YOUR RESUME IS YOUR SALES KIT
Your job provides for you and your family. It gives you the opportunity to save for and secure your future. It is therefore one of the most important things in your life. This is the reason why people fight for their jobs or look for better opportunities.
The same value that you place on your job should be the same value that you put on your Resume.
Your Resume is your ticket to that new job. It is the first document, other than your application, that will represent you. Therefore, investing in a good Resume is the key to getting that job that you rightfully deserve.
I'm not saying that you should spend too much for a Resume. I believe that a base fee of $150 is very reasonable. However, the more work and time a Resume writer will put into creating your Resume, the higher the fee will get. Anything additional such as a Cover Letter and LinkedIn will require additional fees. A Resume writer that charges anything below $50 is questionable. Anything over $500, if it is just a Resume, is over-priced.
I will explain to you first the amount of work that goes into creating the kind of Resume that will get you the job that you want so you can better understand the pricing. This will also help you gauge whether a Resume service provider is qualified to help you.
Below are questions that an experienced Resume writer will have in mind.
The same value that you place on your job should be the same value that you put on your Resume.
Your Resume is your ticket to that new job. It is the first document, other than your application, that will represent you. Therefore, investing in a good Resume is the key to getting that job that you rightfully deserve.
I'm not saying that you should spend too much for a Resume. I believe that a base fee of $150 is very reasonable. However, the more work and time a Resume writer will put into creating your Resume, the higher the fee will get. Anything additional such as a Cover Letter and LinkedIn will require additional fees. A Resume writer that charges anything below $50 is questionable. Anything over $500, if it is just a Resume, is over-priced.
I will explain to you first the amount of work that goes into creating the kind of Resume that will get you the job that you want so you can better understand the pricing. This will also help you gauge whether a Resume service provider is qualified to help you.
Below are questions that an experienced Resume writer will have in mind.
- Do you have an old Resume or is the Resume writer starting from scratch?
- What jobs are you interested to apply for?
- What positions/levels are you applying for?
- What job positions/levels have you had?
- Are you shifting careers?
- What is your work history?
- What is the specific job/employer looking for in a qualified candidate?
- Are you a military transitioning out of the military?
- Are you applying for Federal or Non-Federal jobs?
As a Resume writer, I want to make it easy for my prospective clients to navigate through my website. When they click Resume, it leads them right away to different packages I offer, including additional items they may need. This helps me gauge what types of services I will provide.
If they have an old Resume, I ask them to email it to me. I also ask them to send me the jobs they’re interested to apply for. This is where my work begins. This is the investment I make, whether a prospect decides to proceed or not. It is my job to look closely at the old Resume and the jobs the person is interested in so I can ask the right questions.
This is where it gets more complicated.
I normally incorporate my own comments/questions on the Resume and email it back to my prospect. These are not just simple questions but questions that will make the person think deeper about his/her job performance and achievement. Every employer wants to see “how” you did things; not what you did. Anybody in your position who is paid to do the job is expected to do the job. Focusing on the results of what you did is the challenging part, and where an expert like me becomes invaluable.
Let me give you an example.
Wrong: "Provided excellent customer service".
Right: "Increased customer base by 50% in a span of two years through excellent interpersonal skills."
The second one shows how you provided excellent customer service and what the results were. However, to come up with something like this requires asking the right questions.
Good Resume writers will ask you the right questions. They will not simply assume what you do or can do but will extract the information from you. I've had prospects tell me, "I thought I'm paying you to write my Resume? Why are you asking me so many questions?" And my answer is always, "This is your Resume, not mine. I can't make up something." Your Resume is yours’, not somebody else’s. It is your life, your story. Every bit of information will come from you. The job of the writer is to put it together professionally.
Another challenge I encounter as a Resume writer is when a prospect or client can't easily articulate himself/herself through writing. I mean, it's not easy answering a lot of those questions, which is why I offer and even prefer an ‘in-person’ meeting where I can help and guide my client in identifying key results in his jobs. For clients who are in far cities or out-of-state, a series of email exchanges and phone conversations bring out the best results. I don’t stop until I get the information I need from them.
The information gathering is just the first phase. The next phases include organizing the information, which can be several details; choosing the right words to use; choosing the best layout/design; editing/proofreading; and all the final touches.
If they have an old Resume, I ask them to email it to me. I also ask them to send me the jobs they’re interested to apply for. This is where my work begins. This is the investment I make, whether a prospect decides to proceed or not. It is my job to look closely at the old Resume and the jobs the person is interested in so I can ask the right questions.
