Shooting yourself in the foot, are you?

Photo by gcfairch

I was chatting with a Twitter friend talked about an unemployed friend, out of work since June. Her friend was resistant to hiring a professional because of the cost.

Even a basic package would give her friend a step up. I said, she’s really shooting herself in the foot if she is afraid to invest in career marketing professionals.

You can select a talented career marketing professional who can cut short a job search by creating top shelf resumes and cover letters or coaching you through today’s maze of online applications, hidden job markets, and networking strategies.

My friend and colleague, Dawn Bugni, has this illustration on her services page for The Write Solution.

Why hire a professional resume writer?

Some job seekers underestimate the value of a professionally crafted resume and look at it as only a “piece of paper.” However — think about this: A $1 bill and a $1000 bill are “just paper” too. But, like a resume, their value is determined by what is printed on that paper!

Invest in your future. Invest in yourself.

Take a look at what a job search can cost:

• If you want a $20,000 salary, your weekly salary is $384.61 and an 18 week job hunt will cost you $6,992.98.
• If you want a $50,000 salary, your weekly salary is $961.54 and an 18 week job hunt costs you $17,307.69.
• If you want a $100,000 salary, your weekly salary is $1,923.08 and an 18 week job hunt costs you $34,615.38

Job seekers who are unemployed for a long period of time and think that they can’t afford a professional are the ones who need us the most. We can shorten your search, teach you new strategies and overall just be your partner in the search.

Another way to look at the invest is by hourly wages:

• If you earn $10 per hour and the entry level resume package costs $250, if the resume cuts 3.1 days off of your job search, it will pay for itself because you will be employed sooner.
• If you earn $16 per hour and the middle level resume package costs $400, again if the resume helps you to cut 3.1 days off your job search, you will be ahead of the game.
• If you are paid $25 per hour and the professional level resume package costs $600, once again if the resume helps to shorten your search by 3 days, you win.
• You probably don’t think about your salary in hourly terms as an executive but if you earn $100 or more per hour as a C-level executive, a $1000 to $1500 executive resume package will be easily paid for in 1 or 2 days.

Can your investment bring success?

A client sent this e-mail. I worked with her throughout her career as she continued to move upward in the health care industry and we completed a major resume update when she was let go by her employer after 29 years:

“Hi Julie,  Just wanted to tell you I have a job interview scheduled in January. SS said on the phone – “I’d like to compliment you on your resume – it was very well done”.  I wanted to pass that on to you – you deserve all the credit.  Thanks, J”

The career industry wants to help you get back to work.

Qualified professionals are available. Lists of them can be found through the major career organizations: Career Director’s International, Career Management Alliance, Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. (see the sidebar for links.) Or just stay right here and let me help you!

Let’s work together. Let’s strategize how to best demonstrate your value, bring your accomplishments to light, and find the way in the back door to your new role.

If you don’t shoot yourself in the foot by ignoring the people who care about you and want to help, then we can get you back to work and we all win. Give us the chance to help us help you!

Again, thoughts? Talk to me… I talk back!