Has anyone paid to have a resume written for them?

A few questions:

* How much did you pay for it?

* What was unique about it?

* Was it more effective than your old resume?

* Would you do it again?

I did. I was using a resume I wrote in my resume class in college. My teacher gave it a good grade and I felt that i was good to go with it. I wasnt though. I looked in my phone book and found a good amount of writers. I called each one that would be a fit with me (i.e. didnt call any writers who only focused on a field i wasnt in) I asked the following questions 1.) How long have you been doing it 2.) Is it your only job or do you do it on the side (go with people who do it as a career they must be doing something right) 3.) cost (flat rate, per page, per word) There are some other things to ask as well but these are the most important ones/. Now your questions

Cost- 100.00 flat rate, got two cover letters and two resumes (one general, one degree specific) 20 copies of each on the correct paper and free updates for life

Uniquness-It was. It baisicly had the same info as mine, but it was the way it is presented. The layout was nice, good buzzwords etc.

Effectivness- Much more effective. I got more emails/calls from potential employers then before with my old one( I pulled all of my resumes off the net since the monster.com situation)

Do it again- In a heartbeat.

Hope this helps a litte.

986 in Seattle, Washington said: I did. I was using a resume I wrote in my resume class in college. My teacher gave it a good grade and I felt that i was good to go with it. I wasnt though. I looked in my phone book and found a good amount of writers. I called each one that would be a fit with me (i.e. didnt call any writers who only focused on a field i wasnt in) I asked the following questions 1.) How long have you been doing it 2.) Is it your only job or do you do it on the side (go with people who do it as a career they must be doing something right) 3.) cost (flat rate, per page, per word) There are some other things to ask as well but these are the most important ones/. Now your questions

Cost- 100.00 flat rate, got two cover letters and two resumes (one general, one degree specific) 20 copies of each on the correct paper and free updates for life

Uniquness-It was. It baisicly had the same info as mine, but it was the way it is presented. The layout was nice, good buzzwords etc.

Effectivness- Much more effective. I got more emails/calls from potential employers then before with my old one( I pulled all of my resumes off the net since the monster.com situation)

Do it again- In a heartbeat.

Hope this helps a litte.

what are you referring to by stating the "Monster.com" thing? thx di

No, I think you could do it by yourself. Just mind the industry and adjust your resume fields to it.

thanks

I thought about having someone write mine but I found this link and decided to do it myself. I do believe it is better to write your own because only you know yourself best:

www.rockportinstitute.com/resumes.html

I have posted before that I strongly believe having your resume written (or simply reviewed) by a qualified professional is extremely valuable. I don't say this simply because I offer resume writing services but because my years in HR and recruiting have made it very clear that most people are not objective enough to present themselves in the most favorable way. I really believe that crafting a resume is a completely different skill than "being a great writer."

A good resume writer will not create a document that is their "conception" of you. Anyone worth the money will take an individualized approach; working with you to uncover talents, skills and competencies that you may not even be aware you posses. A professional resume writer will take the time to make certain the resume is an accurate depiction of you and also make certain that the final product is one to which you can speak.

K.C.
www.tandemresumes.com

I think it really depends on the individual's writing abilities and willingness to assess their strengths and liabilities.

A good resume writer should also be on top of what buzzwords make a resume look fresh vs. outdated, for example, "traffic and distribution" vs. "logistics" vs. "supply chain". They should also have a sense of how the job market works and how hiring managers think.

Most people can get a job without professional help, whether legal, taxes or resumes. Others prefer to spend a couple hundred bucks to get another set of eyes on the problem as well as a specialist's experience. If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, you should probably trust your instincts and at least review your options.

I paid $250 and no, it wasn't worth it. I'm in high-tech and the resume company consisted of 1 person who probably knows a lot about resumes but knows nothing about my industry. Make sure you get that info before shelling out any money.

I had my resume updated by a "professional resume" writer and am still having difficulty landing a job. I have now been out of work for over 90 days and obviously need income to get a professional resume writer. It seems the cost for my skillset is going to be roughly around 300 bucks, plus or minus a few bucks.

I am trying to remain positive but seriously...how do you make money if you don't have it to get to the income you need? Help!

I paid $650 which isn't all that much when you consider how much time I saved and how quick I got back to work after being laid off. Well worth it in my opinion. It was only 1% of what my total salary is for the whole year.

