Whether you are testing the waters, looking to make a career 180, struggling with job security, or are miserable in your current role, the first step toward finding or changing jobs is a resume and, more often than not, an updated LinkedIn profile.
The question becomes: is it worth it hire a resume writer?
As an executive career-marketing documents writer specializing in resumes and LinkedIn profiles, I work with everyone from exceptional writers and communicators to those who absolutely dread the thought of putting pen to paper. Before you decide to outsource and hire a professional or determine it’s best to go it alone, ask yourself these questions.
If you’ve been job hunting, are you seeing results? If you haven’t yet started, is your field competitive? Are you aiming to make a drastic leap into a next-level role or even a new industry? Has it been ages since you’ve had to write about yourself?
If the answer to these is no, and you trust your writing and AI prompting talents, then investing in a professional may not make sense. However, if you answered yes, collaborating with a professional may be worth exploring.
If you are contemplating working with someone to craft your resume and LinkedIn profile, it’s important to do your homework. Here are a few things to consider:
- Background
Anyone can hang a sign on the door and say they are a resume writer. Before proceeding, i recommend finding out how their background makes them well-suited to write your resume.
In my experience, there are 3 common career paths that lead folks in my industry to become resume writers:
- They spent years in HR or Recruiting, or served as hiring managers — and understand the backend of the hiring process quite well.
- They spent years in a specific industry and navigated job search in this field to emerge as an industry expert.
- They have a background in writing across all industries that may include journalism, corporate communications and/or marketing communications.
Several credentialing bodies may also increase your peace of mind. Below are the names of 4 respected organizations that offer certifications and ongoing professional development:
The National Resume Writers Association (disclaimer – this one is near and dear to my heart as the only nonprofit supporting the industry, and I served on their Board for years).
Career Directors International
Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches
- Methodology
Once you begin researching, you’ll discover that everyone has a different approach. The trick is to find the approach that works best for you.
For instance, do you need to work face-to-face, or will a phone call suffice? How much up-front prep are you prepared to do before working with your writer? Would you rather work with a company that has a team of employees or an individual?
I recommend figuring out which style makes you most comfortable and proceeding from there.
- Trust And Verification
Working successfully with someone on your career marketing materials requires a shared level of trust.
You can gain this through verification, by reviewing recommendations on LinkedIn, on their professional websites, Google, by prompting AI or asking friends for names.
Most confident in their work will also be comfortable submitting samples, so be sure to ask.
- Investment
Fees for the development of career marketing materials can depend on a variety of factors, like where you live, how many years of experience you have, how many years of experience they have, and the complexity of your role and aspirations.
Your research should give you a sense of the budget required to meet your needs. Just like everyone’s average salary is different, so too are budgets.
Collaborating with a resume writer to distill your lifetime of work into documents that present you in the best light possible requires research and careful consideration. Do your homework and determine your deal breakers before taking the plunge.
I can attest from personal experience with hundreds of clients that the right partnership can yield huge returns on your investment.
BOOK NOW for your free resume consult.
VAFrancoResumes@gmail.com | VirginiaFrancoResumes.com | Call/text 980-288-5028