What should I look for in a professional resume writing service?

Question

I want a new job with a new employer. I have a good job now and am not at risk or anything, but it seems like my career will stagnate if I stay due to management shifts and the political nonsense that comes with that kind of thing. I have been working on my resume but I think I need some help to really make it attractive to recruiters and their filters. I have never had to hire someone to help with this kind of thing and don't know where to begin. I just want to make sure I consider relevant criteria when evaluating the services.

My question is not meant to be opinion based (and I don't think it is) so here it goes...what are some basic qualities one should look for when engaging a service to help craft a resume package? There must be certain industry standards that are applied to this kind of thing. I just don't know what they are and searching has not produced anything concrete.

Answer 1

I would suggest you not to pay several hundred dollars for the resume proofreading services because there are a lot of free guidebooks (like Wozber or kick resume) where you can find all the information/tips/rules for making a really great resume. And you need to read/learn/use 5-10 hours only.

Take in mind few main resume writing rules:

• write about accomplishments instead of responsibilities;
• use numbers (they prove your accomplishments);
• start your statement with action words;
• target a particular company by using both industry-level and job-level keywords.

Answer 2

I would also suggest taking a look at phrases from positions themselves. After applying for 100+ jobs, my resume started to look really nice because I copied a lot of professional phrases.

Answer 3

1) University positions and recruiters for that specific area would likely be a good source as they tend to stay current in the field and target guidance based on getting employment in the field. Of course with a recruiter you tend to have to use their services to get the job too. Often universities will offer a resume writing class as well which might be the best way to go as that will allow you to learn about the process and why as well as have someone there to help answer any questions and work on the resume with you.

2) You can also locate people who are working in jobs that you want to work in and ask them if you can see what resume they used to get into the job interview. You will have to social network and be friendly so people might talk to you and share with you, but this often turns up a good bit of information that you can get a good idea of what you need for core components and what you can adapt to your style.

3) There are plenty of online ones that you can pay for, but as far as the usefulness you would need to talk to someone that actually used them.

As far as qualities:

1. Is there a proven track record of success in interviews?
2. Is it an honest and reputable source?
3. Is there legitimate feedback from users that weren't paid or connected with the selling company/service?

Treat this like any other sold item and do thorough research and only pay for what you actually want. If it's too sketchy to tell if you actually want it, don't spend the money.

Answer 4

You can definitely get a job with your employer. I would suggest you use resume templates and cover letters from various websites that specialize in this.

I would put this information into my resume to make it more eye catching:

1. My Experience
2. Portfolio or any previous projects i did.
3. My Awards or Achievements
4. Life Goals