Before I begin, let me start by saying that I happen to be a certified professional resume writer (CPRW) and job search coach. I’ve been writing resumes since 2002, both for myself as well as for larger resume writing firms. Before that, I was a hiring manager for a large truck rental firm, running a 150-person call center. So I have had the opportunity to be on both sides of the job search process, representing the employer and representing the job seeker.
Professional resume writing in itself is a relatively new industry. If you look hard enough, you can find some writers out there who have 25 years (or slightly more) experience under their belt. But by and large, the bulk of writers out there have 10 years or less, with new writing services popping up daily. The reason is that the growth of the Internet as a business tool as well as the willingness of more and more professionals to invest in resume services has blossomed over the last decade, causing more people to consider resume writing as a full-time career.
As a result, the amount of press regarding the industry as a whole has started to increase. And, unfortunately, a lot of it has grown more and more negative. My goal here is to provide an insider’s view and get to the real deal behind those professional resume writing services. This first article will focus on the positives behind resume-writing services. I will be following up this article with two more segments (the Bad and the Ugly).
The Good
Let’s start out with some of the positives about resume writing that often seem to get overlooked.
1. Without a doubt, the quality of resumes has certainly increased thanks to the influx of people purchasing professional services. And hiring managers are now seeing better quality documents come across their desks. Instead of simply writing professional obituaries, candidates can now produce targeted resumes that seek to marry the needs of the employer with the skills of the candidate.
2. Writing your own resume is a difficult task. It’s somewhat like doing your own taxes. You certainly can try and figure it out. You can buy the software and read through the myriad directions. You can devote the time and muddle your way through. But at the end of the day, you are still no tax expert. And you submit your taxes on a wing and a prayer.
When constructing a resume, you are marketing a product, and that product is YOU! It’s tough to look beyond yourself, understand the wants of your target market, and produce a well-written, quality document that appeals to your target market. Too many job seekers look for resumes that appeal to them and care very little about the audience they are trying to reach. A resume writer can help you take an objective look at yourself, sift through strengths and weakness, and understand what an employer in your industry is looking for.
3. The industry is filled with many sincere, high-quality writers who bring corporate, communications, and recruiting experience to the table. Most candidates get more than just a resume; they also get loads of job search advice. Are there bad apples? Of course, and my next article (Professional Resume Writing Services: The Bad) will focus on why that is. But overall, what drives most people to the industry is the desire to help others. Certainly resume writers want to make money (don’t we all?), and they want to have thriving businesses, but they also want to see clients succeed.
4. Although the cost of purchasing a resume writing service has increased, it is still a relatively small investment. Of course, shelling out a few hundred bucks when you are unemployed seems like a lot. But this is your career we are talking about, after all. And first impressions do still matter.
5. The industry does have a way for job seekers to sift through the plethora of services out there. Most job seekers are unaware that there are organizations out there who offer certification testing for the resume writing field. One of them, the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC) offers the CPRW exam, which requires individuals to undergo a testing process that includes a review of their work by their peers.
Stephen Van Vreede
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/professional-resume-writing-services-the-good-part-i-745166.html
How much would you pay for a professional resume?
I am in the process of starting my own freelance writing/editing business, part of which will involve revamping resumes (which seems like a good direction, given the current economy). I would do a total makeover on each resume, both in terms of text and design. A customer would fill out a brief questionnaire and include their previous resume (if they have one), and I’d do the rest. I’d return the resume in three formats (PDF, Word doc, and plain text). I’d also include one free update within the first year.
So, assuming you saw and liked samples of my work, how much would you be willing to pay for such a service?
(And, incidentally, if anyone would like me revamp their resume…)
30$
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I’ve seen them as low as $75, I would’ve paid more. Once you do a few, you might not even need the questionnaire. She hit the nail on the head with the limited 5 minute interview I had.
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sounds like a good idea for a side job? I’d pay about $15 for it.., but there are plenty of resume samples online, so a lot of people might not want to pay much for something they can do themselves. ,but then there are probably a lot of people who have no clue how to make a resume, so if you’re trying to attract the clueless you could charge more, maybe 30 like the first guy said.
edit: wow $300 for a resume?? that sounds very high, i can’t imagine people would pay that much,,, especially since they are obviously not working…..
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Depending on your location and the ‘job market’ and taking what you are offering, I would say that your ‘basic charge’ should be $75 for your ‘grand opening’ to go up to $150 after six months (you should have ‘referrals’ from satisfied customers by then) … but ask more if you are doing most of the ‘writing’ and the layout, and less if they simply want you to ‘type/edit’ the resume. When the economy is better, you should charge more, up to $300 per resume. Be ‘easy’ right now, because you’ll get more customers … later they’ll come back when they want to move on or move up, and you’ll want to charge more because your ‘client base’ will be lower.
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I’ve done the same thing, professionally, for the past 25 years … I’m now retired from this business, though.
The going average I’ve seen is about $30 to reformat text and design; however if you have knowledge of how to do more in terms of re writing to generate more attention to the resume, you could charge $50 or more. I’ve seen professinal resumes targeted for those going into upper management go for $200.
However, you also have to compete with us non-profits who, have the training and still do it for free. Just a tip, but if you want to generate business put an advertisement in the want ads telling people what you do.
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That’s tricky. This economy can work for or against this type of business. If I really needed (and I mean *really* needed) this type of service I would pay $50-$100 for a resume, cover letters, and career counseling with proven results. Having proven results is key, since people want to know that their investment will get them somewhere, otherwise they could have looked up a few articles online and created their resume themselves.
You can set up different packages and price points, but I wouldn’t suggest starting a business for resume writing exclusively. Perhaps you can try this idea out on a few friends (or friends of friends/family) for free as a trial run. If people rave about your services, this’ll be a good launch pad. Good luck!
Edit: In response to Kris L– $300 is ridiculous. I’d laugh in your face. You had better guarantee a friggin’ job for that price.
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haha most of the time go to a school and ask the Business teaches to have students right some for you some times they do better that professional
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