So you've considered hiring a reputable resume writing service and wondered what they do that's different or better than you. After all, how difficult could writing a resume really be? You just need to run a Google search for a template, and you'll be bombarded by templates.
There are templates for every kind of resume, whether you work in a bike shop, whether you're an artist, or whether you're looking for a job in machine learning. You're bound to find templates online.
So why would you go to a well established rated professional resume writer? What do they know that is different from what you know? Or what do the template-creators on Google know?
Is there even a professional resume writing degree that one can get that makes us more knowledgeable regarding what employers are looking for in job seekers?
The answer to that is a simple one: most pro resume writers are former Human Resource Managers, Recruiters, or Senior Editors. They know a couple of things about what they look for in job seekers.
Plus, there are other reasons to hire a resume writing service.
Resume Trends Change
The resume professionals know exactly what the trends are in the job market at the moment. And they won't slip into some of the old-fashionism that many job seekers can be guilty of - like 'Dear Madam' or creative email addresses like rockstarmyfoot@hotmail.com that were ok in the eighties but not anymore.
These days, it's common to leave out the horizontal lines and the fancy typefaces that many people got away from within their resumes in the nineties.
Your professional resume writer will also tell you why you should include your LinkedIn profile and use your own name for your email address.
They'll also tell you how you can get past any (unethical and unlawful) age discrimination you may face in the hands of certain recruiters.
They Know About Keywords
Yes, a keyword is not just a word that's key to a cipher in your favorite historical whodunit. It's also a word that must be on your resume, a word that stands out and tells the Artificial Intelligence (Ai) that's going to crunch your resume first that you've applied for the right job.
Yes, it's a robot that gets to see your resume first. It's called the Application Tracking System (ATS), and it's used to weed out the resumes that aren't relevant.
But how does the system know your resume is not relevant? After all, it's not human. It just matches certain words or phrases that have been fed into its database against the content of your resume. If it doesn't find a match for 'forensic accounting' on your resume even though you've used the word 'forensic accountant,' it will be your loss.
A skilled and reputable resume writing service will have an idea about the keyword trends and turns of phrases that are in use in the industry. That way, you will be privy to insider information that is competing job seekers who aren't going to be pro resume writers aren't going to have.
So, a pro resume writer will help your resume get noticed faster. And not just by the ATS. After your resume gets through the ATS and reaches the real HR person who's sitting with a mountain of resumes, you'll need to stand out again. The pro resume writing service knows what exactly the HR person is looking for, and they'll tailor your resume to fit.
It's Their Duty To Make You Look Good
Writing a resume is all about playing spin doctor for yourself. Imagine you'll be campaigning for yourself. How will you do it? What will you put on your campaign material? What will you include, what will you leave out? It gets difficult for people to talk about themselves, especially on a resume. It's hard to know where to get started, isn't it?
If it isn't, you may do find it on your own. But if it's hard, someone professional will be able to give your story the right spin. And this means tailoring your career, education, and achievement history for the job you're applying to.
It's true, especially for those who are looking at mid-career changes in career or people who have gaps in their education or work life.
How do you explain away those two gap years without sounding defensive? Honesty is often the best policy, but there's a way to spin your story with a lesson objective in mind. Someone who's been on the other side, looking at candidates stutter through their interviews, unsure of how to frame their failures, is the right person to help you sell your profile the right way.
It's Their Job To Make Your Resume Flawless
It's the job of the professional resume writing service to make sure your cover letter and CV are free of errors that could break your first impression. Someone you're paying to clean up your resume for you is more likely to do a better job than you can, in your likely stressed frame of mind.
There may be a lot riding on your resume. And when we want something really bad, we can end up making mistakes.
Knowing there's someone to look over your shoulder and make sure your resume is clean can lift a huge burden off your shoulders.
The Bottom Line
So yes, a professional resume writer may do a much better job writing your resume than you can. Even though you know yourself way better than anyone else does, that can often get in the way of brief, goal-oriented profiles that resumes are supposed to be.
If you're not sure whether you can write your own resume, go ahead and speak to a quality resume writer near you. They can help you figure out what you need in a resume. And if they're good, they'll have your best interests at heart. So you can practice other things, like working on the skills you need to nail that job.