How do you choose a resume writer?

As a professional resume writer, I obviously have a bias. I conducted a little experiment this morning after speaking to Alex Freund, who provides Design Resumes interview coaching and salary negotiations coaching. Alex speaks frequently in the New Jersey / Greater New York Area where he is based. He teaches job seekers on how to improve their job search results. In addition, he is an avid user of LinkedIn as a professional networking tool.

How do you search for a resume writer?

Alex discussed LinkedIn keyword searches and suggested I see where I fall. When I searched for resume writing, I didn’t find myself despite having a mix of resume writing words throughout my profile. I even have 195 endorsements for resume writing from clients, colleagues, and connections. But I wasn’t there despite sharing content regularly.

What I did find on the first page and 30+ pages following was a lot of resume writers I never heard of at all. Searching the words resume writer yields 4,149 results. In addition, I found resume writers I look up to and consider my peers were notably absent from page 1 and didn’t show up.

The top resume writers in the world were notably absent. Wendy Enelow, who wrote many of the books professional resume writers use to hone their skills was found on page 7 despite authoring numerous resume writing books, establishing Career Management Alliance and later Career Thought Leaders, and launching the Resume Writing Academy. Wendy is just one example. I never found many other top career leaders at all.

How do job seekers succeed?

Alex is right, keywords are important. I coach job seekers every day on getting the right keywords in their resume and LinkedIn profiles. Often, though they are disappointed when they are not on page one of LinkedIn for their preferred words.

However, the best way to find your new job is not through keyword searches. The best way is through networking. Identify your targets and follow through with connections.

Build a robust network of connections in the companies you want to target. Start today with a value-driven resume written by a professional resume writer. Be prepared with an outstanding LinkedIn profile that speaks to your value and talents.

How do people find me as a resume writer?

Most people who choose me as their resume writer come via a referral from my network. They either know prior clients or know my reputation from talking to people who know me. Many people read my resume writing and career marketing content on multiple social networks, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or my email list.

10 ways to find the best resume writer for you

1. Ask for recommendations from your network
2. Verify the resume writer’s certifications. (I am a Certified Master Resume Writer – one of 42 in the world, Certified Executive Resume Master – one of 28 in the world, and Certified Professional Resume Writer)
3. Read their content. Many resume writers are also bloggers. You can tell much about their character and commitment from what they write.
4. Follow them on social media. You will get an idea of their personality.
5. Check out their resume samples. While you may not find a resume sample that matches your background, you can evaluate style, quality, and creativity. (Hint, the resume in the graphic above is horribly outdated.)
6. Look for recommendations on LinkedIn and on their website.
7. Study their website. While everyone strives to keep up with the latest trends, check to see if the pages are really old or if it looks shabby. (Design Resumes has a redesigned website in progress because we know that mobile friendly is critical.)
8. Determine if their business model works for you. Design Resumes is an interactive resume writing business model that is very unique. You participate in every session and watch your resume develop in front of your eyes using Zoom, my preferred video technology, which
9. Call for a consultation. Most resume writers want to talk to their clients before you buy.
10. Check for pricing. Many resume writers post prices. Don’t run away from higher pricing just evaluate how they price, how experienced the resume writer is, and how they price. Packages are common because it allows the resume writer to combine the best tools for you in one place.

What to ask in a resume consultation call

1. Ask how the resume writer works. As I said above, our process is unique. Most resume writers do an intake and go away to write.
2. Determine if the resume writer specializes in specific industries or market segments. You don’t need a specialized resume writer but you do need to know they have written for your area.
3. Ask about certifications. Resume writers who are certified show they are serious about their work. In addition, the upper level certifications indicate additional training and evaluation by a global panel of their peers.
4. How long has the resume writer been in business? New resume writers crop up all the time, longevity shows that they are serious about the business.
5. Does the resume writer target your age group? A prospect client asked me if I worked with older job seekers the other day. Not only was I able to tell her yes, I searched my CRM during the call to give her some representative success stories from older job seekers.
6. Who do you work with? If you hire Design Resumes, you work only with me as your resume writer. This is by design. I don’t use contracted writers. If I have too much work and a client can’t wait, I have colleagues that I trust who I will recommend.
7. How long is the process? Since we write live, the client needs to commit to scheduling appointments. How long it takes depends on the frequency of the appointments but I can deliver a resume in 4 to 5 sessions for most job seekers.
8. What other services does the resume writer provide? I offer 3 packages with diverse offerings, scaled to meet the job seekers need for services.

While this is a very long post, it covers the questions I am asked most frequently by prospective clients and job seekers. If you are ready to explore opportunities, let’s talk.