There are hundreds of professional resume writers ‘out there’ looking for hungry job seekers.  Some resume writers are very good. Others are so concerned with making the resume ‘pretty’ they don’t do the job seeker any favors. What do you look for in a professional resume writer who knows what they are doing?

Ask for samples of resumes recently for a similar business or industry.  Are the resumes full of subjective terms (excellent, speedy) that don’t describe anything concrete? Do the samples have lists of achievements relating percentages, dollar values, revenue increases, overhead cost reductions, or describe projects completed in specific timeframes? Would you want to hire that job seeker based on their resume?

Ask how many resumes they have written in their career.  If they have written under 40-50 professional resumes, they are still ‘amateurs’ themselves.  If the resume writer has hundreds – or thousands – under their belt, then they have a process, a format, and a successful formula that works for their customers.

Ask the resume writer if they are certified or have been writing the resumes for a corporate project or program such as the proposals department.  Don’t trust that simply because they are a career counselor, they are good at resume writing.  Experts have experience analyzing data in resumes and are well-versed at compressing an important message into as few words as possible.  Well written resumes ‘show, not tell’ a story.

Ask if they know how to SEO (search engine optimize) a resume with properly placed key words and terms (long-tail phrases). Do they have recruiting experience themselves? Do they know how recruiting software (Automated Tracking Systems [ATS]) works with query engines?  This enables them to understand the process on the other side of the ‘firewall.’ Ask the resume writer if they can create an easy-on-the-eye format that digitally converts from a word-processed version to a text version without adding extra line spaces or losing the data in the document?

Does the resume writer insist on a 1-2 page resume (sure to sink a career search like the iceberg next to the Titanic).  Your resume is a career history, told in a precise manner, that highlights your most brilliant career achievements. It cannot be reduced to one page for decades of experience. Approximately 1-1.5 page per decade of career experience ensures the important knowledge, skills, and abilities are described for a headhunter.

Are the services spelled out and explained thoroughly for each stage or rewrite of the new resume?  Does the resume writer try to add on other services that have no ROI?  There is no market today for hard copy resumes mailed to hundreds or thousands of point of contacts. Those services, sold with a resume rewrite, are wasted money in today’s digital age.  Does the resume writing service provide social media career management? This is a vital service that is well-worth the price of Internet placement targeting your market.

Does the resume writer charge exorbitant prices or are they charging so little money you are not sure you will get the quality you need or deserve?  Many ask for payment up front, so ask for referrals to ensure you aren’t tricked. Google+ and LinkedIn are great for searching for recommendations.  The more referrals posted, the more likely your resume writer will be an experienced professional.

A professional resume writer should charge between $200-$300 for a simple resume rewrite and $600-$1,000 for an executive or skilled professional). Resume writers should be open-minded and accept ideas and suggestions from the job seeker as they rebuild the resume. Don’t skimp on using a professional to help you find that next job faster.  It’s not worth saving a few hundred dollars if you can’t find a new job. Every week without an interview is money you are not earning. This job-hunting activity is tax-deductible.

These are some of the questions job hunters need to ask when shopping for a resume writer. Your resume is only as good as the likelihood of a recruiter finding it in a mountain of competitors. A poorly written resume will naturally camouflage itself from a headhunter.  You want your resume to wear the ‘orange vest’ of key words and terms for SEO.  The professional you hire should have a history of practice, experience, and a multitude of samples and referrals from satisfied customers.

Dawn Boyer is the owner of D. Boyer Consulting – a career services coach, social media management, human resources and business development consultant. She can be reached at Dawn.Boyer@DBoyerConsulting.com or https://dboyerconsulting.com for resume writing services, LinkedIn training, or career social media management.