Is It Time to Hire a Professional Resume Writer?

Posted by in Career Advice


Most job seekers looking for work make it a habit of writing their own resumes. This is actually a good thing because it allows you to be hands-on in how your professional message is being delivered. But there are times when a seeker may need additional help with the writing process and want the help of a professional resume writer. How do you know when you're ready to hire a professional? When You Feel Your Ideas Are Limited Sometimes you can write until it seems you've reached a roadblock in the resume-creation process. This can happen if you've written lots of resumes but don't seem to get calls for interviews. It may not be that you're doing anything wrong, per se. It may just be time to get a new perspective from someone who has ideas that you've never considered. If you think you need to expand your ideas in resume creation, this may be the route you'll want to take. When You Are Ready to Co-Create Sometimes job seekers like to work solo on the writing process and don’t want anyone else to contribute. But when you work with a resume writer, you have to be open to contributions from someone else or you will likely feel displeased with any results you are given. Co-creation is crucial to the success of your experience with a resume writer since the writer needs insight into your background and career ambitions. When you are sure you want to open up to this experience, you may be ready to hire the help of a professional. When You're Prepared to Let Go of Old Information It may be that you're open to new ideas and even a partnership with a resume writer but simply don't know that you're babysitting old information. Unfortunately, it could be this old information that is creating the roadblock in your job search success. Remember, when working with a resume writer, you have to be open to everything that comes with the process. If you're prepared to let go of some of your old information even if you're particularly fond of it then you might be ready to let someone else come in to help. There's no doubt that writing your own resume comes with many benefits, so if you’re comfortable with the process and it gets results, absolutely stick with it. But if you think you would like the help of a professional and are ready to let new advice into the equation, hiring a resume writer may be for you!
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  • C Funkhouser
    C Funkhouser
    Very insightful article! I find too often that job seekers have a hard time determining what to leave out of the resume package
  • Jill Walser
    Jill Walser
    Excellent points. Other reasons include poor writing skills, uncertainty around grammar and punctuation rules, and lack of familiarity with Word formatting. Resume writing isn't an ability that everyone should expect to snap their fingers and somehow be proficient. The competition alone means that an accomplishment-based, keyword-optimized resume is required.
  • Randi Koenig
    Randi Koenig
    Yes, I agree with this wholeheartedly! ?The challenge is in finding the right resume writer. ?I recently spoke with one who refused to help me, said she doesn't deal with career changers. ?My situation is very unique, with a host of different variables. ?Then I got a referral by someone I trust in the HR recruiting field, and she recommended someone. ?I spoke to this individual and she gave me some fresh perspective on my situation and how she could help. ?Her prices are reasonable, but I've got to save up some money before I can get started. ?I encourage people to use resume writers if they've been seeking FT employment for an extended period of time. ?I've had many interviews and customized my resume over 200 times in the past two years. ?There are probably varied reasons why I didn't an offer, some may be the job just wasn't a good fit. ?I'm becoming more confident now that I'm about ready to graduate. It helps to know what it is you're really looking for in a career position, if you don't know and apply blindly to jobs you will get nowhere fast. ?People seem to forget that!

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