Hey you! Get in contact with me ASAP. Your old e-mail address is bouncing my e-mails. I frequently Google my name and found your post here and I want to send you something to thank you and show my appreciation for your amazing recommendation. I also want updates on what's new from you. :)

Jennifer

Marketing Executive in Portland, Oregon said: I had mine written and the results were rather dramatic. My writer was amazing and she was able to ask me questions that brought out more skills than I knew I had. I have since referred her to my husband, sister, and neighbor. Seriously she's that good and I say it's totally worth the money. If anyone wants her contact info google "jennifer anthony" or "resumeasap". I found her on LinkedIn and contacted her that way.

Thanks, Jennifer. I'm guessing this post was for me :-/ You didn't specify. Let me know??

Sherletta

If you decide to write your resume yourself, be sure to have someone else critique it. Sometimes your fingers can't keep up with your brain and you will overlook errors that will cost you a job. In addition to that, you might highlight qualities that someone else will see as unnecessary.

If you do have it professionally written do not pay more than you can afford. When I read someone paid $650 for a resume, my eyes almost popped out of their sockets. A professional will be able identify areas of weakness and strengths because they have experience. If your writing skills are not the best, this is not the time to chance it. Good luck & best wishes!

Our most important commodity, asset, belonging in life is our time.

We can't store it, save it, use it later, or get it back.

I will always hire a professional in any field to do a project for me -(whether landscaping, snow shoveling, home remodeling, pizza making, hair styling, or whatever!) so that all that time and energy I would have had to put into that same project (perhaps with a scary result that then leads me to a professional eventually anyway) I can use for what is important to me - spending quality time with those I love, working on my own business, creating new things, reading, rubbing my dog's belly, hugging my horse - whatever!

If you can read and write - you can put a resume together. Everyone knows that.

But that is not the point.

If I wanted to bake an amazing cake from scratch for an upcoming event, it might take me 20 trial and errors! Or, I could hire a person who spends his/her entire work day passionately and joyfully creating aesthetically-appealing and delicisious cakes! (And probably spends his/her evenings and weekends learning and exploring new cake-making tools, techniques, and skills.)

Granted, I might not get the kudos at the party that I may have gotten if I was able to boast that I baked the cake myself, but if the end result is that everyone loved the cake, ate the cake, and asked me to come back to all future parties - I made the right choice of the use of my time!

For a resume, especially today - in these times, you do NOT have the luxury or time to WASTE trying to put an amazing, jaw-dropping, goosebump-inflicting professional profile together yourself, do you? If the first one you "write" doesn't get a response, will you then redesign it and send it back to the SAME potential employer who originally ignored you? How long will you keep doing that (and passing up all those family gatherings) until you decide that hiring a professional to help you is the only choice?

vicque fassinger in Cleveland, Ohio said: ...For a resume, especially today - in these times, you do NOT have the luxury or time to WASTE trying to put an amazing, jaw-dropping, goosebump-inflicting professional profile together yourself, do you? If the first one you "write" doesn't get a response, will you then redesign it and send it back to the SAME potential employer who originally ignored you? How long will you keep doing that (and passing up all those family gatherings) until you decide that hiring a professional to help you is the only choice?[/QUOTE

Extremely well put Vicque!

* How much did you pay for it?
$300

* What was unique about it?
The suck factor was really high. The writer came recommended to me and was supposedly an industry pro who held several certifications.

* Was it more effective than your old resume?
No. Complete garbage. Full of grammatical errors. Writer had no basic understanding of my industry's terms, acronyms and what employers look for. Several recruiters said it was worthless and that I previously wrote myself was far more professional.

* Would you do it again?
Never.

Career Hunter in Denver, Colorado said: A few questions:

* How much did you pay for it?
$200

* What was unique about it?
Nothing really.

* Was it more effective than your old resume?
No. I got way more interviews and the like with the resume I wrote myself. I even got an employer with the authority to hire and he said that the so called professional resume someone else did for me was not very good.

* Would you do it again?

SunnyD in Toccoa, Georgia said: No, never again.

Proves the point one more time: if your resume is working, like in the case of SunnyD, why would you pay $200? The point of seeking professional help is to change something that does not work. Resume-sending is not a numbers game. You are NOT bound to win if you keep trying. If 9 months of sending resumes resulted in no interviews, the next 9 months are not bound to provide the lucky break.

To all the people who had bad luck with professional resume writers, my apologies. Your claims that resumes had errors (spelling, grammar, etc.) indicate that these were not professionals (whether certified or not). Most companies (or individuals) will guarantee their services. So, part of the burden is on the candidate - to demand satisfaction for services rendered.

