How can you use a resume writer to improve your job search?

Start with reading the "Career Services Bill of Rights in the featured section of my profile. Resume writing isn't so much a profession as it is an industry---and it is totally unregulated (in fact, 40% of my business comes from people who paid someone else first.) Next, look at some fantastic resumes. As a former executive recruiter, I love the ones on BlueSkyResumes (add the .com) I'm not affiliated with BlueSky. Next, do a draft using any of umpteen templates, and give it to 5 people who don't know your job. Ask them: What do I do, how do I do it? That may be enough. If it isn't, check out @AmyMiller's list (on her website Recruiting in Yoga Pants) of career service professionals she endorses.

Your resume writer can't do anything for you unless you have a clear understanding for where you want to go. A resume writer can help you with formatting, writing exceptional bullet points, provide a solid template, and make your resume attractive; but if you don't know what direction you want to head with it, all of that means nothing.

To know yourself and others, you must first sacrifice the illusion that you already do! Assessing your needs begins with an assessment of YOURSELF. Do whatever it takes to gain a deep self-awareness to identify WHO and WHY you are. This helps you to pinpoint your unique gifts, skills, talents, and abilities. This is #behavioralbranding and includes your #BehavioralSuperPowers AND your kryptonite. Work to find the most behaviorally suited profession, and then you can begin to craft your resume. Not before! Use subjective and objective data to help with the assessment because we know that #behaviormatters all day, every day. Especially at work, clarity is critical to match the ideal job and company! Lastly, research "Ikigai."

Before you begin the resume process, understand "who" and "what" you are. Then clarify "what" you do! The Marine Creed Know thyself..above all else seek self improvement. Assess..analyze..act according to your behavioral, gifts, talents, and abilities.

I think the most important part of hiring a resume writer is aligning on the outcome. This should be a collaborative experience that involves much more than just a resume, your online presence and job searching strategy is more important than your resume in this current job market. Coaching can also help too, to ensure confidence is not what is holding candidates back, which can be very common. If you're serious about achieving your career goals, I suggest hiring a career coach rather than paying an expensive one off fee for a resume.

In my opinion a credible and professional CV writer will want to understand you and your goals, and will ask the right questions to draw out all the information required to write a stellar CV. If a CV writer doesn’t offer to speak with you at any point during the process, see that as a red flag. In their communication with you, does the CV writer demonstrate a strong command of the English language? Is the work formatted in a clear and consistent way, is attention to detail evident with accuracy in spelling, grammar, and punctuation? Any CV writer worth their salt will tailor your CV to a specific role, or the type of role you’re looking to apply to, and show you how to tailor it yourself for further applications.

A writer's goal should be to market your value, with a specific role and reader in mind. Don't get tricked into a slick template with content that doesn't sell your unique value. An effective working arrangement should include an intake with the person writing your resume (hint: confirm that they aren't handing it off) where your focus and target type of job is confirmed, then a deep dive into your work experience and accomplishments. Your first draft should not be the final product. Look for someone who will spend time collaborating on edits to get your document finalized. These are strategic marketing documents, so if you aren't seeing the content you need to stand out from the competition, provide that feedback to your writer.

Every resume writer should have a clear understanding of where you want to take your resume. Anyone who doesn't is not a reputable service. A reputable service resume writer will want to understand more of your end goal and want to know more about you than just what you have written in your bullet points. Anyone who charges less than $100, in my opinion, is not a reputable service.

I believe that one major requirement for a competent resume writer is extensive (ideally current or at least recent) experience in recruiting and/or candidate sourcing as recruiters are very often the first people who will review resumes for consideration and sourcers are hired to look at people's backgrounds and see if they are fits for job descriptions.

The single most important thing you need is a resume/CV writer who has actually *used* an Applicant Tracking System as part of the hiring process, and someone that is aware of how employment laws can impact your application. For example, in the US and Canada, there are federal compliance guidelines that require candidates to be a 100% match for basic qualifications to even be considered. (In Canada it is for federal jobs, in the US it is federal contractors as well as employees). Every country, state/province has additional laws that your writer should know that could impact your chances. They should also be able to actually walk you through the process, and be willing to consult directly with you. *Beware of outsourced services!*

This is the most important aspect of the resume writing process. I ask all of my clients to collaborate with me on this, because I want to make sure I'm providing the document that best represents them and where they want to go. I also want to make sure I'm understanding your experiences correctly and asking questions about your industry so that I my revisions are accurate. Resume writing is not simply reaching out to a writer and having them write a resume for you. A legitimate writer is going to collaborate with you in the process, so they have a better understanding of your background and where you want to go with this resume.

