Did a Google search for “executive resume” land you on this website? Then you were hit with an astounding list of some 55 million search results.
With rising unemployment and more layoffs at the c-suite and senior executive levels, more people claiming to be the answer to your executive job search challenges have opened up shop online. Increased demand has created a real dilemma for job seekers.
Trying to sort through all those executive resume writing services is confounding, to say the least. How are you supposed to know which are legitimate and where you’ll get the best value for your investment?
People are distrustful of resume writers and perhaps with good reason. So much misinformation about what we do (or don’t do) is floating around out there by people who make sweeping generalizations about us as a group but don’t really know what we do.
We get a lot of bad press.
Lately, I’m seeing a growing number of blog posts and articles warning that professional resume writers are swindlers and resume writing credentials mean nothing. They lambaste us in general and place an arbitrary cap on what you should pay for a resume.
Many people don’t realize we exist as a profession – that there even is such a thing as a professional resume writer. Ever since the Professional Association of Resume Writers (PARW) – our first professional association – began about 20 years ago, we’ve been sharing and learning best practices from each other, and offering clients the best strategies to accelerate their job search.
And too many job seekers have had terrible experiences with resume writing services. I’ve done damage control for countless executives who paid top dollar for mediocre-at-best resumes.
Some executive job boards add fuel to the fire.
Toss in the behind the scenes battle between executive resume writers and The Ladders, and other job boards, whose resume critiquing practices routinely trash the resumes created by some of the country’s best writers without even reading them – all as a tactic to sell their own resume writing services. See Jason Alba’s insightful Jibber Jobber post, The Ladders Scam and please read all the comments.
Fact is, there are indeed thousands of fly-by-night, disreputable resume services out there ready to take advantage and fleece unsuspecting, bewildered executive job seekers. But there are also many highly skilled, dedicated practitioners whose services have a profound impact on their clients’ success in preparing for and landing their next great gigs.
A few words about resume writing credentials.
A number of reputable career professional associations offer certifications. They include:
- Career Management Alliance
- Career Directors International
- National Resume Writers’ Association
- Professional Association of Resume Writers
Certifications do not guarantee a great resume writer. They’re only one of many criteria to consider. But certification certainly does indicates the writer has been assessed by her peers to have met certain criteria – whether basic or advanced. It’s a good starting point.
The true value in working with a professional.
The best resume professionals know how to develop a personalized strategy so each client’s value proposition message will resonate with their target audience. They:
- Ask their clients the right questions to uncover the compelling information that defines their career distinction.
- Brand and differentiate their clients’ unique promise of value to their next employer.
- Incorporate the right key words, relevant to each clients’ target job, but still craft resumes that are an interesting read.
- Showcase the critical information hiring decision makers want to see and align everything in the resume around the requirements for each client’s target job(s).
- Desktop-publish documents that “sit” perfectly on the page, immediately capture attention, best position clients’ “selling” points, look appealing, and reflect the right brand image for each client.
Understandably, cost may be a major consideration when choosing an executive resume writer, but if that’s your first and only concern, you’re only thinking about the paper or digital document you’ll walk away with.
You’re neglecting to assess all the critical factors that go into crafting a winning executive resume, and overlooking all the benefits you’ll derive just from working one-on-one with an experienced professional who understands today’s job search landscape.
Many of us have been career professionals for many years. We’ve amassed a wealth of knowledge to help our clients demystify today’s executive job search experience. We’ve extended the kinds of services we offer to include online identity building, online job search, and other strategies to help clients keep pace with their competition. And we know what hiring decision makers want to see in resumes.
We’re also really good at confidence-boosting.
We help our clients uncover and focus on what differentiates them from their competition and what makes them valuable in the job market. Given the fact that many clients who come to us have just been laid off or have been floundering in job search for some time, having someone to champion you through is a powerful bonus.