Last, but not least, a professional resume writer can only operate with information you provide. So, if there is not much in your work experience to begin with, putting a pretty wrapper around it, however attractive, is still a pretty wrapper around thin air.

I am in support of casey45. If you bash professional services, do it with explanation, and provide full details.

As with everything else, there should be a system of checks and balances. Typically, a process of working with a Professional (with a capital "P") resume writer is iterative. It involves going back and forth, reviewing versions, incorporating comments from the candidate. As such, it is based on real input, rather than just being a product that one purchases "as is".

Also, on the employment front, even if the resume is full of hype and fluff, an interviewer (typically) cuts through that, to weed out people who are too full of themselves :)

So, living up to hype only works if hype is real (or if a hiring organization is not aware of reality, but then again, the candidate will swim just fine).

I'm a former recruiter who's edited hundreds of resumes as part of my job, and since I actually enjoy doing this I launched a resume editing service. But I also want to share knowledge and put to rest some common misconceptions so here's a link to a free resume editing guide I put up on squidoo: www.squidoo.com/resume-design

I have some very specific opinions about what the purpose of a resume is, and what it isn't.

Also happy to provide guidance (within reason), feel free to email me at peter@sustainablestaffing.com.

Pete Nowicki

986 in Seattle, Washington said: I did. I was using a resume I wrote in my resume class in college. My teacher gave it a good grade and I felt that i was good to go with it. I wasnt though. I looked in my phone book and found a good amount of writers. I called each one that would be a fit with me (i.e. didnt call any writers who only focused on a field i wasnt in) I asked the following questions 1.) How long have you been doing it 2.) Is it your only job or do you do it on the side (go with people who do it as a career they must be doing something right) 3.) cost (flat rate, per page, per word) There are some other things to ask as well but these are the most important ones/. Now your questions

Cost- 100.00 flat rate, got two cover letters and two resumes (one general, one degree specific) 20 copies of each on the correct paper and free updates for life

Uniquness-It was. It baisicly had the same info as mine, but it was the way it is presented. The layout was nice, good buzzwords etc.

Effectivness- Much more effective. I got more emails/calls from potential employers then before with my old one( I pulled all of my resumes off the net since the monster.com situation)

Do it again- In a heartbeat.

Hope this helps a litte.

who was that with , i am currently looking for the same thing but am finding it difficult to find..

thanks for info

:)

Marketing Executive in Portland, Oregon said: I had mine written and the results were rather dramatic. My writer was amazing and she was able to ask me questions that brought out more skills than I knew I had. I have since referred her to my husband, sister, and neighbor. Seriously she's that good and I say it's totally worth the money. If anyone wants her contact info google "jennifer anthony" or "resumeasap". I found her on LinkedIn and contacted her that way.

Thanks for referring...... will look into :)

Jennifer Anthony in Woodland, Washington said: Hey you! Get in contact with me ASAP. Your old e-mail address is bouncing my e-mails. I frequently Google my name and found your post here and I want to send you something to thank you and show my appreciation for your amazing recommendation. I also want updates on what's new from you. :)

Jennifer

Looking into this: Thanks Marketing Executive in Portland, OR

yes but they didnt send me anything ... so i paid for nothing

danah in La Jolla said: No, I think you could do it by yourself. Just mind the industry and adjust your resume fields to it.

I needed some plumbing work, and decided to that myself, too. Didn't turn out well, so I hired a professional. Same thing happened with my resumé. Finally, I got smart and hired a professional.

I'm astounded to see people pay so much for a CV writer, with less than impressive results! I run a CV writing service and never accept payment without the client's full satisfaction (approving or amending a draft first).

In my opinion most people need help with their CV, they just don't know it. It only takes a few errors for mistakes to be notable, potentially making the difference between getting an interview or getting binned. Some people don't even get their CV read, simply because they gave it in to the wrong person or didn't follow up the results.

I worked in Recruitment editing CVs and quickly realised that neither my CV, nor that of most of our candidates, were any good. It takes a lot of research before you can create a good CV, but if you are prepared to do the work at least have a friend or old boss read over the results.

It's rare that I don't get an interview or job I have applied for, but again, it's not solely down to having a good CV; it's also largely based on the initial impression you give when you first meet a company and the repertoire you can build in that short space of time. Ensure to ask for a (HR) manager and even point out some of your key skills and experience before leaving. I usually stay until I can pretty much guarantee an interview, either asking if they are considering work trials or pressing the point that I am free to start asap. Eagerness is good, just don't cross the line!

