Writing a strong resume is important, but it’s also hard. You might have heard that some people hire a resume writer, or maybe you’ve seen ads for resume writing services promising a free professional review of your resume. It’s tempting—especially if you’re desperate for a new job or your search has dragged on for a while.
Think about it: Should you pay someone to write your CV?
Is it a good idea to have your resume written by a
professional? The short answer is yes, it can definitely be beneficial to your
job search.
The other day I had an interesting conversation with a
stranger in a matatu. After exchanging pleasantries, we dove into the deeper
talk of our different professions, the companies we work for and what exactly
we did. As I explained my bit, his facial expression changed when I mentioned
CV writing as a service offered at Corporate Staffing Services Ltd.
Clearly, he had a big problem letting someone write his CV.
“Why should I pay someone for a professional CV?” he
asked. “You don’t know my qualifications, what I’ve been through, the
jobs I have done or even what kind of job I am looking for. Unless you prove me
wrong, I believe choosing to pay someone to write your CV is just wrong. They
will only misrepresent you to recruiters.”
Unfortunately for him (or fortunately, depending on where
your loyalty lies), I was in the mood to prove him wrong. And not just with
empty reasons, no. With actual facts. So if you’ve also been asking the same
question, below are the reasons I gave the stranger and I am telling you now.
6 Facts You Need to Know Before You Pay Someone to Write Your CV
Fact Number 1 – Your Best is Not Necessarily the Recruiter’s Best
Have you ever tried writing an important text or email and
had to consult someone else to ascertain that what you wrote made sense? We all
do.
Why? Because sometimes we need a second person or third to
weigh in on the correctness and sensibility of our messages. The last thing you
want is to make a silly mistake that changes the entire meaning of what you
intended.
The same applies when writing a CV. You don’t even need to
pay someone to write your CV here, all you need is to get a second opinion from
a professional.
Fact Number 2 – Not Everyone is a Good Writer
Some people are just not good at writing. Others hate
sitting in one place for more than 30 minutes, and others despise using
computers. Yet, for you to come up with a good CV that recruiters will use to
decide your suitability, these three things are very important.
You need to be a very good writer to ensure your CV is free
of grammatical errors. You need more than 30 minutes to sit and concentrate in
order to come up with a mistake-free CV. And you need to use a computer for the
process to be complete.
If you consider this to be too much work, then your only
solution is to outsource the task. So ask yourself this; would you rather pay
someone to write your CV professionally or get an amateur? I know I’d pick the
professional. How about You?
Fact Number 3 – You are Not an Employer or Recruiter
One truth about the recruiting and hiring process is that
you are not really in control. You could think you are qualified for a
position, and that your CV demonstrates those qualifications. However,
according to the recruiter, your CV shows that you don’t match what the
employer wants.
But why? You wonder. The only answer I can give you here is
that you are not the recruiter. In every shortlisting process in a job opening,
recruiters usually have a list of things they are looking for. If your CV does
not show this information, then you don’t qualify.
Imagine the different outcome if someone working directly
with recruiters was to write your CV.
Fact Number 4 – Most Job Seekers are Afraid to Brag about their Qualifications
Remember when they told you it is wrong to brag? That you
should never blow your own trumpet? Well, this does not apply when it comes to
applying for a job.
To impress recruiters and get through to the interview, a
job seeker must be ready to brag as much as they can. Unfortunately, this is
one area where most people are afraid of. You become too afraid to brag that
you forget to list your most important qualifications.
If you are a victim and this is costing you interviews, let
someone else do the bragging for you.
Fact Number 5 – Some of Us Don’t Know the Most Important CV Sections
Recruiters have to deal with poorly formatted CVs on a daily
basis. Sometimes, they even find it hard to find one qualified candidate in an
entire database of CVs, to invite for a job interview. Yes, it sure is
unbelievable. But it is also very true.
In such cases, recruiters usually have to re-advertise the
position in the hope that the second time will bring in better CVs. And the
biggest problem? The CVs usually have a lot of information, but it’s so poorly
formatted that you can’t tell head from tail.
Fact Number 6 – Sometimes it’s Just Better When a Professional Does it
You know that feeling you get when you are working with a
professional in the game? They answer each and every question you may have and
offer guidance even in areas you had not thought about. It is such a fulfilling
experience, isn’t it?
