Convincing you to work with a quality resume writer, could be an uphill battle.

This is too bad.

Because working with a quality resume writer is not an expense, but an investment that can produce NICE dividends.

Yeah, yeah. You’ve heard this before, right? Everything is an investment these days.

You might be thinking, “Yeah, but Teena, you are just trying to get my money. My personally written resume has worked for me before. I just have to wait until it works again.” 

My question back to you is, Do you know how many opportunities you have MISSED with that resume?

Of course, this is a question you really can’t truthfully answer. You just don’t know. 

This is the problem, right?

Because you don’t have the ANSWER, you don’t really think about the question.

Maybe you’re afraid to.

Maybe you’re happy sticking with the status quo.

Maybe you’re okay with the jobs you’re offered at a salary that employers dictate. 

I want you to “free your mind.” (yes, I’m a Matrix fan too!)

With a professionally written, quality resume writer, you can do so many things with it, other than obvious.

For example, you can boost your job search with it. Sure. That’s the first obvious answer.

But, did you also know that you could use that same resume to leverage a hiring salary package (yeah, bet you didn’t know you could do that!)? Yup, a well-written resume paired with value-rich management or executive career puts you in an awesome position to request AND GET a higher salary. And then, use it later to negotiate a higher annual pay increase or bonus.

Many of my clients go on to secure 10%-50% more salary. When you take something as important as your resume, very, very seriously, you’d be amazed at how it will change your life.

I have a quote on my LinkedIn page that says, “[managers and executives] understand that professional writers/copywriters are how to gain advantage. They also understand that a professionally written resume is an investment where the “buy-in” is unimportant, rather it’s the **long-standing dividends that determine the true ROI.**”

So, let’s just say you’re going to be brave and take the leap towards hiring a resume writer to work with. There are a few core questions you want to know about your resume writer before you sign up.

#1 Make sure the company guarantees your satisfaction with the finished resume. 

Resume writers offer an array of guarantees. Here are the more popular:

60-Day Interview Guarantee or You Get a Free Resume Rewrite. 

This is probably one of the better guarantees in the resume writing industry. Though it’s not without concerns.

Let’s be honest not all job seekers perform the same effective job search.

Some perform an aggressive job search. Some do not. Some want to perform an effective search but are indecisive and second guess themselves WAY TOO MUCH, which as you know, holds up progress.

Certainly, this guarantee is a nice fallback for clients, but not as advantageous for the resume writing firm when they run into a particularly difficult client or someone who thinks that the next 60 days provide an open “spigot” for more free resume writing help. 

Money Back Guarantee + $100

Yup. There ARE ACTUALLY resume writing services that offer this guarantee — and this should be a “red flag” for you when you’re researching resume writers.  

You might be wondering why?

A resume writing firm that is willing to take such a loss will all-too-often attract a certain type of client that may not be the best quality.

These types of clients put “wear and tear” on even the best resume writers.

Plus, when that guarantee is challenged too often from people who are looking to take advantage and get an even longer free ride in life, this means the resume writing company is making fewer profits — and fewer profits means the resume writers who do the grunt of the resume writing, get paid the least.

This should be an eye-opener for you!

100% Client Satisfaction Guaranteed

Though this might not be the guarantee with the most frills, it’s effective with providing you with the knowledge that you will be happy with the finished product (your resume). If you’re unsatisfied, a rewrite is performed on your resume. And rewrites continue until you are completely happy with the finished resume.

This is the guarantee we offer here @ Resume to Referral. 

To learn more about my track record with clients, check out these 60+ client reviews for Resume to Referral.

#2 Beware of resume services that offer unusually inexpensive costs (e.g. $50 – $150).

Remember, I said above that quality resume writers are an investment?

What you really need at this point is perspective.

How many hours do you expect the resume writer to spend on your project? 5 hours? 10 hours? If you want your resume writer to spend quality time on your project, conducting a thorough intake, creating a quality first resume draft, answering any questions you have, addressing rewrites, and producing a quality finished resume that gives you edge … well, that takes time.

You can quickly see how these inexpensive resume writing services aren’t the best move for you.

As a professional manager and executive, you don’t want a canned, “just add water” type of resume.

You need a professionally written resume that is SPECIFIC to you.

You need a professionally written resume that properly outlines your RELEVANT and most RECENT skills and accomplishments.

You need a professionally written resume that caters to HR MANAGERS as well as APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEMS.

You need a professionally written resume that reflects your BRAND.

Skimping on one of the most important documents of your professional career can be career suicide, or minimally be a “career anchor” without you even knowing it.

When you just can’t make the investment, here are 3 DIY resume tips to help you write a better resume.

#3 Select a writer that you connect with — but also someone willing to give you a pep talk when things aren’t going well … or maybe a few stern words should you need those instead. =]

Executives hire skilled resume writers and career coaches because they know one head isn’t enough.

They hire career and business coaches and they seek out mentors and accountability coaches. And yes, they hire resume writers.

This is really what separates the over-achieving, top-tier managers and executives from those who are too busy penny-pinching. These cost-conscious jobseekers essentially “step over a dollar to pick up a dime.”

Selecting a resume writer that will use advanced writing strategies and one that is comfortable working with is very easy. Simply schedule a call before you make your selection. Be sure to TALK WITH THE RESUME WRITER YOU WILL BE WORKING WITH not a resume reviewer or someone in sales. You need to talk with your actual resume writer.

You might want to ask a few basic questions like these:

• How many years have you been writing resumes?
• Have you worked with clients with my specific skill set?
• Do you see any issues with my career/resume project that you might not be able to handle?
• Will you be able to write my resume within the timeline I need it finished?

#4 Look beyond the investment — not because the resume writer wants you to, but because the amount you’ll exert for a professionally written resume is TINY when compared to the money you’ve already invested in your career (e.g. $100,000 for college).

We all agree (you, me, recruiters, and hiring managers) that a great resume is very important for securing that dream job.

Therefore, it seems idiotic to exert tens/hundreds of thousands for education, but squawk at a few hundred for the “vehicle” that will deliver you from point A to point B in your career.

Executives know that it takes money to make money.