All too often I see resume posts and articles with the some version of the title: “Resumes Guaranteed to Get You Hired.” In fact, no reputable resume writer would give such a guarantee and no company would hire you based on a resume alone. The company will interview you (maybe several times), check your references, and discuss how well you fit their requirements and culture. Your resume is one part of a complex hiring process.
Online resume writing sites that promise to improve your resume with a free online review often rely on the same electronic spellcheckers and grammar checkers that you use and may run the resume through an automatic applicant tracking system. It is one thing to ask to see your current resume; it is another to “improve” it without speaking to you first. Great resumes show off the skills, accomplishments and education that are valued in your field and by the companies you are interested in. No one can know how to write your resume for maximum impact unless they talk to you to find out your goals, accomplishments, skills and education.
Any resume writer who insists on hard and fast rules (no 2-page resumes ever, no more than 6 bullets in a section) does not have your best interests in mind. Proper grammar, standard spelling, clarity, standard formatting and concise writing are essentials in a resume but many other “rules” have either fallen out of use or should be re-evaluated based on your circumstances. Do take the recommendations of your resume writer to heart; a professional resume writer has years of experience and training and you are paying for good advice. But avoid a resume writer who believes rules are more important than a great resume.
Professional resume writers are happy to share their credentials with you. Avoid resume writers who do not belong to professional associations. They may be fine writers but the chances are they are simply writing resumes until a “real job” comes along. If you work with a resume writing company, make sure that you see the credentials of the person who will actually write your resume and make sure you have a chance to talk directly to that person. Even if the company as a whole sounds professional, you want to examine the writer’s credentials and ability to understand your field and career path.
As the owner of Robin’s Resumes®, I take a personal, professional interest in every resume that comes my way. Information on my credentials is proudly listed on my website and includes many industry memberships and honors. I speak with every client who contacts me; and I make sure that the resume each client receives is customized to that client’s background, industry and goals. I look forward to speaking with you.