Has anyone paid to have a resume written for them?

A few questions:

* How much did you pay for it?

* What was unique about it?

* Was it more effective than your old resume?

* Would you do it again?

I did. I was using a resume I wrote in my resume class in college. My teacher gave it a good grade and I felt that i was good to go with it. I wasnt though. I looked in my phone book and found a good amount of writers. I called each one that would be a fit with me (i.e. didnt call any writers who only focused on a field i wasnt in) I asked the following questions 1.) How long have you been doing it 2.) Is it your only job or do you do it on the side (go with people who do it as a career they must be doing something right) 3.) cost (flat rate, per page, per word) There are some other things to ask as well but these are the most important ones/. Now your questions

Cost- 100.00 flat rate, got two cover letters and two resumes (one general, one degree specific) 20 copies of each on the correct paper and free updates for life

Uniquness-It was. It baisicly had the same info as mine, but it was the way it is presented. The layout was nice, good buzzwords etc.

Effectivness- Much more effective. I got more emails/calls from potential employers then before with my old one( I pulled all of my resumes off the net since the monster.com situation)

Do it again- In a heartbeat.

Hope this helps a litte.

You can create an awesome resume yourself. Just don't expect your first draft to be perfect. You'll want to review and revise it. It does take a little more time, but there isn't anything on a resume that is created by a paid resume writer that you cannot do yourself.

Take a look at this site, for instance. The formats, examples, templates, action words and guidelines are all there.

The problem is that most folks aren't willing to put in the time to make a great resume.

Think about this, though: When it comes to the interview, the person who writes his/her own resume is going to have an edge over someone who didn't. Why? They KNOW their own material. They created it.

www.professional-resume-example.com

986 in Seattle, Washington said: I did. I was using a resume I wrote in my resume class in college. My teacher gave it a good grade and I felt that i was good to go with it. I wasnt though. I looked in my phone book and found a good amount of writers. I called each one that would be a fit with me (i.e. didnt call any writers who only focused on a field i wasnt in) I asked the following questions 1.) How long have you been doing it 2.) Is it your only job or do you do it on the side (go with people who do it as a career they must be doing something right) 3.) cost (flat rate, per page, per word) There are some other things to ask as well but these are the most important ones/. Now your questions

Cost- 100.00 flat rate, got two cover letters and two resumes (one general, one degree specific) 20 copies of each on the correct paper and free updates for life

Uniquness-It was. It baisicly had the same info as mine, but it was the way it is presented. The layout was nice, good buzzwords etc.

Effectivness- Much more effective. I got more emails/calls from potential employers then before with my old one( I pulled all of my resumes off the net since the monster.com situation)

Do it again- In a heartbeat.

Hope this helps a litte.

what are you referring to by stating the "Monster.com" thing? thx di

I've used paypy blogspot (above) to critique my resume.
I've got better critiques from her than my school career center.
This website is genuinely helpful.

Career Hunter does free resume critiques too, from one of the 5 HR execs there. I think the email for it is freecritique@career-hunter.info, or you can just look on the website under resumes.

I have been writing my own resumes for thirty-seven years for three industries. I think it's better to write one's own resume because it forces one to scrutinize and analyze one's knowledge, skills and abilities. By preparing your own resume you ensure your document is a true and accurate representation of "you" and not a resume writer's potentially inaccurate conception of you. Also, by scrutinizing yourself and expressing your introspection's product in print, you initiate and facilitate your general interview preparation and design of answers to interview questions.

I think a professional's toolkit should include the ability to write one's own resume. With that said, some people simply cannot conceive and write a resume, or are trying to enter a different industry and need help. I would suggest googling Kathy Sweeney as a good person who can help. Kathy is a credentialed resume writer who specializes in aviation resumes, but has years of HR experience and writes resumes for every industry. I've known about Kathy for four years and she's a great gal. Try her if you think you need help.

