As the saying goes, “it takes money to make money.” That definitely holds true for job seekers. New interview clothes and shoes, dry-cleaning, gasoline – these expenses add up, especially if you are a job seeker currently between positions. Should you take on the additional expense of hiring a resume service? The answer depends.
Just Entering the Workforce?
If you are a recent college graduate with little practical work experience and are seeking an entry-level position, hiring a resume writing service may not be necessary. At this stage, your work history is limited. The majority of your resume will consist of details of your education and the skills you possess that will make you a stellar employee. If you’re resourceful and possess decent writing and grammatical skills, you can probably craft a decent resume yourself. Yes, a resume service would be helpful, but it may not be necessary if your finances are particularly tight.
Executive Looking to Advance Your Career?
If you’re a seasoned professional in the hunt for executive or C-level positions, you absolutely should hire an executive resume service, a cover letter writing service and even a LinkedIn profile writer. The stakes for you are high. You don’t want to miss out on a lucrative position because, for example, your resume lacks the keywords hiring managers use to cull through hundreds or thousands of resumes they receive. Your forte may be management, marketing or team building. The best executive resume writing service providers have their own specialized niche: crafting resumes that win candidates job interviews. For job seekers at the executive level, hiring an executive resume service is a smart investment that could cut down the time it takes to land the perfect job.
Buyer Beware: Better Shop Around
Executives should absolutely invest in quality help writing their resumes, cover letters and social media profiles. However, not all resume writing services qualify as “quality help.” Anyone can hang out their shingle and call themselves a resume writer. Make sure to do your homework so you don’t waste your time and money on a resume service that won’t add any value to your job search.
When looking for a service, do your due diligence. Ask questions. If you get the sense you are dealing with a resume mill, move on. A resume mill is a service that offers cheap resumes with a fast turnaround time. Essentially all they really do is put your information into a carbon-copy template, format it so it looks pretty and make sure spelling and grammar are correct. They don’t address your specific skill set and goals. You know you’ve found the best executive resume writing service when the writer asks you questions, spends time getting to know you and demonstrates expertise in SEO, marketing and resume distribution.