That’s what you get when you decide to have your CV
professionally written. You get guidance about the current job market, know
what employers usually look for in a CV, and what you can do differently to
stand out.
Also, and I know you will love this, a professional will
always give you a free CV review if you ask nicely. Who doesn’t want free
stuff?
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU PAY SOMEONE TO HELP WITH YOUR RESUME
Before you spend your money, however, there are a few things
you should know—including what exactly a resume writer or reviewer does, how to
decide if you should hire one, and, if you decide to go for it, how to do your
homework and pick the right one for you.
What a Resume Writer and/or Reviewer Does
First, you need to make sure you understand what a resume
writer or reviewer can—and can’t—do for you. If you don’t have the right
expectations going into the process, you’re likely to be disappointed.
What’s the Difference Between Resume Writing and Resume Reviewing?
As you look to hire a professional to help with your resume,
you’ll come across the terms “resume writing” and “resume reviewing” and it’s
important to understand the range of things these terms can mean. They’re
almost—but not quite—interchangeable.
Most services and individuals offering “resume writing” will
not actually create an entirely new resume for you from nothing. Instead,
resume writing means rewriting.
Most resume writers will want to see your existing resume,
and they’ll usually need you to fill out a questionnaire or worksheet or have a long conversation
with them about your experience and goals—most commonly, you’ll need to do a
combination of these things.
However, in its lightest (and cheapest) form, resume reviewing can mean a professional looking over your resume and providing some actionable advice for you to make updates yourself. This is often what you’re getting if you sign up for a free resume review. Tread lightly here since the advice may not be personalized to you: I, a content editor and writer, once submitted my resume to the same free resume review service as my mother, a nurse, and we got nearly identical feedback despite our extremely different goals and industries.
You might also choose to work with a coach who reviews the
resume you’ve written, shares advice on how to improve it, and then gives you
feedback on the changes you make. This kind of
service will probably do the most to help you learn how to write better resumes
yourself in the future.
What Can a Resume Writer Do for my Resume?
Your resume is a story about why you’re the right person for
a given job. Experienced resume writers are adept at asking the right questions
to pull out the most relevant information about you and packaging it in a way
that tells an engaging and persuasive story.
There are also some common errors that (good) resume writers
won’t make or will catch, including bullet points that list
responsibilities rather than achievements and a lack of consistency throughout
the resume (usually because people are just adding recent jobs onto old resumes
without making sure everything tells a coherent story and is formatted the same
way).
A good resume writer will help your resume stand out the
right way.
You can definitely do all these things for yourself, but if
you’re overwhelmed, stuck, or don’t have the time or energy to immerse yourself
in the nuances of resume best practices, a professional might be the right
choice.
Do I Still Need to Be Involved in the Resume Writing Process?
Hiring a resume writer doesn’t mean that you’ll magically
receive a perfect resume without any thought or work on your part. If you want
to do it right, it should be a partnership. This means the writer
is learning about you and your professional history, listening to what you want
from your resume and your next job, and getting input from you throughout the
drafting and revising process. This also means you’re putting the effort in to
share all the relevant information needed to make your resume the best it can
be.
Once It’s Done, Can I Submit the Same Resume for Every Job I Apply To?
Whether or not you work with a professional, it’s an
absolute must to tailor your resume for
every position you apply to. This means making changes to emphasize the most
relevant experience, skills, and achievements for each role as well as
switching up language to make sure you’re including the right keywords from the job description.
A resume writer should gear their work toward the types of
jobs you plan to apply to, so a professionally written base resume should
already showcase most of your most relevant experience. But every job is a
little different and you should expect to make tweaks. Perhaps a certain
company is looking for someone with knowledge of uncommon software that you
happen to have experience with, but it’s not on your base resume because most
companies don’t use it. Adding the name of that software to your professionally
written resume could be what lands you the interview.
If you’re applying to more than one type of job—let’s say,
for instance, you’ve worked in both marketing and development and are applying
to roles in both—you might have to make more changes for different
applications, or you might consider working with a professional on two (or
more) base versions of your resume.
Will a Resume Writer Design My Resume?
Resume writers often will format your resume, but if you’re
looking for someone to make a heavily designed resume, it’s not a given. And
that’s probably a good thing. Applicant tracking systems (ATSs)—the
programs that many companies use to process and organize resumes—can’t always
parse fancy formatting. So a good resume writer will make sure your resume has
clean, simple formatting an ATS can read. Most coaches, for
example, typically focus “not on the fancy details, but what is going to help
you get through [the ATS] and land that interview.
