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Certified Resume Writers: Why Certification Is Important

I came to resume writing after graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with a concentration in writing, and working for many years as an engineer. Certifications are vital in many engineering careers—and they are vital for a resume writer as well.

Certification is important because:

  1. It indicates that the holder has passed certain courses, stayed up to date in the field, continued to meet high standards, and shown a dedication to growing in the profession.
  2. It protects the public from individuals who claim to have experience and knowledge but do not reach the levels of skill and service delivery that are expected from a professional.
  3. It confirms that the certified person has been objectively evaluated by other professionals through rigorous testing and has agreed to their code of ethics.

As a professional resume writer and career coach, I have 8 certifications: Master Career Director (MCD), Certified Master Resume Writer (CMRW), Certified Federal Resume Writer (CFRW), and Certified Electronic Career Coach (CECC) from Career Directors International; Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) from the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW); 360 Reach Branding Analyst and Social Branding Analyst from Reach/Career Thought Leaders (CTL); 5 Steps to Rapid Employment Coach from The Jay Block Companies; and Job and Career Transition Coach (JCTC) from the Career Network.

In addition, I have mentored other resume writers, received awards from Career Directors International, and directed and served as a judge for their international resume and career innovation competitions. I have been an invited speaker many international and local meetings and conventions to share my expertise with professional resume writers and job seekers about the structure, content, goals, strengths, and pitfalls of resumes.

But perhaps most important for you, the client, is that only a certified professional resume writer will write your resume. When you trust your resume to a certified resume writer, you expect that a certified professional will write your resume. At Robin’s Resumes®, you know that will happen.

Please contact me about your resume; I’m here to help, and I am fully certified.

Resume Mills versus Resume Writers

The internet is filled with resume mills that promise low-cost (or even free) resume reviews. What is the difference between employing a resume mill and employing a personal, professional resume writer?

Resume Mill

Usually a resume mill will run your resume through a spell- and grammar-checker (something you could do yourself) or through a single applicant tracking system. They come up with generic comments about your resume based the results, comments that do not add value to your resume but simply correct common mistakes.

Some resume mills are led by a certified, professional resume writer but the actual work is performed by someone you never meet. That writer, who may have no credentials or experience, does not interview you or find out about your goals, achievements, and preferences. The writer simply takes the resume you sent and spruces it up with a little reorganization and reformatting.

Personal, Professional Resume Writer

When you speak directly with your resume writer—when you know your resume writer—then your resume writer also knows you. Together, you discuss strategy and goals, not just whether a comma belongs before “and” or whether your resume is “too long” or “too short.”

A professional resume writer interviews you to understand and bring to light your most important experiences and achievements. Instead of merely rehashing your past, your personal resume writer ensures your content focuses on your qualifications for the job you want. The writer may examine job postings for positions like the one you want, to make sure your resume emphasizes the key words that applicant tracking systems will look for and the information that will impress hiring managers and recruiters.

You have the confidence of working with someone with credentials in the field and knowledge about the expectations of hiring managers and recruiters. For example, I am a member of the top four organizations in the resume writing and career marketing business, including the National Resume Writers Association and the National Career Development Association. I speak at conferences for other resume writers, am a Certified Master Resume Writer, and have over 15 years of experience.

The Real Difference

Generic resume writing companies produce resumes that may not have any mistakes, but also have no value. They position you as another generic applicant in a faceless crowd. At Robin’s Resumes®, you always know your resume writer.  I take pride in collaborating with you one-on-one, to create a resume that shows your individuality and true worth to future employers.

Questions to Ask Your Resume Writer

Before you sign up with any resume writing firm, you should ask these five essential questions:

  1. Can I see examples of your work? Chances are, if you do not like what you see in the past examples, you will not like the resume they prepare for you.
  2. How long have you been writing resumes? While length of time as a resume writer is no guarantee of quality, you do not want to trust your resume to someone who is completely new to the resume writing field.
  3. Will you be writing the resume yourself? Many resume companies present a professional front but then hand your resume off to a writer you have never spoken to. At the best, that writer is ignorant of your needs; at worst, the writer is a struggling newbie. At Robin’s Resumes® I write all resumes myself, which the best way I know of ensuring quality.
  4. Have you written resumes for people in my field and at my level before? If a resume writer is unfamiliar with your field—at least, the broad industry—then he or she cannot possibly know what questions to ask you and what recruiters and hiring managers are looking for. The same goes for resumes at your career stage and level, whether you are a recent graduate or C-level executive.
  5. What are your credentials? Having founded Robin’s Resumes® after a career in engineering, I am a member of the top four professional organizations for resume writing and career marketing, plus I have additional credentials as a subject matter expert and speaker on resume writing.