An excellent CV writer will want to work WITH their clients and this is a two-way street. The more that you give to your CV writer, the more they can weave their magic. They will be able to properly select the appropriate information to use to demonstrate and evidence your impact and achievements within the body of the CV. Engaging in a telephone or video conversation also helps them to listen to your tone of voice, drawing in quotes from you to add, helping to give the CV a really personal feel and touch. Share links to job roles to help your CV writer understand your goals and to help them to strategically tailor your CV appropriately. It is always best to give more that needed so the best is selected

One of the biggest issues on the market are resume services that outsource *your* resume to someone else. They market their business based on their personal skills/experience, only to farm out resume writing to others who don't have that critical experience. You should *always* know who your resume writer is, what their background entails, and how long they have been in HR/Recruiting/Hiring. They should be able to ask you specific questions along the way and tell you *why* they want to know specific things, and how they are building your resume based on industry standards, employment law, and technology needs. The more information you are able to give your writer, the better the output of service will be.

A CV—short for the Latin “curriculum vitae,” meaning “course of life”—is a detailed document highlighting your professional and academic history. CVs typically include information such as your work experience, along with your achievements, awards, scholarships or grants you’ve earned, coursework, research projects and publications of your work. A CV is typically two or three pages long, but it’s not unusual for it to be much longer for mid-level or senior job applicants as a CV serves as a full outline of one’s career accomplishments. When it comes to CVs, though, don't cut crucial information just to save space.

Effective collaboration is the linchpin of a successful partnership with a resume writer. Share detailed information about your career trajectory, key accomplishments, and career aspirations. Engage in a dialogue to provide context and clarity, enabling the writer to weave a cohesive and authentic narrative that aligns with your professional goals.

Your resume is not just a document but a strategic tool in your job search. Work closely with your writer to tailor the resume to specific job roles. Highlight key skills and achievements relevant to your target positions. Craft a document that not only showcases your experience but strategically positions you as the ideal candidate for your selected roles.

Créer un CV, c'est se raconter, plaire et pour cela il est impératif de se conna?tre, conna?tre son parcours et le décortiquer afin d'y dissocier ce dont on a besoin au moment T.

Work with somebody who has experience creating resumes for your specific field! A finance resume is not a game industry resume is not a marketing resume is not... and so on. Anyone who is using a "one size fits all" approach is not going to help you create something that will really work for YOU--your skills, experiences, interests, AND area of specialization.

Beyond the resume, broaden your focus. Work with your writer to optimize your LinkedIn profile to maintain a consistent professional brand online. Leverage their expertise to incorporate industry-specific keywords that enhance your online visibility. Additionally, consider ongoing collaboration for cover letters or other application materials. Stay attuned to industry changes, and proactively update your resume to reflect evolving skills and accomplishments.

Using a professional resume writer can enhance your job search by ensuring your resume effectively showcases your skills, accomplishments, and qualifications. A skilled writer tailors your resume to match job requirements, utilizes industry-specific keywords, and creates a compelling document that grabs employers' attention. This increases your chances of landing interviews and securing your desired job.

If you only want a reverse chronology of your work experience formatted neatly then you don't need a professionally credentialed resume writer. Expert writers will choose your relevant achievements to strengthen your candidacy as an experienced, reliable, and personable contributor. An effective resume positions you as the best solution to address a prospective employer's needs. To create this presentation, the writer must understand not only what you do, but also how you produce results. This requires a dialogue between you and the writer. A resume must attract an employer's attention and cultivate their trust plus provide information that addresses and eliminates their initial concerns like have you successfully done their job before.

The best person to help you has hired in your field recently. There are good generalists, but a sales resume reads differently from an engineering one, and a VP is different from an intern.