No, I think you could do it by yourself. Just mind the industry and adjust your resume fields to it.

thanks

I thought about having someone write mine but I found this link and decided to do it myself. I do believe it is better to write your own because only you know yourself best:

www.rockportinstitute.com/resumes.html

I had mine written and the results were rather dramatic. My writer was amazing and she was able to ask me questions that brought out more skills than I knew I had. I have since referred her to my husband, sister, and neighbor. Seriously she's that good and I say it's totally worth the money. If anyone wants her contact info google "jennifer anthony" or "resumeasap". I found her on LinkedIn and contacted her that way.

I have posted before that I strongly believe having your resume written (or simply reviewed) by a qualified professional is extremely valuable. I don't say this simply because I offer resume writing services but because my years in HR and recruiting have made it very clear that most people are not objective enough to present themselves in the most favorable way. I really believe that crafting a resume is a completely different skill than "being a great writer."

A good resume writer will not create a document that is their "conception" of you. Anyone worth the money will take an individualized approach; working with you to uncover talents, skills and competencies that you may not even be aware you posses. A professional resume writer will take the time to make certain the resume is an accurate depiction of you and also make certain that the final product is one to which you can speak.

K.C.
www.tandemresumes.com

K.C. in Seattle, Washington: "A good resume writer will not create a document that is their 'conception' of you. Anyone worth the money will take an individualized approach; working with you to uncover talents, skills and competencies that you may not even be aware you [possess]...."

Even if such talents, skills and competencies are not truly marketable by any reasonable criteria and amount to padding.

I stand by my comments. Through brutal introspection and complete honesty, you can produce a resume that accurately, fairly and reasonably represents you. I realize that resumes and cover letters are intended to get you through the door only.

BTW the only HR person I respect and trust is now a nationally accredited resume writer.

I referenced that person in my post from a month ago.

I think it really depends on the individual's writing abilities and willingness to assess their strengths and liabilities.

A good resume writer should also be on top of what buzzwords make a resume look fresh vs. outdated, for example, "traffic and distribution" vs. "logistics" vs. "supply chain". They should also have a sense of how the job market works and how hiring managers think.

Most people can get a job without professional help, whether legal, taxes or resumes. Others prefer to spend a couple hundred bucks to get another set of eyes on the problem as well as a specialist's experience. If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, you should probably trust your instincts and at least review your options.

I paid $250 and no, it wasn't worth it. I'm in high-tech and the resume company consisted of 1 person who probably knows a lot about resumes but knows nothing about my industry. Make sure you get that info before shelling out any money.

I had my resume updated by a "professional resume" writer and am still having difficulty landing a job. I have now been out of work for over 90 days and obviously need income to get a professional resume writer. It seems the cost for my skillset is going to be roughly around 300 bucks, plus or minus a few bucks.

I am trying to remain positive but seriously...how do you make money if you don't have it to get to the income you need? Help!

I paid $650 which isn't all that much when you consider how much time I saved and how quick I got back to work after being laid off. Well worth it in my opinion. It was only 1% of what my total salary is for the whole year.

I am a recruiter and ALWAY reformat candidate resumes before submitting them to clients. If the resume is not formatted in a way that is easy to read and understand the candidate stands a much less chance at landing a job or even interview.

I also have an IT background and was thinking about writing an application that would allow a user to create their resume in a wizard format. The resume data would then be sent to me for proper formatting. I am looking at a cost of $79.00 with revisions.

I do not want to seem as if I am soliciting so please just let me know if that kind of model sounds appealing and affordable enough to any job seekers out there.

Hey you! Get in contact with me ASAP. Your old e-mail address is bouncing my e-mails. I frequently Google my name and found your post here and I want to send you something to thank you and show my appreciation for your amazing recommendation. I also want updates on what's new from you. :)

Jennifer

Marketing Executive in Portland, Oregon said: I had mine written and the results were rather dramatic. My writer was amazing and she was able to ask me questions that brought out more skills than I knew I had. I have since referred her to my husband, sister, and neighbor. Seriously she's that good and I say it's totally worth the money. If anyone wants her contact info google "jennifer anthony" or "resumeasap". I found her on LinkedIn and contacted her that way.

Thanks, Jennifer. I'm guessing this post was for me :-/ You didn't specify. Let me know??

Sherletta