Having said that a good CV is important (and it is), it also takes a good manager to spot one and largely, they cannot tell. Just ensure you get the key points across- relevant work experience and key skills! Remember though, a good CV won't hurt but a bad one could lose you a job in times where jobs are rare!

Also (to add to my above comment), having researched many CV writing companies I can say that the results are varied and whilst you could have an exceptional final product, it's also likely you could pay for some pretty poor work (as some of you already know).

Always look at samples first (as an above poster mentioned) and don't be scared to go through their work with a fine-toothed comb. A good CV writer is both knowledgeable AND highly literate. A website is usually a good reflection of someone's CV writing abilities, as in a way it's a company's on-line CV. If their website doesn't read well or there are grammatical/ spelling errors, it's likely their CVs might be to the same quality.

A CV is a perfectionist's work and should be checked several times to eliminate errors and ensure fluidity. A good CV will demonstrate your skills- showing 'how' you are a 'good communicator' and 'where' you've used or gained these abilities. It will include statistics from your previous work, for example, by what percentage you might have increased sales or efficiency. It will eliminate any unnecessary or detrimental information (employers are not allowed to ask your age/ DOB, nationality, or ethnicity for example). I also find that the mark of a good CV is something many people overlook- your title! I know this sounds self-explanatory, but even professional CV writers forget to put Miss/ Mrs/ Ms/ Mr/ Dr etc. before your name, leaving it awkward for potential employers to contact you. Joe Smith could be a male or female and I know I've written emails to clients before wondering exactly how to address them (Joe would be a little too informal, but putting Mr. Smith for a lady would just be rude!). Look for the finer details- these are what really make the difference between a good and bad CV!

986 in Seattle, Washington said: I did. I was using a resume I wrote in my resume class in college . My teacher gave it a good grade and I felt that i was good to go with it. I wasnt though. I looked in my phone book and found a good amount of writers. I called each one that would be a fit with me (i.e. didnt call any writers who only focused on a field i wasnt in) I asked the following questions 1.) How long have you been doing it 2.) Is it your only job or do you do it on the side (go with people who do it as a career they must be doing something right) 3.) cost (flat rate, per page, per word) There are some other things to ask as well but these are the most important ones/. Now your questions

Cost- 100.00 flat rate, got two cover letters and two resumes (one general , one degree specific) 20 copies of each on the correct paper and free updates for life

Uniquness-It was. It baisicly had the same info as mine, but it was the way it is presented. The layout was nice, good buzzwords etc.

Effectivness- Much more effective. I got more emails/calls from potential employers then before with my old one( I pulled all of my resumes off the net since the monster.com situation)

Do it again- In a heartbeat.

Hope this helps a litte.

* Can you share the person or company who wrote your resume and email the information to nwilliamsprofile@hotmail.com

Thanks

Before paying a dime for resume writing, consider all the free resources for resume writing. And remember every time you send in a resume you need to customize it each time to match the specific needs for that position.

And if you do pay someone else to help with the master resume, are you sure they know how to format it in a way that doesn't prevent it from being parsed by resume scanners? Depending on the statistics you use 20-25% of resumes from qualified candidates do not get considered because the formatting is so bad it cannot be properly parsed. And one source says 75% of resumes aren't considered because they don't use the relevant keywords.

Even if you're networking your way into an interview without going through HR or recruiters, chances are there are people you don't know will be involved in the hiring decision and they will use your resume during those discussions.

jenab in Austin, Texas said: Before paying a dime for resume writing, consider all the free resources for resume writing. And remember every time you send in a resume you need to customize it each time to match the specific needs for that position.

And if you do pay someone else to help with the master resume, are you sure they know how to format it in a way that doesn't prevent it from being parsed by resume scanners? Depending on the statistics you use 20-25% of resumes from qualified candidates do not get considered because the formatting is so bad it cannot be properly parsed. And one source says 75% of resumes aren't considered because they don't use the relevant keywords.

Even if you're networking your way into an interview without going through HR or recruiters, chances are there are people you don't know will be involved in the hiring decision and they will use your resume during those discussions.

Very good advice!

I agree with jenab's comments, and have a couple more...
Why pay (potentially) hundreds of dollars for someone to write a resume when, with a little research and thinking, you can write one that can be just as effective? Also, while professional writers can make a pretty resume, who knows you and your abilities better than you? I encourage people to write their own resumes, since they're the best judge of their abilities and knowhow. So what if it's not fancied up with flowery borders? Employers don't care about that stuff - they want to see what you can do, plain and simple, and a basic resume with solid information will do the job just fine at no cost to you.