Resume formatting is also about appealing to the human
reader. Good resume writers should make sure the resumes they
write are easily scanned and understood by someone who might have a lot of
applications to go through in a short time.
If you're looking for a heavily designed resume, you should
be upfront about that expectation and prepared for the possibility that you’ll
need to pay more or even hire someone separately.
Is Hiring a Resume Writer “Cheating”?
If you’re considering hiring a resume writer, but are
concerned that it feels dishonest or is “cheating,” worry no more. Unless
you’re applying to be a resume writer yourself, your resume isn’t meant to be a
sample of your work, but rather an accurate reflection of your qualifications
for a job. As long as what’s written on your resume is true, there’s nothing
dishonest about it.
How to Decide If You Should Hire Professional Help for Your Resume
Almost anyone can benefit from a resume writer, but working
with one can be especially productive in some scenarios. Here are a few
questions to ask yourself before you decide whether to write your own resume, hire a
professional, or even seek out an entirely different kind of career coaching.
Do You Know What Your Job Search Goals Are?
Effective resumes are “a combination of your goals and your
history. If you don’t have the goals piece, that makes the resume a lot less
effective.
So if you’re not sure what type of positions you’re going to apply to, a resume writer can’t deliver a good product and it’s a waste of everyone’s time and your money to make them try.
Does Your Job Search Situation Fall Into One of These Trickier Categories?
There are a few situations where hiring a resume writer
might be particularly helpful. If you fall into one of these categories, your
resume may be a bit more difficult (though not impossible) to write on your
own:
- You’re
making a career change
- You
haven’t applied for a job or updated your resume in a long time
- Your
career history is extensive and you need help narrowing it down
- You’re
going back to work after a long employment gap
- You’ve
had a bunch of jobs and/or side gigs that might look unrelated
- You’re
a freelancer looking for a full-time job
- You’re
in a niche market or transitioning out of one (such as government, the
military, or academia)
- You
don’t have the time needed to create a high-quality resume
- You’re
not a strong writer and need help clearly stating your achievements
- Your
job search has gone on for a while with little success
Do You Need Motivation or Help Overcoming a Mental Block?
I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people I know say, “I
just need to update my resume, then I can start looking for a new job,” and
stay stuck in that stage for weeks or even months. When your resume becomes a barrier
preventing you from making progress in your job search, you should consider
bringing in a professional. If it feels too big, too daunting,
too confusing, seeking support to create the best possible resume for yourself
so you can…focus your energy on other aspects of a job search is a great
option.
Resume writers can also help motivate you, especially if
you’re feeling deflated from a job hunt—with all its rejections and radio
silences.
How to Pick the Right Resume Writer
If you’ve decided you want to hire someone, you’ll quickly
realize that “there are thousands and thousands of coaches out in the world who
say they can help you with a resume. While many of these coaches
are legitimate, not all of them are going to be a fit for you. Here are some
questions to ask yourself to make sure you find a resume writer or service who
will give you the biggest leg up on your job search.
Is the Resume Writer or Service Reputable?
Before selecting a resume service or writer, you want to
make sure that your choice is qualified and that you’ll get the product they’re
promising. There’s not a one-size-fits-all in terms of what makes a
successful, impactful resume writer. But there are a few ways to
try to assess your options.
- Look
at reviews—both on their own website and third-party sites.
- Check
for certifications. They’re a sign that a resume writer or coach
is qualified—but not the only one.
- Understand
the criteria. If you’re looking at resume services with a lot of
writers, you might want to find out what standards and vetting processes
they have in place. The service’s website might include this info or you
could ask for it directly before agreeing to use them.
- Ask
for referrals and recommendations from your network. That way you
know that someone you trust was happy with the work the resume writer did.
Are There Red Flags?
Here are a few red flags to watch out for from resume
writers or services. Most aren’t definite dealbreakers, but might be a signal
to dig deeper or consider looking elsewhere:
- Job
guarantees: Some resume services will guarantee that you’ll get a
job in a certain number of days or your money back. Be wary—there’s likely
fine print with some extreme qualifications you need to meet to be
eligible. Plus, no one can realistically guarantee that you’ll get a job
based on your resume alone, no matter how fantastic it is. Landing a job
depends on so many factors—including the job market, the number of jobs
you apply to, your experience, your performance in interviews, and the
speed of the hiring process where you’re applying.
