One question we’re often asked is “Should I hire a professional resume writer?”
No wonder! A well-polished resume is a key marketing tool for your return to work. Ideally it showcases your relevant work experience (both paid and unpaid), degrees, and certifications, and demonstrates that you’re qualified for the position you’re applying for. It’s also the first and lasting impression you’ll make on the recruiter or talent acquisition specialist who’s reviewing your candidacy.
There is no right or wrong answer to whether or not to hire a resume writer – our Recommended Resume Formats for Returners provides a starting point and may be all you need.
Whatever you decide, remember that you know best the factors that went into taking intentional time to care for yourself and others as part of your overall life journey. The points below outline some pros and cons of hiring a professional resume writer to help you distill that journey onto a page or two in preparation for your next move.
Pros of Hiring a Resume Writer
Time Savings and Collaboration
First, assess how available and comfortable you are with writing your own resume. It can definitely be a time-consuming and stressful undertaking. And, as a caregiver, your days can quickly fill with other important tasks such as providing care to your loved ones. This may leave little room to carve out time and attention for resume writing.
If this is the case, hiring a professional resume writer can be an excellent investment. You’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with the writer as they revise your new resume on your behalf. Their specialized expertise can even highlight skills and accomplishments you may have overlooked or forgotten about over time. Most importantly, you’ll gain back precious time and energy to devote to your job search.
An ATS Friendly Format
As times have changed, so have the requirements and expectations for a resume. Hiring a professional resume writer can be to your advantage since many writers attain certifications that cover current hiring trends and details – such as the best fonts and resume formats for passing the screens of automatic tracking systems (ATS).
The guidance of a professional can remove questions and concerns you have about your resume, boost your confidence, and add the polish that may move your application to the top.
An Objective Opinion
One of the most impactful ways a resume writer can help is by offering an objective opinion. As you start on your return-to-work journey or pivot into a new career opportunity, it’s easy to forget or downplay your past contributions. A good resume writer is able to analyze, use, and highlight all of your key skills and experiences (past and present) to boost your employability and credibility.
An independent perspective may also remind you of awards, recognition, and recommendations you’ve received but never acknowledged in previous resumes or job applications. Most importantly, you’ll have someone on your side who sees your successes, offers support, and brings you to the forefront.
Cons of Hiring a Resume Writer
The Price
The cost of hiring a professional resume writer varies, with a standard resume often costing hundreds of dollars. The cost is higher the more detailed or industry focused a resume needs to be – for federal jobs, for example, or executive and senior-level positions and technical jobs.
You may find that you’re perfectly able to create a quality resume on your own, especially if you have a knack for writing or marketing, can find examples on the internet of resumes that resemble your experience and goals, or had previous success in writing resumes. If you do decide to hire a writer, you’ll want to consider their experience and qualifications and look at the reviews they’ve received to help ensure you receive the best service for your investment.
The Terms and Conditions
If you sign a contract with a resume writer, be sure to review the clause that focuses on terms and conditions. Depending on your situation, one downside of hiring a resume writer may be the limit on revisions.
Many writers will offer a set amount of revisions or will provide a coaching session to answer questions about the final resume they present to you. The terms will vary depending on the writer’s business practices. It’s important to ask beforehand and fully understand the conditions for working together in order to level-set everyone’s expectations.
Most importantly, always ask for access to your resume-related documents in both an editable and portable document format for future use.
The Subjective Opinion
Professional resume writers will differ not only in their writing styles but also in whether they think your career break should be addressed in your resume. You’ll want to ensure that the writer or career coach is guiding you from a place of understanding and respect for the decision you made to take a career pause.
A professional can help you weigh different options, but whether or how you share information about your break in a resume or interview is your choice. The important thing is to work with someone who hears and values your career experience and the experience you gained while caregiving.
Lordess Townsend is a program manager at Path Forward.