Should You Pay Someone To Write Your Resume?

If you’re looking for a new job, you might be asking yourself, “Should I pay someone to write my resume?” With so many moving pieces in a modern-day job search, writing your own resume can feel daunting, leading many to consider hiring someone to do it for them.

When (and When Not) To Hire a Resume Writer

Here are four factors to consider if you’re thinking about paying someone to write your resume:

1. Your comfort level with writing about yourself.

For starters, ask yourself how comfortable you are with writing about yourself and your accomplishments. If you feel uncomfortable marketing and selling yourself to a prospective employer, it may be a good idea to partner with a professional who can help you extract and strategically package your accomplishments.

Additionally, crafting a compelling resume that captures the attention of recruiters and hiring managers requires an understanding of today’s job market as well as knowledge of applicant tracking systems (ATS).

While you don’t need to buy into the myth that robots are choosing whether you receive a job interview, you do want to learn how to identify keywords in job descriptions and strategically insert them into your resume and LinkedIn profile.

2. Your knowledge of the latest recruiting and hiring trends.

Now, ask yourself how well-versed you are in the latest recruiting and hiring trends. Although some job seekers are deeply immersed in job market trends, few can dedicate the time and energy that resume writers and coaches do. There are entire Facebook groups, Twitter channels, and national conferences dedicated to the art and science of resume writing.

Personally speaking, I hire professionals to manage my retirement and taxes because I have neither the capacity nor the interest to constantly track the stock market and evolving tax laws. Similarly, job seekers often hire someone to write their resume for them because they know it’s outside their Zone of Genius.

With this in mind, if you ultimately do choose to hire someone to write your resume, be sure they are up to date on the best practices and trends in resume writing, careers, and recruiters, as the space is constantly evolving. One way to filter writers and coaches is by ensuring they’re an active member and in good standing with a professional association such as the National Résumé Writers’ Association (NRWA) or Career Directors International (CDI). You deserve a professional who is deeply committed to their craft.

3. The complexity of your career story.

Another important consideration when deciding whether you should outsource your resume is the complexity of your career. If you’re earlier in your career, your story and accompanying resume may be more straightforward. Conversely, if you are hoping to make a career transition or break into a new industry, you may wish to partner with a writer or coach who can help you identify your transferable skills and speak the language of your target company.

Along the same lines, if you are fighting age discrimination, managing employment gaps, or navigating similar challenges as you look for your next role, a professional can help you strategize about how you package yourself.

The best career coaches and resume writers know how to craft a compelling resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile that will help you overcome any potential objections.

4. Your experience level.

Speaking of which, you may also wish to consider hiring someone to write your resume if you’re a manager or executive with a lengthier work history. As you progress through your career, it can often become more difficult to identify and summarize your story and accomplishments into a two-page marketing document.

While you won’t include every detail of your career in your resume, it can be beneficial to partner with someone who knows what executive recruiters, headhunters, and hiring managers look for in candidates, and how to synthesize your story in a persuasive manner.

Moreover, resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles look much different at the management and executive level, which means the resume that may have worked earlier in your career will no longer do your recent accomplishments justice. A writer or coach who specializes in executives can support you in recrafting your story for today’s recruiters and hiring managers.

Final Notes on Hiring Someone To Write Your Resume

If you ultimately decide to hire someone to write your resume, recognize that not all executive resume writers and career coaches operate in the same ways. Some will coach you to craft your own resume and accompanying career documents, while others will only write your resume after requiring you to complete a lengthy intake questionnaire or call.

Moreover, some resume writers will charge thousands of dollars, then farm your resume out to a subcontractor who may be making $10 or $20 per hour, so it’s important to understand who will be writing your actual document. Consequently, be sure to conduct your due diligence before hiring a resume writer or career coach and take the time really learn the ins and outs of their process.

On a final note, whether you choose to write your career documents yourself or hire a professional, know that your resume is just one component of finding a new job you love. You’ve got this!

 

 

from Career Tool Belt https://ift.tt/gwuZQ0o