One last thing - if you're out of work and looking for a job, do you want to spend money on a resume, or might it be better to use that money for rent/food/electricity?

Having read the new comments, I can understand people's reservations. JD makes a good point when he(?) said that "if you're out of work and looking for a job, do you want to spend money on a resume...?" Having been out of work before, I can understand how every penny counts. However, I wouldn't completely dismiss the idea of a professionally written CV/ resume on this basis as it's more of an investment. Rent and food, whilst necessary, aren't going to get you a job. If you don't have the money for a CV writer then don't spend it by any means, but if you can afford it, it's worth considering.

It's best to take a blend of the advice given above. Always and without fail, do your research! In any case, whether or not you are having your resume professionally written or are writing it yourself, get on the internet and look at a range of advice. Even within the CV writing community, there is a variety of opinions on how a professionally written CV should look. That is because there is no set standard as it were- just codes of best practice. A resume can look great, but it needs to appeal to your specific field of employment and better still, specific employer. It's definitely wise to write role-specific resumes (one per job application) accompanied by an individual covering letter.

In conclusion- research your stuff! Research how to write a good CV if you're going to write one yourself and make sure to take this information from a range of sources. Research your prospective employers and include your relevant background information in your resume. Lastly, always research CV writers and their previous work if you're going to get one written.

Good-luck!

Thanks, Caela - you added what I should have (and yes, it's "he"). I should have been a bit more clear, I guess: Take a close look at what you should be spending your money on. If you have the means and desire to have a professional write your resume, then do so. I just see many people that spend their rent or food money on classes that they think they need to get employed or on professional resumes. Before long, they're homeless, which is a bigger problem than not having a good resume.

Caela gives some good advice in another area as well - Research! Research resume writing and writers before you spend money. Can you do a reasonably good resume on your own, or do you think you'd do better having a professional do one? Does the resume being written match the field and/or employer you're looking at? It's fine to have kind of a generalized resume, but to get the best results, you should have one (or several) that target specific positions with specific employers; if you're having one written, make sure the person writing it knows how to target the resume, or at least teaches you how to do so.

Very well said, JD. Resume writing isn't rocket science and a little research could make some big improvements. Literary skills are also important, so have a few friends read through your work for their feedback. You could also get a free resume review from a professional service, but beware the sales pitch! Otherwise, try local job services, or maybe even ask an ex-employer or recruitment company for their opinion.

With the right information, most people can write a satisfactory entry to mid-level job application. Employers (depending on the type of job) might not be too pedantic over details as long as you include enough relevant information and present your resume in a clean and easy-to-read format, using clear headings and displaying information in order of relevance.

As a CV writer, I may be biased when I say there's nothing like an expert's touch to give you an edge. However, the deciding factor is whether or not your current resume is working for you. And having researched many CV writers, I'd be careful where you put your money! Looking at some of the finished examples on various professionals' websites, there are still many amendments I would have made had those CVs been sent to me. For the prices they charge, that's really quite shocking. To give a rough example of what you should be paying, I charge upwards of £15.

I'm still in the start-up stages of my company (having previously worked as a freelance CV writer), so I'd definitely appreciate your thoughts and expectations regarding pricing structures, services, website layout and content (etc.). If you'd be happy to help, in return, I'll try to answer any of your resume-related worries!

I am unsure what to do after reading all of your comments. I am 3 years out of college, so for most I fall under a professional/mid-career level and not entry level. I am looking to move to New York City as my fiance found her dream job there, but my biggest problem is getting people to look at my resume. I still have a Rhode Island address and contact info, as I haven't moved yet and I have never competed in a market quite like NYC before. I have the means to pay for a writer to take a spin at it, but with such limited relevant work experience, would it be worth it? I am struggling with it and I am truly starting to freak out that our expected move date will either force me to stay here and continue looking or move there without a job.

Any thoughts or suggestions? I am going on month 5 of no calls with 5 months to go until move date.

Hello Caela I will like to get in touch with you.

Erik in Providence...

I'm not a dedicated professional resume writer, but I write a lot of them as part of my job and I know they work. If you want, you can send yours to me at desrtrat72@yahoo.com (no, that's not a typo) - I'll be happy to look at it and give you my thoughts on it.

Can't agree more about having friends (and peers!) look at your resume.

