| This is probably the most common question I | | | | professional resume writer, who does this day in |
| encounter when I meet people that have not | | | | and day out. Let me tell you what resume writers |
| previously used a Certified Professional Resume | | | | do: they scour through every accomplishment |
| Writer. They are amazed that there is actually a | | | | you ever made, they become private |
| service that can help them with writing their | | | | investigative to make sure all your dates add up |
| resumes. The easiest way to answer this | | | | and that school names / departments are still |
| question is by telling you what I discovered when | | | | valid, they tailor your background to the exact |
| I was recruiting in the biotech and pharmaceutical | | | | job you are applying for, and they let you know |
| industry. I looked at literally hundreds of resumes | | | | where your weaknesses are (ouch). They also tell |
| every single day (at least 500 per week), and | | | | you where your strengths are, what to highlight, |
| maybe- just maybe- one or two were very well | | | | what to lowlight, what to totally drop from your |
| written. Come to think of it, those were probably | | | | resume, what the resume rules are, what the |
| written by professional resume writers. The rest | | | | correct English should be, what needs |
| of the resumes could be put into two categories: | | | | proofreading again, and which way the watermark |
| mediocre (the majority of resumes fall here) and | | | | goes. The rules are endless in resumes, and |
| terrible (fewer resumes fall in this group). | | | | professionals know them all. So if it takes that |
| Now, I know there are a lot of people that copy | | | | amount of time for a professional to write a |
| their resumes from resume books, or copy their | | | | resume, think of the time it should take the |
| friend's resume format, and hope that will suffice. | | | | regular, job seeking person out there. And the |
| And sometimes, it should be fine. So when should | | | | problem is I think most people lose interest in |
| you use a Certified Professional Resume Writer? | | | | their resume right about the time they have a |
| At what point in life does it become worth it to | | | | few pages that "sort of" sum up their |
| leave resume writing up to the experts? Let me | | | | background. |
| put it this way. I have a great background in | | | | So in essence, people that have their resumes |
| anatomy, and I choose not to do surgery on | | | | written by a Certified Professional Resume Writer |
| myself. I leave that up to a pro. Nor do I change | | | | have an edge over people that do not. Here is an |
| the oil in my car, because I can have a pro do it. | | | | example: If you are applying for a job, you are |
| Now, if for some reason financially it does not | | | | not simply one person applying to one job slot. |
| make sense to have your resume written by a | | | | You are competing against 10 other people that all |
| professional (remember that they can be tax | | | | saw the same job ad on the same day. If your |
| deductible), and you have a lot of time to read | | | | resume is not as good as what your competition |
| books, pour through plenty of examples, are | | | | has (it does not matter if you are the best |
| capable of critiquing your work history from a | | | | qualified or not), then a hiring manager will not give |
| hiring manager's perspective, have experience | | | | you a call. If your competition is using a Certified |
| proofreading, and have a great command of the | | | | Professional Resume Writer, and you wrote your |
| English language, then you are a wonderful | | | | own resume, then your competition has a leg up |
| candidate for writing your own resume. | | | | on you. So, should you write your own resume? |
| Realistically, for a Certified Professional Resume | | | | Yes, of course you can. But realistically, you can |
| Writer to write your resume, it takes a minimum | | | | save yourself time, money (remember, time = |
| of 2 hours (for the most basic, "just graduated | | | | money, and resumes can be tax write-offs, so |
| from college" resume). It can take well over 12 | | | | talk with you tax advisor), and quite a headache if |
| hours for higher level resumes. And this is for a | | | | you go to a Certified Professional Resume Writer. |