- Extreme
prices: If a service is free or less than $100, make sure you
know exactly what you’re getting for your money. At prices that low, you
might not be getting personalized advice or your information could be sold
to third parties for advertising purposes. On the flip side, if a resume
writer is charging in the high triple digits or more for just a
resume (and you’re not a C-suite executive), make sure they have the
experience and results to justify it or skip straight to cheaper options.
- Lack
of transparency: Before paying for anything, you want to know
what you’re getting, right? A service or writer should be upfront about
their prices and process, including how many rounds of edits you get and
what type of file your resume will be delivered in.
- A
final result you can’t easily edit: You still need to tailor your
professionally written resume for each job you apply to, so your resume
should be “very nimble”. If a service is going to deliver an
end product in a file format you can’t edit (such as an image file or a
file you need special software to open) or is so heavily designed that
changing up the text will mess up the formatting, look elsewhere. Note:
It’s fairly common (and not a red flag) to receive a PDF and an
editable document.
- Generic
advice or lack of input needed from you: If you’ve already
submitted your resume for a review, and it’s clear from the results that
whoever wrote the feedback didn’t read your resume, tread very carefully
before giving the service more money. Or if a resume service doesn’t ask
for more information about what kinds of jobs you’re looking for or
anything else about your experience, consider whether your money is better
spent on something more personalized.
What’s Your Timeline?
You should have an idea of when you need your resume to make
sure that the resume writer you choose is able to deliver on time. If you want
to start your job search “soon,” spending a few weeks on your resume might be
fine, but if you spotted a perfect job you want to apply right
away before the posting comes down, you might need it in a few days—in which
case you need to make sure the resume writer can meet your deadline (and you
should be willing to pay extra for a rush job).
What’s Your Budget?
Resume review and writing services can range in price from
free to thousands. Typically, you should expect to pay at least one hundred to
a few hundred dollars for a professional to rewrite or revise your resume. Folks far along in their careers, especially at the executive
level, tend to have to pay more than early-career job seekers.
Different writers and services might have different resume
packages that include more revisions, more time to talk with the writer about
your job search goals and resume strategy, or even additional coaching
products—and prices will range accordingly. So think about what you can afford.
If you don’t have a lot to spend, it might make more sense to get a lighter
resume review from an experienced resume writer who’s a good match for you
rather than a full rewrite from a service where you’re not quite sure who’s
writing your resume or what quality the end product will be.
What Is Your Ideal Process?
As mentioned earlier, every resume writer and reviewer needs
some amount of input from you. But the amount and type of involvement you have
in the process can vary. Do you want some tips on your resume that you can use
to update it yourself? Do you want the writer to handle the writing and go back
and forth with several rounds of revisions to make sure it’s exactly how you’d
like it? Do you prefer to talk about yourself over the phone or will filling
out questionnaires allow you to organize your thoughts better?
Think this through before you look for resume writers and be
prepared to ask probing questions about their writing or review process to make
sure it lines up with your expectations and needs. If one resume
writer isn’t offering what you’d like, move on to another.
Do They Have Experience Helping People in Your Role, Industry, and Situation?
While looking for writers, see what industries, careers, and situations they have experience with to ensure they have a track record of helping people like you. A coach who has a background in the industry you’re looking for work in is especially helpful because they “can speak the language. If you have to choose, it’s typically better to find someone who’s familiar with where you’re going in your career, than someone who’s familiar with where you’ve been.
Is Their Personality and Style a Good Match for You?
Before you make a final choice, try to get a sense of who
the writer is beyond their experience. Read anything they’ve written on their
website, LinkedIn, social media, and various professional profiles. Pay attention
to both tone and content. Are they warm and bubbly or no-nonsense and
to-the-point? Neither is good or bad per se, but you might prefer one over the
other.
Look at reviews and testimonials and watch for any common
themes. Do multiple clients say that they’re a good listener? Or that they
infused some humor into the process? You can also use a free initial phone
consultation or any pre-hire conversations with the writer to get a sense of
how they communicate and if they’re a good fit for you.
You likely work better with some colleagues than others
because of their personalities and work styles. A resume writer is no
different. You’ll get your best possible resume from someone you gel with.