When you are out looking for a job, the one thing you will surely notice is the fierce competition. The hiring managers have their hands full with several candidates vying for every position. How do you stand out, how do you get noticed?
The answer is: you write a great resume.
“Your resume is your best shot in creating a great first impression - a testimonial of your relevance, qualifications, experience, and professionalism,” says Travis Hamel from Resumes Planet. “Recruiters spend an average of six seconds reading a resume, you should make the most of that time. Your resume should make them want to look closely at your profile.”
Crafting an effective resume and cover letter needs specialized writing skills. Unfortunately, not everyone possesses that skill. Admit it - the stakes in the job market are very high. No candidate would want to gamble away their chances only because they could not write well.
This is where professional resume writing services come in handy.
Professional resume writers help candidates in writing different career documents like resumes, CVs, cover letters, and follow up letters. In line with the times, they also help in writing LinkedIn profiles.
Should I Use Resume Writing Help?
One of the enduring myths in resume writing is: no one can better communicate your suitability, motivation, and enthusiasm for a job better than you. So you should also write your own resume.
You will find plenty of job-seekers that spend hours, days, even weeks looking at available positions, and then wasting all the effort by sending a poorly written resume.
Your resume has just a few seconds to make a good first impression on the recruiters - or it goes to a place where resumes go to die. A strong candidate has the best qualifications, a great work ethic, and high motivation - all complemented by a well-written resume.
Professional resume writing services have certified resume writers that are well-versed in industry standards and buzzwords. They are further trained and tested to empower them to meet the requirements of job applicants in specific industries.
A job-seeking candidate can avail several different services from resume writing agencies:
- Professional writing of career documents - resumes, CVs, cover letters, thank you notes, follow up letters, and LinkedIn profiles
- Editing and critiquing all career documents
- Distributing job applications to employment agencies
Clearly, candidates can access a full suite of services that help to create the best resumes, and significantly improve their chances of landing an interview.
The best of the resume agencies are also equipped to address specialized resume formats and standards of creative industries. For example, infographic resumes, that are gaining much popularity these days.
This is not to say that hiring a professional resume writer will guarantee you an interview. The hiring managers do look beyond the quality of the resume, and scrutinize your qualifications and experience. The overall competition for the position also plays an important role.
A resume writing service does give you a slight advantage over other applicants, an edge that just could make a difference. An impeccably-written resume and cover letter improve your chance of being called for an interview.
However, the adage of ‘caveat emptor’ - the buyer beware - always applies. When looking for a resume service or an agency, always exercise due diligence, make your own inquiries, and ask questions. If an agency claims to offer high-quality resume writing and editing service, check for the facts to back their claims.
This raises the next question: how to find the right resume writing service for you?
How to Find the Right Resume Writing Service? Tips for Job Hunters
With a little diligence and care, it is indeed possible to find a resume writing agency that can do justice to your qualifications and experience, and bring you closer to the job of your dreams. Let us look at some of the important factors to consider:
- Check the profiles of the writers, look at their own background and resume writing certifications, and their experience. You are the one who is doing the ‘hiring’ now, so look carefully at the resume writers you want to hire. If needed, contact the support team to know who would be writing your resume.
- Most resume services have specialist writers that cater to specific industries, for example, IT resumes, marketing resumes, and so on. It makes sense to hire a resume writer that has experience in your industry. They will know the keywords that appeal to the recruiter, and put your best information in the forefront.
- Check out if the service has sample resumes posted on their website - it can give you a fair idea of the final quality of what you will get.
- Check, and double check the delivery timeline. In case it is not mentioned clearly on the website, don’t forget to ask. Some agencies allow a price discount if you opt for a longer deadline, and conversely, charge more for a quicker delivery.
- Price, of course, is always important. While different resume writing services can quote different rates, a resume for an experienced professional could well cost in the range of $200 and above.
- Finally, keep talking to your resume writer. Give them complete information, answer all their questions. Most of the resume writing agencies conduct phone interviews before the writers actually start working on your resumes. Make sure to provide all necessary information, and clarify your expectations.