This is where it gets more complicated.
I normally incorporate my own comments/questions on the Resume and email it back to my prospect. These are not just simple questions but questions that will make the person think deeper about his/her job performance and achievement. Every employer wants to see “how” you did things; not what you did. Anybody in your position who is paid to do the job is expected to do the job. Focusing on the results of what you did is the challenging part, and where an expert like me becomes invaluable.
Let me give you an example.
Wrong: "Provided excellent customer service".
Right: "Increased customer base by 50% in a span of two years through excellent interpersonal skills."
The second one shows how you provided excellent customer service and what the results were. However, to come up with something like this requires asking the right questions.
Good Resume writers will ask you the right questions. They will not simply assume what you do or can do but will extract the information from you. I've had prospects tell me, "I thought I'm paying you to write my Resume? Why are you asking me so many questions?" And my answer is always, "This is your Resume, not mine. I can't make up something." Your Resume is yours’, not somebody else’s. It is your life, your story. Every bit of information will come from you. The job of the writer is to put it together professionally.
Another challenge I encounter as a Resume writer is when a prospect or client can't easily articulate himself/herself through writing. I mean, it's not easy answering a lot of those questions, which is why I offer and even prefer an ‘in-person’ meeting where I can help and guide my client in identifying key results in his jobs. For clients who are in far cities or out-of-state, a series of email exchanges and phone conversations bring out the best results. I don’t stop until I get the information I need from them.
The information gathering is just the first phase. The next phases include organizing the information, which can be several details; choosing the right words to use; choosing the best layout/design; editing/proofreading; and all the final touches.
Resume writing is not a joke, no matter how good of a writer you are. I've had clients come to me saying that they've tried and tried and realized that they needed a professional to do it for them. Time is valuable, so why waste it on something that somebody else can do for you?
Honestly, I may be a Resume writer with years of extensive experience not only in Resume writing but Professional writing, but it is difficult for me to write my own Resume. It is always good to have an objective point of view when writing anything about yourself. This is why it's always wise to go to a professional when it comes to your Resume.
Besides, almost all job applications now are done online where the computer does the first screening. If the computer does not find the key words on your Resume, you are automatically eliminated. And, it is not simply a matter of copying and pasting the qualifications and descriptions of the job that you are applying for. Eventually, a real person will review your Resume and will see if you just copied what their job post says.
Another challenge in Resume writing is the number of people applying for the same job, unless the job you're applying for is not in demand. You want that Resume to stand out, both in content and design. Some are good in content; others are good in design. You want a Resume writer to be good in both, and is up-to-date with current trends. I have samples of some of the Resumes I've written for clients on my website.
What about career shifts, first-time employment with no work history, or huge gaps in professional experience? These are just some of the other challenges that a person looking for a job may face, and which requires the help and assistance of a professional Resume writer.
At the end of the day, you want to be very confident when you apply for that job you believe you rightfully deserve. If you want a job that will give you financial rewards, security, and in whatever way it can be a source of fulfillment for you, then getting a Resume writer will be worth all the investment you put into it.
Remember, your Resume is your sales kit.
Honestly, I may be a Resume writer with years of extensive experience not only in Resume writing but Professional writing, but it is difficult for me to write my own Resume. It is always good to have an objective point of view when writing anything about yourself. This is why it's always wise to go to a professional when it comes to your Resume.
Besides, almost all job applications now are done online where the computer does the first screening. If the computer does not find the key words on your Resume, you are automatically eliminated. And, it is not simply a matter of copying and pasting the qualifications and descriptions of the job that you are applying for. Eventually, a real person will review your Resume and will see if you just copied what their job post says.
Another challenge in Resume writing is the number of people applying for the same job, unless the job you're applying for is not in demand. You want that Resume to stand out, both in content and design. Some are good in content; others are good in design. You want a Resume writer to be good in both, and is up-to-date with current trends. I have samples of some of the Resumes I've written for clients on my website.
What about career shifts, first-time employment with no work history, or huge gaps in professional experience? These are just some of the other challenges that a person looking for a job may face, and which requires the help and assistance of a professional Resume writer.
At the end of the day, you want to be very confident when you apply for that job you believe you rightfully deserve. If you want a job that will give you financial rewards, security, and in whatever way it can be a source of fulfillment for you, then getting a Resume writer will be worth all the investment you put into it.
Remember, your Resume is your sales kit.
For more information about my Resume Writing and related services, please click my business name below.
Lisa Maki Consulting
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