Is Hiring A Professional Resume Writer Worth $1000?

Lately I’ve seen a couple of posts on LinkedIn by people who are shocked at the cost of hiring a professional resume writer in order to get a good resume.

I was kind of surprised when I saw this post and another one like it a few weeks later – not just because of the post, but because of the number of commenters who were in passionate agreement (though not all were.)

Some clearly understood that a good resume can help you land a job – and quite possibly a better job than you have now – faster and more easily. A poorly written resume is going to reflect badly on you. . .

But many didn’t think it was worth it at all.

Hmmm. . . I wonder if, since you’d leave your career destiny (or at least a part of it) in the hands of a college student, if you should hand over your assets to them as well so they can manage them?

No?

That’s because it’s not about knowing the technology of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or a stock trading platform.

When it comes to your career, about being able to understand and articulate YOU.

What Does A Professional Resume Writer Do Anyway?

This “common knowledge” referred to in the previous comment isn’t actually so common.

There is a lot of expertise that resume writers and other career professionals have, and the value isn’t in the template or the information you can get on the internet for free.

There’s a misconception that you can write your own resume just as well as a professional can write it.

But in addition to not having the industry knowledge you need, you’re also too close to yourself and your own accomplishments to be able to see all of what you’ve done and to be able to articulate it as well as an objective person could.

I work hard on helping you be able to understand and articulate you so you have a powerful story to tell prospective employers about exactly why they should hire you – and I can help you figure it out even if you’re more than just a little lost.

A good resume writer will spend the time it takes to help you articulate what you already know about yourself so you can put it on paper in a way that you would not be able to do on your own.

During this process you’ll see yourself in a new way and your resume writer will create a powerful career story that will help you land a job.

There’s an art to it, and it’s not easy.

So, you can ignore this guy. . .

I mean, really, when was the last time Human Resources professionals or Recruiters were just dying to spend more time with you and falling all over themselves to do you favors?

What Professional Resume Writers Had To Say

While I’m not a professional resume writer, in my business I team up with some of the best writers in the country so I can refer you to the best one for your needs.

This topic made me curious to know what my professional resume writer colleagues thought, so I reached out to them to see what they had to say on the subject.

Why Hiring A Professional Resume Writer Is Worth What They Charge

I asked these top professional resume writers, “Tell us why your resumes are worth every penny you charge.” Here’s what they said.

Wendi Weiner, attorney and top executive resume writer at The Writing Guru

Wendi is also the President-Elect of the The National Resume Writers’ Association (The NRWA).

She seeks to educate career professionals on the resume writing process and how to locate well-qualified resume writers, so I wanted to hear her take on this issue in particular.

The NRWA has a rigorous certification, the NCRW, which Weiner and only 56 other resume writers hold. It is considered the PhD of resume writing and it is a certification which hones in on top resume writing skills.

Here’s what Wendi had to say:

“Most people expect a resume writer to be just a few hundred dollars, but the reality is a well-qualified resume writer will be spending approximately 8-15+ hours on your resume re-branding and it is a very time-consuming process that is not just taking a resume and editing it. There’s a lot of fact discovery that goes into learning about the client, the client’s background, the client’s goals, and then the writing process, and strategy process to review the resume are additional time considerations.

I recommend consulting with multiple writers and learning their process as well as their own background. I have often had executive clients come to me after investing several hundred dollars and realizing that they got what they paid for.

Resume writing is 85% strategy and it can have a big payoff if you invest in the right writer. A solid resume writer is going to be trained in the resume writing process with certifications, advanced training in attending resume writing conferences, and truly be a wealth of knowledge in the resume writing process.”

Virginia Franco, NCRW, CPRW VirginiaFrancoResumes.com

“Is it worth it to hire a resume writer and/or pay top dollar? The answer is “it depends.” If you’ve been job hunting, are you seeing results? If you haven’t yet started, is your field competitive? Are you aiming to make a drastic leap into a next-level role or even a new industry? Has it been ages since you’ve had to write about yourself?

If the answer to these is no, and you trust your writing talents, then investing in a professional may not make sense. However, if your responses are yes, then collaborating with a professional may be worth exploring.

As a professional resume writer, I can attest from personal experience (and I have the client testimonials to prove it!) with 100s of clients that the right partnership can yield a huge ROI – in terms of finding a role more quickly, capturing a higher salary, or even successfully making a career 180.

Collaborating with a career marketing professional to distill your lifetime of work into documents that present you in the best light possible is a matter that requires research and careful consideration. My advice? Do your homework and determine your deal breakers before taking the plunge – because as with any profession, level of experience, fees and success rates can vary widely.