In general, you should feel that the resume writer you choose is a professional who understands the employment marketplace and technology, is genuinely interested in you and is able to understand your career goals. In the pressure of a job search, you may overlook or downplay information that could greatly strengthen your resume, and the writer should know what information to look for and how to draw it from you.

After all, your resume is a marketing document that markets you. A resume writer has to communicate with you directly and clearly in order to write a document that truly shows off your strengths and value.

For over 20 years, Robin’s Resumes® has been helping job seekers at every level to find that perfect job. Contact us today.

Answers to Your Resume Questions

Question: “I’ll be graduating college in January. If I use a professional resume writer, I’m afraid I’ll look self-important and as if I’m exaggerating my skills. Would I be better off writing my own resume?”

Answer: As a professional resume writer, I have helped many recent graduates create winning resumes. Many college graduates fluctuate between being over-confident and under-confident in their skills. I can help you find that perfect balance and make sure that you do not overlook the value of experience gathered through internships, practicums, part-time work experience, and volunteer positions.

Question: “I’ve worked in several companies that no longer exist and no one is around to offer a reference. Most of them went out of business but a few merged with other companies. How can I present them in a resume without sounding like the moving finger of corporate death?”

Answer: Today’s resumes require only the name of the company, the city and state where it existed, and the dates you worked there. You don’t need to go into details of why they failed or provide references on the resume. If the company was taken over in a merger and acquisition, you can list it as “Company ABC (now a division of Company DEF).” If you were kept on after the merger, you have a big plus for your resume: you were considered too valuable to be let go immediately.

Question: “I have strong geographic and salary requirements. Should I mention them in my resume or cover letter?”

Answer: It may be wise to address geographic requirements up front, either in the resume or the cover letter. Robin’s Resumes® can help you with this decision.

Salary requirements are another issue. Presumably you know the salary range for people with your experience, education, accomplishments, and background; so do the people who will want to hire you. I recommend saving any salary discussion for when you are closer to getting the job. You don’t want to cut off a good prospect before you have a chance to hear what the position is about and what the company might offer as alternative compensation. It is better to negotiate your salary after you have a job offer, not before. Robin’s Resumes® offers interview and salary negotiation coaching.

More Mistakes That DIY Resume Writers Make

In June this year, I published a blog post on mistakes that do-it-yourself resume writers make, including mistakes with numbers, punctuation, spelling and factual information. Lately I’ve seen a few more mistakes which would be easy to avoid or fix:

  • Overloading the resume with exclamation points (!) and adjectives. Exclamation points have no place in a resume (unless they are part of a title). Adjectives are fine in limited amounts (“strong leadership skills…”) but it is far better to demonstrate your value through accomplishments. Look at this example:

DIY Mistake: “Superior turnaround expert with excellent IT leadership skills and unmatched ability to understand business goals.”

Improvement: “Increased visitors to XYZ’s website 130% in the first quarter by refocusing a struggling IT team efforts from website upgrades to complete redesign.”

  • Exaggerating your role or the importance of your contribution. Yes, accomplishments are extremely important in a resume but they have to be in line with your role. Whether in the interview or through their own contacts, the company is very likely to find out that you exaggerated. Your true abilities will also become clear once you are hired; and that could lead to being fired.
  • Believing that it’s the reader’s responsibility to know what you mean. Whether you work in a high-tech field or a company that loves acronyms or you have fallen in love with management jargon, you must drop your prejudices and write in clear, everyday English. Look at this example:

DIY Mistake: “Developed CXO relationships to capitalize on proactive NPI for BUs in EMEA.”

Improvement: “Developed relationships with chief executive officers to capitalize on new product introductions (NPI) for business units in the East, Middle East, and Asia (EMEA).”

  • Once acronyms are properly introduced, it’s fine to use them throughout. But no one is going to take the time to puzzle out what you mean. Moreover, you may be missing an opportunity if, for example, the applicant tracking system may be primed to look for “Middle East” but not for ME. It is good to put in both the full name along with the acronym in parentheses the first time you use it, such as “Middle East (ME),” and then use ME for the rest of the resume.

Are you having difficulty keeping adjectives in check on your resume or writing accurately and clearly about your accomplishments? Please contact me today.

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