If you're completely unfamiliar with the format, just look at the indeed format. Although I think the standards for CVs in the UK are different for resumes here in the US (or the where last time I checked).

Here in the US very few recruiters or employers are willing to look at a two page resume anymore (and really, in the age of LinkedIn, and the era of a 6 second resume read, it's not surprising).

No one will know your experience better than you will. But I do agree that there are times -- especially when transitioning into a new field -- were it can be worth paying for resume help. But make sure you know you're getting what you paid for. (Not that I think Caela isn't worth the £15). If you do it, I recommend going local where you can vet their references easily.

Jenab is right that there are different standards between the US and UK when it comes to CV writing and as much as I hate to admit it, you guys are miles ahead! I actually far prefer the American format and my CVs are more in line with that, but here in the UK the 2 page CV still takes precedence. That is until we move ahead, but to be honest, I'm not sure which I prefer at this stage. I'll have to look into it more.

Erik, I think a lot of people can understand your anxiety in that situation, but have confidence in what you're doing and that will stand out to employers. There is nothing like a strong hand-shake and good eye contact to show you mean business! Believe in what you're doing and play to your strengths- if you have any work history, do mention the relevant aspects and say how you progressed in that role. Gear this in with your education, by saying how you're dedicated to achieving your career goals and your education is the platform from which you wish to launch yourself. Show you are knowledgeable and do a LOT of research into prospective companies; you will need to show your knowledge of their previous and current work, in detail where possible and demonstrate what aspects you can contribute to. Don't worry about your address either, I started out in a whole new place with an address 150 miles away and as long as you make it clear that you're relocating and it won't hinder your work, you'll do fine. Include your current address, but be sure to note "relocating to New York". I also think JD's offer is very sweet and shouldn't be passed up on!

Ahivie, I'm not sure if there's private messaging on here- I'm fairly new to this forum! If you can message me, I will give you my email address and I'd be happy to chat with you.

Caela, if you're willing, please write me as well - I need to get more knowledge on CV's, as I do have clients that are looking for overseas jobs from time to time.

Thanks for the advice and thank you JD.

Erik in Providence, RI

Folks, just FYI, one of the two Indeed forum rules is no contact information (or adverts).

Can't believe one cannot write a decent resume himself, who knows better than yourself of what you actually do in your job? One can also copy-and-paste some of the job description that match yours so that the scanner can pick up the key words/phrases resulting in your resume made the cut for HR to review.

I'd read some resume wrote by 'professional' and it clearly shows the person's not from the applicant's specialized field. Another tip: look up the profiles from the famous internet site (we're not allowed to name the L site here), many posted theirs straight from their resume verbatim because they want their resume to be picked up by the employers who provide L with the key requirements.

My mistake. I apologize.

Krista Mitchell in Kennesaw, Georgia said: My mistake. I apologize.

Just wanted to remind everyone in case indeed removes the comments. (which I meant to say before but since there's no editing or deleting after posting...)

When I said to look up the L profiles, I meant to take note if those folks who are currently employed by those companies that you are interested. Since they're hired, they must be doing something right, well, at least their resume give you some hint.

Bean counter in San Jose, California said: Can't believe one cannot write a decent resume himself, who knows better than yourself of what you actually do in your job? One can also copy-and-paste some of the job description that match yours so that the scanner can pick up the key words/phrases resulting in your resume made the cut for HR to review.

I don't know why the "you have to do it yourself" attitude persists when it comes to writing your resume. It's essentially like saying you should do your own taxes because nobody knows your finances better than you.

For people who are comfortable writing their own resume – and can produce an outstanding one – fantastic. For those whose strengths lie elsewhere, there is no reason not to hire a professional. In fact, I would say that recognizing where you can benefit from others' expertise is a far more valauble skill than being able to write your own resume.

You are correct that one needs to take automated screening systems into account. However, while cutting and pasting pieces of a job description may get your resume through the automated scanning process, but what happens when you resume is in the hands of a human? Is that person going to be engaged and compelled to move based on a resume that parrots their company's job description? Not likely.

Again, if you can create an accomplishment focused resume that clearly highlights your impact, do it. But there is no shame if you need to partner with someone to identify your strengths, uncover your acomplishments and present that info in the best light possible.

Jenab, do you know if there is anyway we can private message on here? I'm fairly new to this forum, but I'd definitely like to chat with you guys.

JD I would love to make contact, just not sure how to do it! Let me know and I will get in touch!