Choosing Professional Resume Services

Advantages to using professional resume services

A professional resume writing service will have staff that focus on resume writing every day. These resume writers usually have experience preparing resumes for tens of thousands of job seekers in diverse situations. This is the true advantage to using professional resume services. You are having a trained professional prepare a critical document for you. Consider if you were developing a contract to sell your home. Do you prepare that contract yourself? or do you have a professional attorney prepare the document? In our society we spend a lot of time at work and many aspects of our jobs play a significant role in our lives. Your pay scale, job location, type of job and job responsibilities have a great impact on your lifestyle. It makes sense to get professional help in preparing such a document.

With a document that serves as a key to new employment, its amazing to find out how many people spend less than hour preparing their own resume. A large percentage of individuals consider their resume as a simple documentation of their job history. They list previous jobs, print the document, then send it off. Is this the best way to gain new employment? Not Likely. The resume is more than just a list of jobs -- its your own personal advertisement.

What do professional resume services do for you? They help you market your skills in the resume.. Professional resume writers are not just typesetters or experts in word processors, they are marketers with specific expertise in preparing resumes.

Typical professional resume services will do the following.

Analyze your career and help you determine your career direction.

Choose or design the right format (reverse chronological, functional, etc.)

Deliver an introduction, summary or objective that targets the job position or field.

Help you highlight your strengths and hide your weaknesses.

Put together unique and compelling statements using power verbs

Ensure the resume meet guidelines and standards of a professional quality resume..

Ensure document formatting is as universal as possible.

Help you format the document in various forms such as ASCII text for email.

Develop an approach to your job search and utilization of the resume.

Provide support after the development of the resume (basically help you make proper adjustments).

Of course writers will usually offer a variety of resume service options such as resume distribution, cover letter writing, interview preparation, job search consulting and career coaching.

Disadvantages to using professional resume services

The major disadvantage is cost. The average full service, professionally prepared resume will cost $100 - $400. Cost is usually dependent on experience, thereby the entry level professional will pay less than the executive. There are some resume writing services that charge less, even under $50. Be wary, as sometimes the cheaper resume services are merely typesetting your resume in a cookie cutter format and spending little time in helping you market your skills.

The other major disadvantage is time. Its a common misconception that a resume writing service will save you time. Often, you will actually spend more time using resume services as the resume writer has not been in your shoes and will require constant communication to ensure they represent you clearly on the resume. The resume writer is going to need to work with you to learn every aspect of your career and that takes time. If you are looking for a service to save you time, then you are taking the wrong perspective. 

Another problem is finding a good writer. How do you know whether the writer has the necessary to write your resume? Here are some things to consider when choosing a resume service:

Look to your colleagues for recommendations. You may be surprised to find out how many of your co-workers have used a professional resume writing service.

Look at the writer's credentials. Does the writer specialize in your industry? Does the writer have many years of experience?

Consider choosing a resume writer that has certified training. The major certifications are the Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) from the Professional Association of Resume Writers (PARW) and the Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW) from the National Resume Writers' Association (NCRW). Both of these credentials require extensive training and certification exam that is reviewed by some of the most experienced resume writers in the U.S.

Have the writer critique your resume. Many resume writing services offer a free resume critique. If not, they will most likely go over your existing resume and let you know how they can help you improve.

Talk to the writer. Get a feel for their knowledge and expertise. Have the writer explain how they can help you and have them guide you through the resume services process. Find out if they do indeed have experience in your job field.

Making the decision to use a resume writing service may not be ideal for everybody. If you can freely express yourself and have a good knowledge of your own industry, you will be a step ahead. If you know what employers are looking for in a candidate that will help. If you have the ability to take your time and you write well, then by all means you can probably develop a fine resume with the help of this site or other resume writing guides. The big key to determining whether you might need professional help... does your resume produce interviews? After all, that's what it's all about. The resume is designed to produce interviews and if you can write one that generates interviews, then you don't need help of a professional.

A resume service is going to come at a cost. And not everyone has the budget for to spend several hundred dollars. However, you should put it in perspective. If you are unemployed, how much money are you losing each day you don't have a job? If you are employed, how much money are you missing out on with a potential raise? If you are unhappy where you work, what is the price of finding a job where you are doing something you really love?

The resume is a document that is your primary form of marketing your skills to a potential employer. To invest $250 in something that is critical to a $30,000, $50,000 or even up to $100,000+ job is a really a small percentage of money invested in marketing. Any business person realizes most businesses spend a much higher percentage in marketing. So, in most cases, it's investment that pays off in the end.

If you are looking for a resume service and want to get a head start, we have partnered with A Resume Wizard and Services to provide a free critique and price quote.

Otherwise, browse our resume examples to get an idea of the look and feel of a professional resume. And don't hesitate to contact the professional resume writing contributors on this web site.