORI Awards Director, in tandem with the CDI Board of Advisors, selects the most applicable categories which best reflect current market trends. CDI members are welcome to contribute one (1) entry to each category. Yes, that means you could enter a regular TORI and a classic TORI category with different resumes appropriate for each category. (See above for explanation of Classic categories).
The TORI Awards Director will ensure all submissions appear anonymous to the panel of judges so that fair and equitable judging can take place.
The first tier of judges are all certified resume writers, members of CDI’s resume certification committee, and many former TORI winners. They are responsible for selecting five nominees in each category. A second similar panel of highly-qualified and certified resume writers will then select the first, second, and third place winners in each category, leading to 50 nominees, and 30 total winners.
The 2021 TORI categories are:
We’ve all seen clients needing guidance through challenging transitions. This covers any level of professional who is facing a major transitional career challenge such as: reentering a profession they haven’t worked in for 10-20 years; taking positions in a variety of different fields and using them to successfully target a whole new profession; overcoming major gaps in their career transition; or targeting a quality of life change that includes a lower-level position than previously held.
We’ve all seen clients needing guidance through challenging transitions. This covers any level of professional who is facing a major transitional career challenge such as: reentering a profession they haven’t worked in for 10-20 years; taking positions in a variety of different fields and using them to successfully target a whole new profession; overcoming major gaps in their career transition; or targeting a quality of life change that includes a lower-level position than previously held.
So many companies are dependent on technology now and it can encompass so many areas (some of which are emerging every day). This is very open-ended and includes levels from the tech to the executive in areas such as: digital transformation, machine learning, scientists, data scientists, cloud architects, network engineers, CTOs, big data specialists, project managers, app developers, web developers, telecom, engineers, and more.
So many companies are dependent on technology now and it can encompass so many areas (some of which are emerging every day). This is very open-ended and includes levels from the tech to the executive in areas such as: digital transformation, machine learning, scientists, data scientists, cloud architects, network engineers, CTOs, big data specialists, project managers, app developers, web developers, telecom, engineers, and more.
For most companies, it’s all about the money. Top sales producers are worth their weight in gold. This can encompass any level of sales, business development, account management, customer service roles, or producing sales management to the executive level. Bring on the metrics, awards, and accolades!
These professionals come in all shapes, sizes, and specialties with a bigger-than-ever focus on patients as consumers and an emphasis on the bottom line. They may have careers such as medical technician, doctor, surgeon, medical transcriptionist, laboratory staff, administrator, pharma, nurse, clinical researcher, PA, psychiatrist, psychologist, dental professionals, EMT, physical therapist, etc.
Powerful success starts at the top and these are the individuals that drive productivity, profits, company brand, and shareholder value. Roles include any executive-level position from Vice President and up in any industry.
Powerful success starts at the top and these are the individuals that drive productivity, profits, company brand, and shareholder value. Roles include any executive-level position from Vice President and up in any industry.
Keep this to your new grads! It can include any discipline or industry as long as the focus is on leveraging a recent degree or diploma for a candidate who is just launching their career. NOTE: This is not for a mature professional with a 20-year background making a transition. The average candidate has been in the world of work with part-time, full-time, internships, etc., for no more than 8 years.
Keep this to your new grads! It can include any discipline or industry as long as the focus is on leveraging a recent degree or diploma for a candidate who is just launching their career. NOTE: This is not for a mature professional with a 20-year background making a transition. The average candidate has been in the world of work with part-time, full-time, internships, etc., for no more than 8 years.
Just Three Easy Steps to Get Started
Important Rule: TORI entries must be created solely through your own efforts and the input of your client. However, utilizing a third-person proofreader is acceptable.
- Select what categories you plan to enter from the 2021 category list above.
- Register online for the number of TORIs you plan to submit. You can start with one in order to receive the submission rules, and then add more categories before the deadline.
- Once registered you will receive instructions for fictionalizing, Client permissions, naming, saving, and submitting your resume(s) via email.
As of 2019 you can now submit entries in A4 size! You can also opt to use any English style you wish as we are no longer going to recommend US style.
Refunds will not be issued should you opt not to enter a purchased category after registering or submit after the deadline.
Nominations and winners will be announced via Facebook Live once all judging is completed (Dates TBA Oct-Dec).
Important TORI Deadlines
Registration for 2021 is open. If you have already ordered but wish to purchase more categories (up to 10 total), use the orange box below.
- Registration is open for 2021 as of 2/01/2021.
- The registration deadline to receive entry instructions by 3 AM Eastern / 12 AM Pacific time on Friday, July 16, 2021. (Since this has confused many - register no later than Thursday before you go to bed).
- Once registered, you have extra time to submit your entries. The entry submission deadline for those already registered is Tuesday, August 3, 2021 at 5 PM Eastern / 2 PM Pacific time.
Registration
Registration for 2021 is open. If you have already ordered but wish to purchase more categories (up to 10 total), use the orange box below. Buying at least one category today gives you instant access to the rules and guidelines, and ensures you have until August 3, 2021 to purchase additional categories.
TORIs are only open to CDI members. Each entry is $25-40 depending on quantity of categories entered. Not a member? Learn more about membership.
For initial annual TORI purchases made at any one time*:
You can save, and increase your chances to win, when you purchase multiple category entries at one time!
- When you buy 1-3 total categories = $40 US each
- When you buy 4-7 total categories = $30 US each
- When you buy 8-10 total categories = $25 US each
Cart will automatically calculate the discount based on number entered. Please remember there are only eight categories.
Already purchased categories this year?
Use this option if you are adding additional categories after previously registering this year. $35 US each.