How do I choose a resume writing service

There are many resume writing services advertising themselves on the internet. So how do you choose the right one for you? Check out our 8 point checklist and you won’t go wrong.

Resume writer certification

Most professional resume writers will belong to a professional association for resume writers. But beware – membership is often available simply by paying a fee. On the other hand, certification requires the resume writer to have taken a certification exam, which many fail.

Reputable trade bodies which offer certification are the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (who offer the Certified Professional Resume Writer qualification), and the National Resume Writers Association (who offer the Nationally Certified Resume Writer qualification). Make sure that the individual who will actually be writing your resume has one of these qualifications and that your resume is not being handed off to an uncertified staffer.

Sample resumes from your writer

It is always useful to see sample resumes from your resume writer. These might be found on their website, but they will be able to send you some if not. When you look over the sample resumes, see if they are using a ‘cookie-cutter’ approach to all of their resumes. If they are, then your resume is likely to follow the same format. Also compare the sample resumes across all of your chosen resume writers and see which style you feel would best suit your experience and chosen career.

Established resume writing process

Most resume writers will publish the resume writing process they follow. In particular, how long will it take from start to finish for you to get a resume which you are happy with. Obviously, make sure that this fits in with your requirements, and find out what happens if they slip behind the timetable.

Contact with your resume writer

Throughout the process, make sure you know how to get in touch with your resume writer. Ideally you should have a direct line, or failing that you should have their individual email address. While you shouldn’t expect them to be able to answer each and every call (they have other clients as well as you!) you should expect a prompt reply.

Industry specialization

Some careers require specialist knowledge to be able to write the best resume. You’ll know if that is the case in your field, and if it is then ask your resume writer for samples they have written for people in your industry.

Experience with resume writing

As we said before, experience in writing resumes is one of the reasons you are employing a professional resume writer in the first place. So make sure that they have at least a few years of experience. If you want to make a second check, you can find out how long they have been certified for by contacting the relevant industry association.

That said, don’t go overboard on experience. 20 years might not be any better than 5 years – in fact, the resume writer with 20 years of experience might have let habits build up from their earlier years, and they might not be so current as the ‘less experienced’ resume writer.

Guaranteed resumes

Almost all resume writing services offer a guarantee of some form or another. You need to check two things:

Firstly, what triggers the guarantee? In some cases, if you simply say that you’re not happy with the result, then that is enough. In other cases, the guarantee is triggered if you have not had an interview in the 30 days after they gave you the resume.

Secondly, what do you actually get by way of compensation? This can vary from a rewrite of your resume to a full cash refund.

Cost of resume service

Finally, and I left it to the last point for a reason, check out the cost. Only if the resume writing services are level on all of the points above should you choice be based on cost. It could be a major false economy to save $30 on your resume if it means you miss that job with the $10,000 higher salary! And remember that the cost of the resume service might be tax deductible against your salary.

Resume writing services summary

So now you know a little about why you should use a resume writing service, what they can do for you, and how to go about selecting someone to write your resume.

There are a number of certified resume writers who you can find on the web who should be your first port of call…