Guidelines for Hiring a Professional Resume Writer

It's frequently hard for professionals to consider outlaying money when they are jobless, their career options seem poor, and their emergency funds are shrinking. Rivalry is rigorous in the employment market these days and it is likely that there are far more people applying for positions than there are vacancies. But from a different perspective, remember that the longer you are unemployed the more it costs you. If you would typically earn $50,000 a year you are losing almost $1000 every week that you are jobless. There are professionals available to help you secure a new job, but they involve a financial investment. If spending money has the potential to deliver returns greater than the amount paid, rather than an expense, shouldn't it be considered an investment? When you compute precisely how much it is costing you to be unemployed, would an investment in professional assistance be a wise one? This is a question that more and more job hunters are asking themselves, particularly when it comes to creating their resume. Most people are surprised to learn that there is such a thing as professional resume writers. So if you are wondering about that, you aren't by yourself. But, just as there are marketing professionals who specialize in promoting products, there are marketing experts who specialize in promoting people within the employment market.

The top professional resume writers are serious about their profession, have merited certifications and attend frequent training to ensure that they are on the cutting edge of their craft. While, on the surface, employing an expert to help you write your resume might seem an avoidable expense, the actuality is that it is usually far more accurate to analyze it as an investment with a high probability for strong returns. Having your resume professionally written could pay you back many times over, as it helps you to ramp up your competitiveness, get your resume attention, obtain those interviews, and land a position faster, many times at a higher salary than you might have hoped for.

Here are some guidelines as you think about hiring a professional:

* Look for references.

Don't expect to find references from past customers complete with their individual details and phone numbers. Professional ethics and confidentiality agreements prevent resume writers from disclosing any personal information about their customers and you should be careful of those who do. However, the best writers will have letters of reference that have been altered to not disclose the identity of their clients. You can also look for references on LinkedIn, in which case the cutomers providing the reference may have willingly given up their identity.

* Review some examples of their resumes.

Look for resume writing firms or private practitioners that create a one-of-a-kind resume for each and every client. By looking at previous examples you can get a sense of their style and an awareness of how much attention to detail goes in to the finished document. You can also look for published examples on the web and many of the most skillful resume writers have examples of their work published in books about resume writing.

* Check out certifications.

There are several credible, well-established professional associations for resume writers. Membership shows that the writer takes their profession seriously and is committed to excellence. These organizations offer training and credentialing programs. The most stringent exams have prerequisites, assess various areas of capability, use a blind grading procedure, and have CEU requirements.

* Take time to review and comprehend the contract.

Many professional resume writers use written project contracts that explain policies and procedures as well as detailing the bounds of the project. This will help you to understand the depth and breadth of services provided and what you can do if you aren't happy. You will also find out how revisions are handled, the turnaround time, and what the payment process is.

* Lastly, don't forget that your professionally written resume is an investment and you should keep this in mind when you think about the payment terms.

Be wary of resume writers who have little or no experience. Look for membership in professional associations, connections, established web presence, proof of training, and solid examples.

While fees vary, with more experienced and accomplished resume writers able to charge more for their expertise and quality, typically the range should be somewhere between $300 and $1200, frequently depending on the difficulty of your project. Keep in mind, a bargain is not a bargain if the quality of the delivered resume is not what you hoped for and your job search deteriorates as a result. Your career is at stake here and you shouldn't cut corners! Done properly, your professionally written resume is an investment that can produce extraordinary results.

Michelle Dumas runs of one of the longest-standing and most respected professional resume writing firms on the internet. Since 1996, Michelle has empowered thousands of professionals with resumes that get results and win jobs fast. Get insider resume writing tips that you won't find anywhere else at her website. Go now to www.distinctiveweb.com

This article is free for republishing
Source: http://michelledumas.articlealley.com/guidelines-for-hiring-a-professional-resume-writer-2394935.html

---

Keywords: This article is free for republishing

By: Article Alley

Free Article Directory: http://www.jumparticles.com

Copy and Paste Link Code:
<a href="http://www.jumparticles.com/1000059">Guidelines for Hiring a Professional Resume Writer</a>

Article ID 1000059
This article has been viewed 1679 times