Professional Resume Writers Kim IsaacsHello Kim, after two years of failed job searches, I am going to throw in the towel and hire a professional resume writer to completely redo my resume. But I have some questions regarding professional resume writers. 1) What is the average cost to completely create a professional resume? 2) What is the success rate of a professionally written resume compared to a resume created by the individual? 3) Who decides if the resume should be a Chronological or Functional resume? The professional resume writer or the client? 4) If the client (me) does not like the end result of the professional resume writer's work, what are my options at that point? Do professional resume writers have warranties or guarantees? This is my first post after reading from your previous forums to this new format. I am part of a network group that meets regularly for business and networking and was invited to join by a veteran Moster board participant and mentor. Thanks for any help you can shed on this matter! Speaking as a college educator who has taught job-hunting and has worked in a wide variety of business fields, I can tell you that there's truly an "art" to resume writing. Anybody can help put one together as the design and layout is pretty standardized. But the hardest part is the actual wording of things that go on there. This is purely subjective, but experience in the field definitely helps. For example, I had a student who had a skills section listing things like MS Word, Excel, etc. I had this student revise things to put a bulleted list of how he has used those programs to better highlight his mastery of it to an employer. Well it not only looked nicer, but even impressed his Career Advisor, with whom I work closely. Now as far as resume services go, the standard rate in my area is around $15-20, but I've charged as little as $10 if it was relatively simple for me to put together. The KEY is how you give it to me as the resume writer. If it's handwritten, then it's much harder for me to read and revise, and so I might charge more in this case. But if you give it to me on paper nicely formatted and/or on disk or through email, then I can revise it much quicker and more easily. And as far as the formatting goes, it's the resume writer who decides which is the best way to go. After all, that's what you're paying for. But let me tell you from personal experience that many resume writers simply use a template and just fill in each person's info. I didn't do this! Each person is a little different and so the resume should be tailored for that person and that job / field, so beware of this. And I definitely suggest taking a look at before and after samples, and/or getting a list of references from that writer. A legitimate one will not have a problem providing this. Thanks Career Doctor. Actually, I have been investigating prices and it can go as high as $200 for an executive resume plus cover letter for another $70. I highly bet a smart hiring manager can see who paid for a 'professional' resume and who hasn't. I would think people who create their own resumes are demonstrating their creativeness and thus would have a better chance of landing the job. "I highly bet " Is English not your first language, F-22? I think that poses a special problem in preparing a resume. New Shopper - A response to your stupidity and arrogance is not warranted. I have read some of your posts and sometimes you come off as a JERK. Unless you hold a Ph.D in English, you shouldn't be criticizing other posts. Get a life!! Welcome aboard F22! As a hiring manager, I can tell when a resume was professionally produced. I recommend professionally written resumes for senior managers or above but for entry level and middle managers, you can easily write your own resumes. Have a friend review your resume. I had my resume professionally written two years ago. The response rate was about 40% compared to the resume I wrote myself that received a 30% response rate. On another subject, one bit of advice for you. Do not pay any attention to posters like New Shopper who cannot add anything of value. People like him/her should not be posting on these boards. All they do is waste bandwith! Watch it there, OC I think I resemble that remark! Who died and left you the job of posting police? It looks to me like you could use an a$$ whup'in. All seriousness aside, I was just suggesting that if F-22 isn't a native speaker, he really should get some help with his resume and cover letter. Say F-22, have you worked on the Raptor? I think LockMart is hiring JFS help in DFW. I have used them before to "de-militarize" my work experience. That means I was in the military for 20 years and wanted someone who could convert my language to something civilians would understand. The price is around $200.00 for the initial resume and extra when you want to add to it after it's been completed . However, the resume has never gotten me a job. My networking and reputation landed me the positions in the 3 companies I have been employed with since retiring. Format should be recommended by the resume writer but you have final say. They will normally tell you why they think 1 type is better than the other for your particular case. Warantees depend on the company you hire. With Monster.com, I received a draft copy, made some revisions to it and worked closely with the resume writer until I was satisfied. Once you approve it, then it is finalized and no turning back at that point. Hope this helps.
Oh - come on, NS! The OP came here to have his resume critiqued, and he received very professional and knowledgeable suggestions. He did not come here for any other reason and your quote ("I highly bet...") suggests that you are actually making fun of his English. I read through his messages and I saw nothing to criticize at all until I spotted that sentence or phrase. It's probably grammatically incorrect but what difference does it make? His anger at you is justified! You can do much better and often do. There are times when it is completely appropriate to constructively criticize someone's poor English and it's called for if the person is typing a message which has so many formatting (no paragraphs and one large block of text) and English mistakes that it is practically impossible to understand what he is saying. In that case - I generally suggest that the person take a business writing class or even a basic English class. I hope that the intelligent ones, who are here for the right reasons, will appreciate the suggestion and consider it. There's no reason for mistakes in spelling, grammar, and punctuation in this day and age when classes are available for adults at the local community colleges and high schools. The only exception would be if the writer is in crisis and even suicidal - God forbid. Then - they only want to get their thoughts down in a message quickly so they can get some support and advice. They are not even thinking of creating an acceptable messages as far as grammar and punctuation are concerned; that is not on their radar at that time. This is not an attempt to police this Board or any other. It's just a reminder to be considerate of others. Words, even typed ones on an anonymous message board, can hurt!
Bunzo
F22A - Resume fees vary depending on the service and skill level of the writer. I've seen writers charge as little as $10 for a resume, and some charge up to $2000 for a senior-level-executive presentation. It's safe to say that you get what you pay for. If you decide to pay for professional services, be sure to check out the writer's credentials and ask to see samples and testimonials. A good writer will collaborate with you on your resume's strategy and should advise you on the format that would work best for you. Most legitimate resume firms offer some type of guarantee -- the resume needs to work or you just wasted your money! Good luck and let us know what you decide to do. Kim Isaacs The Resume Expert | |
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