This article discusses how to identify a professional resume company and some of the questions you should consider when choosing one.
The resume market is flooded with individuals who have worked for recruitment agencies for a few years and lack the necessary experience in writing and struggle to interrelate with the diversity of clients. These people are representing themselves as Professional Resume Writers! Sadly, for you, this means you must do your research into their individual backgrounds.
I urge you not to shop around using the price as your guideline. If you pay nothing, as related to the general average in the industry, you get nothing, and it will certainly not get you an interview!
If you have not been in the Recruitment and Human Resources field for many decades, how can you say you understand what a good resume should do and say?
How can you represent yourself as a ‘professional resume writer’ and how can you present in writing a gifted individual, who is shy about talking about her/his achievements? Which only a skilled interviewer/practitioner can discover.
Did you enquire about their background and their writing expertise?
Did they answer your question?
Did they offer to send you an example of their work?
Did they ask for a copy of the job you want to apply for? If not, how can they possibly target that position and qualify your skills as aligned with what the prospective employer is looking for?
There are still well-known companies advertised on the net who show examples of resumes with pictures. Clearly, they have no recruitment or human resources experience nor knowledge or understanding of the EEO legislation. Steer well clear of them!
LESSON ONE – Understand who is writing your resume and what is their background in order for them to profess they are a professional resume writer? Ask for their resume/CV.
LESSON TWO – Do not pay up front for a package until you understand the standard they profess to achieve and are satisfied with your first document and that this document is a true representation of you.
LESSON THREE – Meet the person who will be writing your resume/CV – this is the essence of what makes for a document that represents you, your knowledge, your experience and your skills.
LESSON FOUR – If the company does not ask for a link to or a copy of the job you are targeting, forget them! One general resume in today’s market gets you nowhere.
LESSON FIVE – If they talk about a ‘cover letter’, with no explanation or example of their work supplied, forget them! Today this is a ‘letter of application’ and must be targeted to the position and can actually get you an interview.
This was written by Virginia Craven who has over 30 years of experience in recruitment, on all sides of the desk, human resources management and nearly 2 decades in providing professional resume services in Sydney.
Contact Virginia on 0457 448 867
Email to [email protected]
