Comments on: Should You Pay A Professional Resume Writer?

By: write a resume

write a resume — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:35:58 +0000

As the first-line reviewer of resumes in a large library, I can confirm that typos and grammatical errors in a resume or cover letter sends them straight to the reject pile.

I would like to echo your counsel against multi-page resumes and urge people not to go even to two pages unless they have truly significant experience. Two-page resumes from a new college graduate are simply annoying. Even if you have publications, a “references and publications upon request” at the bottom of a one page resume will do nicely.

Save “objectives” for your cover letter.

Finally, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with tailoring resumes for different jobs — you need not be one-size fits all.

By: Lisa T.

Lisa T. — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 03:34:51 +0000

I agree with Jason and Win. As a Resume Analyst I would also rather saw my arm off than read another boring resume. Many professionals simply do not have the gift of presenting themselves well on paper. So many clients I have worked with come back with success stories of how their new resume helped them land THE job they had targeted. Competition is stiff with the economy as it is and job seekers need every advantage possible to help them stand out from the crowd and be noticed. After all, if your resume doesn’t even get you to the interview…what chance do you have?

By: Winifred A. Winston

Winifred A. Winston — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:41:10 +0000

An interesting read. I have been writing resumes professionally for 2 years and I believe a lot of people benefit from a professionally written resume. The key is finding a good resume writer and working with your writer to create a document that you are 100% satisfied and comfortable with. When I write resumes I work with clients to make sure I understand their previous jobs and their career objectives. I spend anywhere between two and four hours creating a first draft and it is so much more than listing job duties.

~ Win

By: GreatManagement

GreatManagement — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:28:17 +0000

I have never used a professional resume writer but I have used some resume writing software just for some extra help and pointers.

One thing I do recommend is get someone else you trust to review your resume before sending it out.

Andrew

By: Jason Monastra

Jason Monastra — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:12:57 +0000

WOW….I never thought I could agree with the reasoning and then actually disagree with the final answer at the same time. All of the reasons you listed are actual reasons that one SHOULD NOT use a professional resume writer. The one that always gets me is the third person, when they write in that frame and forget they should be writing as if the person was doing it themselves.

All that being said, I do believe that most resumes are horrible. They simply are lists of responsibilities with little for the hiring manager to take in, much less give them a reason to want to pick the phone up and speak to them. Resume writing has become so boring that today you cannot tell the difference between someone that took 2 minutes and 2 hours.

The recommendation for a template, frankly is a disaster. Coming from someone that views 100 resumes plus a day – I would rather saw my arm off than look at yet another paper in the pile. The interesting ones, or at least ones that do not follow the boring format of the mindless drone templates are normally brought forth from people that are skilled yet understand the need for impact. We are not talking something out of left field here, but at least asking to be read instead of begging for the trash can.

By: Darlene McDaniel

Darlene McDaniel — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:11:06 +0000

Another reason a person should not use a professional resume writer is because the person doesn’t really know you or what you have accomplished. I read a resume written by a professional resume writer and all of the information including the accomplishments were embellishments. The “voice” in the resume didn’t sound like the person that was sitting in front of me. As a result, it created many questions for me and the person finally admitted that they had not written the resume and that the information in the resume was not really how things were in their previous job. My assessment was that the person was misrepresenting themselves to me and that is great way to be removed from the hiring process. I was coaching the individual. I told them to rewrite their resume and advised them not to use it as a tool in their job search. If I had been a hiring manager, I would have ended the interview and they would not be considered for the job.

If you want to use a professional resume writer, that is certainly an option for anyone looking for a job. Make sure you guide them as they write YOUR resume. Make sure the resume uses words you are comfortable using in the interview. Also, simple is always better than fluff. Tell them who you are, share accomplishments in your own words. And if you are using a resume writer, you shouldn’t be paying hundreds of dollars. You can get a great resume for under $30. That’s my two cents!

Darlene
Interview Guru
http://www.interviewchatter.com