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I have been unhappy with my current employer for quite some time now and I am wanting to get my resume ready and at least apply for some jobs to see what other options there are available out there. Obviously, a very good resume is a key to first getting noticed, so I want to be sure that my resume is up to snuff.
Have any of you used a professional resume service to get your resume in shape? Did you find it to be a worthwile experience? Did they provide meaningful insight and feedback or was it a waste of your money?
I am thinking that a set (or several sets) of unbiased professional eyes could be very useful in finding any weak points in my resume and can help me really get it ready to put in front of a company's HR staff/recruiters. I have a copy of the book "Knock 'Em Dead Resumes" and I did use it as a template for building a new resume but I still want to run it by some professional staffers to see what they think.
I used what is now called guaranteed resumes, probably 7 or 8 years ago. It was money well spent for me. I've had positive comments on items I would have never thought to include. The resume I ended up with is now something I'm comfortable updating, and I think I've gotten a response to every position I've applied for since.
IMO, many people make two large mistakes with their resumes: not customizing it for the specific position they're applying for and having too much clutter. My goal when I send of a resume and cover letter: can a hiring manager glance at my resume and tell I'm a good candidate in a matter of seconds?
I would ask contacts for recommendations. Ask to see samples and when giving your information, be careful not to overstate anything. The resume writer might embellish creatively if you do. I worked with one who came highly recommended, but his language was flowery and didn't focus enough on the results I had generated (in terms of metrics). I had to have another resume writer friend clean it up for me. Based on the original resume writer's content and my friend's edits, I've landed interviews with my current resume, which hadn't happened in the past.
Also, depending on the industry and type of company you want to target (small/medium/large or Fortune 100/500 or not), ask what kinds of results customers have achieved, especially if they are changing industries and/or careers.
The last time I used a resume service was over 15 years ago and before I had finished college. I ended up with a bunch of temp jobs that paid squat. I'll never forget it. "Action oriented professional". How 80s can you be?
I don't think that you need a professional service.
I'd talk to my friends and acquaintances in the industry you want to be in and ask them for the resume they used to get their job. I'm sure you have at least one friend or family member who can help you. I help my friends frequently, if for nothing else than another set of editing eyes.
The secret to writing a "good" resume is tailoring it to the needs (or their perceived needs and wants) of the company, reflecting the job description they posted, highlighting only that which interests them and distinguishes you, being absolutely free of grammatical errors and keeping it easily readable.
I used 2 different professional resume services with awards on their websites. My resume was so full of BS and buzzwords. I was out $400 and receive no calls after 3 months of submissions.
I ended up rewriting the resume, while taking FREE career development classes. The new resume got calls every week. They had me remove all the BS and buzzwords that came from the professional resume writers.
Through 100 mock interviews, I realized that my resume was missing some great experience that came out in the mock interviews.
The opinions of dozens of people will make a bigger impact than any single individual on your resume. Two heads are better than 1.
I was not impressed with the resume writing service I used 8 years ago. It may have worked for a different industry but not for mine.
This time around, I spent a lot of time looking at resumes on career sites. I saw what other people looking for the same kinds of positions that I wanted were doing on their resumes, and it gave me a lot of ideas to improve mine. That's when the calls started coming i
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