Why would someone pay a professional resume writer
to write their resume when they have a computer, can use resume
templates, and can find resume samples online and in books to get ideas
on setting up and composing their own resume?
The answer lies in what type of position they are
targeting and their level of resume writing skills. Whether basic or
complex, a resume must be attractive, focused, and interesting to read.
Failing to achieve these objectives means failing to make a good first
impression. Many things need to be taken into consideration in order to
accomplish these goals. Here are five things to consider:
1. You must understand the technical aspects of
resume development. This includes resume design (what fonts to use and
spacing), use of industry specific key words, career synopsis and
company profiles, appropriate resume style and formats (reverse
chronological, functional and combination), and page length.
2. You must have good word processing skills!
3. You must understand what the hiring manager is
looking for and what you've done so you can make a match between their
needs and your qualifications.
4. You must have grammatically correct, creative
writing skills to communicate what you have done in the positions you
have held using a reasonable amount of detail.
5. You must avoid wasting the reader's time by
listing too much irrelevant information or going back too far if the
position does not warrant it.
Some positions such as waitress, car wash
attendant, and cashier might not require a resume. If they do, it would
be a general resume with a traditional objective statement and
chronological listing of jobs held with a sentence or two under each to
indicate responsibilities, along with job-specific skills, and
education. In a word: simple. However, sometimes a resume needs to be
strategically developed to emphasize the value you offer a company,
especially if the position is very competitive and you need to stand
out from the rest of the potential candidates.
Often, a job seeker finds himself or herself in a
pickle because they have held many different positions over the years
and do not know how to keep the resume focused for a particular
position. Maybe you are returning to the workplace after raising your
children and are concerned the gap will put you at a disadvantage.
Maybe you are just starting out in your career and do not think you
have enough to offer a company. Or, maybe you are ready for a career
change and do not know how to create a presentation that will position
you for a new field.
If you have done your homework (which we believe
you have since you are reading this article!), you know that a resume
is often referred to as a "marketing tool." No different than a
commercial advertisement, your resume needs to entice the reader to buy
the product (you) by grabbing their attention, listing the product's
benefits (your qualifications), and compel the reader to make a move -
in this case, to invite you to an interview. As you know, time is
money. The more time that passes after sending your resume out, the
more money you lose if it is not generating responses. If you cannot
afford to be out of work for several months, you should make the
decision to have your resume professionally prepared. Here is a quick
quiz to help you put things into perspective:
Client A: wanted to save money, so she prepared
her own resume. She faxed and mailed her resume to over 50 companies
over a period of six weeks, but nothing happened. While she kept her
fingers crossed, she depleted half of her savings. She eventually
landed an interview in the seventh week through someone she knew.
Client B: understood that having her resume
professionally developed was a good investment. Without one, she knew
she could not launch her career in the right direction. She faxed and
mailed her professionally prepared resume out to ten companies over a
two-week period. By the end of week two, she landed a great interview
that resulted in a fabulous job.
Quick Quiz: who came out financially ahead in the
long run?
If you answered the job seeker that invested
wisely in consulting with a professional resume writer, you are 100%
correct! So, in summary, the question is not whether or not you can
afford to write your own resume. The question is whether or not you can
afford not to have it done properly.
