RESUME WRITERS: NOTCHING YOUR WAY UP

You have an impressive educational background, exceptional employment history, and noticeable skills and talents to make it to the top. But what is the use of all your abilities and accomplishments if not well-represented on your resume?

A person’s resume is the first thing employers look at when searching for the best candidate for a specific position. Supposedly, job seekers must know how to prepare resume. But, if you have little or no idea on how to do it, you can seek help from resume writers, an individual or a group of people expert at creating resumes that will stand out amongst the stack of other resumes on the employer’s desk.

How can an individual find a good resume writer?

Determine if this resume writer is certified. Founded in 1990, the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW) has series of classes, examinations, and evaluations to certify a particular resume writer. The PARW’s test, administered by its certification committee has four modules: multiple-choice test focusing on the understanding about the industry, specifically the resume field; grammar, spelling, punctuation, and proofreading; essay questions about the resume field; and writing a resume and cover letter of a hypothetical client.

Also, a job hunter should look for a resume writer who conducts an interview. Find at least two or three resume writers and find out their manner of delivering the final product – your resume. If these resume writers do not listen to you, cannot provide references, and give you resumes based on the similar resume template, that should serve as a red flag. You can check resume writers on the websites of PARW and the National Association of Resume Writers (NRWA).

How can a resume writer help you?

Think of the resume writer as an advertising firm; and for the entity, they need to come up with a sensible marketing plan. In essence, they have to sell a candidate by highlighting his or her major qualifications and achievements, as well as easing changes and gaps in his or her employment record. A good resume has high readability level and sufficient amount of white space. It should be written for the reader (employer), and well-edited document. And most importantly, it can answer the problems and needs of future employers.

Resume writers charge between $100 and $1,000. Most of them run their own business and are paid per hour. The amount of time needed to turnaround a resume depends on the person’s career and achievements. Normally, it takes five to ten business days to revise a resume.

Now that you have found the suitable resume writer for you, bring the following items (in digital and printed forms): old resumes, references, training programs, materials exhibiting your awards and accomplishments, and performance evaluations. Make sure it the updated one. Some scribes start from scratch, others may ask you to garner compliments from previous bosses, colleagues, and clients.

It may be difficult to find the right resume writer at first. But with diligent research and preparing documents, these scribes can help you notch your way to success.