Before you sign up with any resume writing firm, you should ask these five essential questions:
- Can I see examples of your work? Chances are, if you do not like what you see in the past examples, you will not like the resume they prepare for you.
- How long have you been writing resumes? While length of time as a resume writer is no guarantee of quality, you do not want to trust your resume to someone who is completely new to the resume writing field.
- Will you be writing the resume yourself? Many resume companies present a professional front but then hand your resume off to a writer you have never spoken to. At the best, that writer is ignorant of your needs; at worst, the writer is a struggling newbie. At Robin’s Resumes® I write all resumes myself, which the best way I know of ensuring quality.
- Have you written resumes for people in my field and at my level before? If a resume writer is unfamiliar with your field—at least, the broad industry—then he or she cannot possibly know what questions to ask you and what recruiters and hiring managers are looking for. The same goes for resumes at your career stage and level, whether you are a recent graduate or C-level executive.
- What are your credentials? Having founded Robin’s Resumes® after a career in engineering, I am a member of the top four professional organizations for resume writing and career marketing, plus I have additional credentials as a subject matter expert and speaker on resume writing.
In general, you should feel that the resume writer you choose is a professional who understands the employment marketplace and technology, is genuinely interested in you and is able to understand your career goals. In the pressure of a job search, you may overlook or downplay information that could greatly strengthen your resume, and the writer should know what information to look for and how to draw it from you.
After all, your resume is a marketing document that markets you. A resume writer has to communicate with you directly and clearly in order to write a document that truly shows off your strengths and value.
After all, your resume is a marketing document that markets you. A resume writer has to communicate with you directly and clearly in order to write a document that truly shows off your strengths and value.