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things you MUST know before hiring a resume service
- All resume services are NOT equal. It is an unregulated
industry. Very unqualified people are creating websites and calling
themselves "resume writers". Many services contract the writing
out to people living in poor countries, or to college students. They
pay these people very, very low wages, and the results are substandard.
You need a professional writer, AND you should be able to speak with
them on the phone - NOT simply with email. You will find few services
where you can actually speak to your writer, voice to voice, on the
phone. Ask to see THEIR resume. I'll bet very few will send it to you.
- The most expensive resume services are not necessarily
the best. In fact, one of the most expensive companies produces very
inconsistent results. On the other hand, the inexpensive services -
say under $100 - are also questionable. I fix these "professional"
resumes everyday. One of these companies contacted me, and asked if
I would write resumes for them. They offered me $20 per resume, and
boasted that their "writers" cranked out 3 resumes PER HOUR!
(It takes me 4-6 hours on average to write a resume.) Ask to speak with
the writer and see if they seem knowledgeable and competent. Get a sense
if you can work well together. Be careful!
Okay, enough fear and terror.
What do you need to conduct a proper job search?
- You need your resume written in MS Word, OpenOffice
Writer or another common word processing program. This is the properly
formatted, attractive version that you will print or send as an email
attachment. Sending your resume as a PDF file is even better, because
then you know the reader will see the resume exactly as you intended.
However, you will not be able to make changes to the PDF file directly.
This is important if you ever want to change your address or phone number,
for example. I can show you how to edit PDF files yourself, at no cost
to you.
- You need an unformatted resume - in plain text. This
is sometimes called a "scannable" resume, an "ASCII"
resume, or an "online" resume. Don't be confused. It is a
very basic thing and any good resume service will include this file
for free (it takes 60 seconds to create). I include a scannable resume
for free with my resume writing service.
- You need a cover letter. This is simply an introduction,
and does not repeat your resume. You should modify the cover letter
each time you send it so it looks to the reader that you wrote it specifically
for them. If you are posting your resume online, you may not be able
to use a cover letter. I include a cover letter for free with my resume
writing service.
- You need a thank you letter. This is a short letter
that basically says "I like what I heard, I am very interested
and would like to meet with you again". It just gets your name
in front of the hiring manager one more time. You should not have to
pay extra for a thank you letter. I include a thank you letter for free
with my resume writing service.
- You do not necessarily need a "certified"
writer. A "certified resume writer" is simply someone who
has been through a brief and incredibly expensive training program.
It is a minimal qualification at best. These "certification"
programs are NOT approved by any government agency or respected academic
institutions. There is no established standard for resume writing. So
hiring a "certified" writer is no assurance you will be dealing
with an expert.
A good resume
can mean more interviews, better offers and higher salaries. It can mean
the difference between a great career and a boring "job".
If you have any questions just call me
- no obligation. You will speak directly with me personally.
Send me your resume for a free evaluation! |
