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Considering Hiring a Resume Writer? Here’s What You Need to Consider

resume writer

Recently, I worked with a client that was very hesitant about hiring a resume writer and extremely skittish about the process. I understand this and wanted to give you some suggestions. If you are considering hiring a resume writer and have concerns or are struggling in seeing the value of a resume writer, this is for you.

First and foremost, understand the value of a professionally written resume. Here is the REAL cost of prolonging your search: The average job search is 16 weeks. (If there is a collapse in the economy similar to 2011, then a job search can take up to twice as long.) If you make $50,000 per year, your 16 week job search costs you $15,384.62 or $961.38 per week in lost income. If you make $100,000 per year, your 16 week job search costs you $30,769.23 or $1923.07 per week in lost income. The small investment you make in your professionally designed resume, cover letter, and employment campaign will get you more interviews faster and cut weeks off your search, which translates into money in your bank!

Choose a resume writer that gets you. A resume writer that is patient, understanding, to the point and most importantly honest. The last thing you need is to pay for something you don’t need. But on that same note, realize the importance a resume writer may play in the next step of your career move or your transition.

Realize that it is a process. Your resume writer does not know all the intricacies of your career, the challenges you faced, or the accomplishments made, so they should be asking thought provoking questions which enable you to answer all those and more.

Know that it is a partnership. They can only work off the information you provide. It is not possible for them to read your mind, and they’re not a “bug on the wall” to know everything you did in your career. A background check is normally not part of the process, and they cannot intuitively understand the acronyms of your unique industry / trade / company, or know specifics of your position without you providing that information. So be honest, and forthcoming, it will be in your best interest.

Understand the role of your resume. Your resume serves to get your foot in the door and not to list everything you’ve done since you were 16. The details should be left for the interview! And the irrelevant experience should be de-emphasized or not included. So many people instinctively want to include everything, including “their kitchen sink”. Know and understand that your resume is not the place for that!

You literally have 10-15 seconds to make an impression. Let it be good! Not bogged with details. Not wordy and full of mistakes. Not inconsistent and boring. Your resume is usually your first opportunity to make an impression, no second chances. It should be full of active verbs, full of measurable accomplishments, full of your relevant and applicable value proposition, full of results and successes.

So next time you are thinking of hiring a resume writer, keep the above in mind. For your investment, you have hired someone to take the plethora of information you provide to create an attention grabbing document that effectively highlights your value for the position of interest.

We hope this information is helpful to you.  And, thank you to one of our resume experts, Jasmine Marchong, for this article and the resume tips.

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