Deciding on which resume writer to work with requires the same thought as making any major purchase. Along with asking friends and colleagues to recommend a writer, you need to do research and weigh all the issues and finer points. It’s all about knowing just what you’re getting for your investment.
How to choose the right writer.
Last year I wrote a 3-part series of blog posts that should help, How to Vet the Best Executive Resume Writer For You.
Aside from fees, here are some of the criteria to consider:
- Know where to find the best resume writers.
- Will you work directly with the actual resume writer or is work contracted out?
- How to assess each writer’s qualifications.
- Be sure to view samples of each writer’s work to assess quality.
- Find out how their process works.
- Is personal branding part of the development process? If so, does the writer have personal branding training and/or certification?
- Find out what other services they offer – collateral documents, online identity-building, social networking profile creation, etc.
- Know what questions to ask when you interview them.
The more informed you are about what to look for, the easier it will be for you to determine which executive resume writer is the best fit for you.
Related series of posts:
I have a slightly out of date resume that I need revised quickly. I have been invited to submit my CV to an executive search firm for consideration of a CEO position with a regional health system. If I send my existing resume and a narrative description of career highlights, can this be quickly transformed into a new CV?
Hi Wayne,
Thanks for your comment and interest. I’d be delighted to set up a time to talk. If you go to the Contact page on my Executive Career Brand site — http://executivecareerbrand.com/contact/ — you’ll see information on scheduling a free initial consultation.
I hope to hear from you directly!
Meg
Well said Meg! I agree that certifications do not always mean the writer is a great one, but at least they indicate some level of competence. If I were looking for a writer, I would also want one who keeps up with “best practices” in resume writing through conferences, webinars, and other professional development opportunities. As those of us who have been in this business a long time know, resume writing has changed significantly over the past 15 years.
Keep up the great blogging!
Betty Williams, NCRW, CPRW, CEIC
BW Custom Resumes
Thanks for commenting, Betty.
You make a very important point about choosing a resume writer who stays current with the latest trends through professional development. A same-old resume can hamper one’s job search.
-Meg
Articulately written and resonating article, Meg.
I particularly enjoyed The True Value in Working With a Professional section. Creating career distinction truly is an art combined with roll-up-your-sleeves (both executive and resume writer) Q&A to ferret out unique value drivers that map to the target goal.
This process is customized for each executive, and as you point out, requires strategy and experience that many executive resume writers bring to the table. (This is worth reading twice, “experience that ‘many’ bring to the table”). As you allude to, many disreputable people hang resume writing shingles (I encourage executives that with just a bit of research, they may avoid those type firms).
Finally, the confidence-boosting aspect of partnering with an executive resume writer is critical. The encouragement we provide, and ability to see beyond the individual’s ho-hum description of their everyday career experience, coaching coaxing them to unearth career gold is priceless.
Cheers, Meg, for your thorough and thoughtful article on resume writers’ value.
Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter
@ValueIntoWords
Master Resume Writer
Hi Jacqui. Thanks for joining the conversation. It’s always good to get feedback from my valued colleagues.
I agree that one of the most valuable benefits to working with top resume writers is the confidence-boosting aspect. Some executives come to us in bad shape. They’ve been demoralized and devalued. They need to be reminded that they have a lot to offer.
-Meg
Really well said. May I quote you? Thanks for expressing this for all of us.
Liz
Thanks for commenting and for your kind words, Liz.
I hope what I blogged will dispel some misconceptions. Of course you’re welcome to quote me! I’d be very flattered.
-Meg
As a recruiter, I see many badly written resumes. Often times job seekers don’t even realize they NEED the help with the resume.
Ask a few friends who are hiring managers to look at your resume. See what kind of reaction you get. You might find a little assistance from someone like Meg may be just what you need to get to the interview.
Cheers,
Jeff
Thanks for commenting, Jeff.
You make a good point to ask a hiring manager friend for feedback and maybe some assistance in writing your resume. If you’re like most job seekers, you probably have no idea what they’re looking for in a resume.
-Meg