There are several credentialing bodies out there that can increase your peace of mind and help you with the vetting process. It’s also important to consider working with someone whose approach (everyone’s is different!) and fees works for you.

Christine Brown, CPRW Written Resumes

As a resume writer, I believe a high-impact resume is an incomparable return on investment. In my 15+ years of experience, I have found that professionals who navigate the job search and submission process with confidence and composure experience greater on-going success throughout their careers.

Primarily because I find it fair and easy to explain, I charge my clients for the amount of time I spend working for them.

Joni Holderman, CPRW, ThriveResumes.com

“New Resume and LinkedIn profile: $500-800. Taking charge of your career: Priceless.

Technology transforms the job search every 3-5 years. You can spend months learning it anew each time, or you can hire an expert guide. “May you be in a job search so frequently that you become an expert in resume writing” is a curse akin to “may you live in interesting times.” I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy!”

Emily Kapit, M.S., MRW, ACRW, CPRW, RefreshYourStep.com

I am a 3X-Certified Master Resume Writer with a team of highly certified writers. The average price for our resume/cover letter deals is $550-$650; with a full LinkedIn profile overhaul, it’s around $1K. We purposefully have a sliding scale to ensure clients don’t overpay!

We also integrate career advisory into the process. It’s not enough to have a “pretty” resume; rather, it needs to reflect who you are, what your achievements are, and what you’re looking to do. This requires conversation, strategy, and partnership.

We also provide insight into how to use these documents. Clients invest in our expertise and we’re investing time in getting to know them to best position them for success. We serve as resources for our clients; the fact that I never truly advertise and have grown this business based on referrals speaks for itself. Invest in yourself and see your job success soar!

Adam Zajac, NCRW, Vocamotive

As a professional résumé writer, I am the first to admit that leading résumé writing experts charge a considerable amount for their services (myself included).

However, my clients know that it is all about return on investment.

Here is a real example from a past client: He was getting interviews with his old résumé prior to hiring me, but only for positions paying around $75K (well below what he was worth). After rewriting his résumé, he received a “flood of interviews” (his words) and offers for positions paying $150K-$200K. Most would agree that this client received great value out of his roughly $1000 investment.

Finding the best writer for your specific situation is the most important factor when seeking professional résumé assistance, and price is one of many important considerations. That said, when it comes to delivering successful outcomes, hiring the right expert can make all the difference!

Jeri Hird Dutcher, CPRW

WorkwriteResumes.com

If you simply want your resume keyed, $100 is a good quote.

But that is assuming your resume is already good enough to land you an interview. Is it? How do you know?

If you want a certified professional resume writer to elicit exactly the information hiring authorities need to know about you; if you would like that information expressed actively and powerfully in your own voice; if you would like to learn about other documents that will help your marketing efforts; if you would like a resume that significantly shortens your job search; then, I recommend finding a writer who will charge about $1000 for a resume.

Wolfgang Koch, CPRW, MyProfileMyBrand.com

A professionally written résumé is an investment in the most important marketing tool for your professional persona.

My background as a Certified Professional Résumé Writer is a bonafide indication my clients have come to the right place (a résumé writer, not a writer of creative nonfiction). In a thoroughly customized approach, I use my training (in psychology and in publishing) and my understanding of a broad range of careers and occupations. During an in-depth consultation, I elicit career/job goals, and I get a nuanced picture of marketable assets (acquired gainfully or otherwise). Moreover, I apply my nature-given wordsmithing abilities and my computer savvy (word processing and graphic design).

Finally, clients often have specific wishes (such as both a one-page and a two-page version). All that goes to show it takes a myriad of valuable capabilities and competencies to produce a result that can truly stand out, and make an impact.

Will You Hire A Professional Resume Writer?

Hiring a good professional resume writer, just like hiring a good coach, is an investment in your career and you will see a return on your investment.

The question is, are you ready to invest in your career, or are you trying to DIY?

If you’re not seeing the results you need, think about the opportunity cost – what you’re losing by waiting around.

It may be lost salary, but it also may be lost time, opportunity, confidence, and more.

Now is the time to make your career what you want it to be, whether that looks like advancement, a pivot, or even if you’re not really sure.

Don’t waste time thinking you’re being wise with your money.

Solve your career problems now so you can move on with the rest of your career and life.

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Jessica Sweet is a career coach and a licensed therapist (LICSW).

I help creative, ambitious midlife professionals and executives figure out what work they truly care about and want to be doing – and then helps them land or create those positions.

I am a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and a contributor at Forbes.com and The Huffington Post. My work has also been featured in places like CNBC, Business Insider and HayHouse Radio. You can get my free resources at http://bit.ly/ww-welcome and visit my website at www.wishingwellcoach.com.

When Jess is not coaching, you can often find her giggling with her two little girls.