Questions for a Resume Service, Answered

I explained these questions here. Now, here are my answers:

1. What type of business are you?
This is a career communications firm that provides executive and professional resume writing, LinkedIn profile writing, and related services. It is not a secretarial service, a typing service, or a virtual assistant business.

2. Are you certified by a reputable career industry organization?
I’m a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW). I received this credential from the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC) after passing a four-part timed exam that tests knowledge of employment topics and resume writing ability. (To verify my credential, visit this page on PARW/CC’s website and search for me by my last name.)

3. Do you provide assistance with LinkedIn strategy and LinkedIn profiles?
Yes. I believe that LinkedIn.com is an extremely important tool that just about every job seeker should be using. I have virtual training program, Link to Success, that shows you how you can take advantage of this website as part of your networking efforts. The program is a series of videos. I also provide LinkedIn profile writing. If you need one-on-one LinkedIn coaching or training, I can do that, too.

4. Is this a side business? In other words, do you have a day job, or do you run your business full time?
This is my full-time business. I’m not anyone’s employee.

5. Are you involved with any professional associations for resume writing?
Yes. I’m a member of the three major industry groups: the National Resume Writers’ Association (NRWA), Career Directors International (CDI), and the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC). I have received extensive training through these organizations.

I’m committed to the profession and read extensively about best practices in resumes, job searching, and LinkedIn. I stay up to date on trends, including social media and technology as they apply to resumes and job searching. In 2011, I was a participant in the Career Thought Leaders Consortium’s 2011 Global Brainstorming Day, in which 100+ career professionals worldwide met in virtual and live meetings to identify the latest trends in job search. The findings can be viewed in this report (I’m listed at the end as one of the participants).

6. Do you have at least a bachelor’s degree in communications, English, journalism, or human resources from a respected university?
Yes. I have a bachelor’s degree in communications with a concentration in print journalism and a minor in English from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla.

7. Do you provide help with job search strategy?
Yes. Once we get your resume squared away, we’ll have a 90-minute “wrap session,” in which I’ll go over personalized recommendations for your job search and provide advanced training in online job applications, if applicable. I also offer TheHireRoad, an innovative product that will take your job search from 0 to 60. Additionally, I partner with top-notch career coaches; a few sessions with one of these coaches can help you significantly if you need more guidance in your job search or in your interview preparation.

8. How many years of business experience do you have? Do you have hiring experience?
I have 10 years of professional writing and business experience, which includes working as an award-winning daily newspaper reporter, working as a manager at a marketing and public relations firm, and owning this business. At my last job, I interviewed candidates and made hiring recommendations (though I was never a “hiring manager,” per se), so I know what it’s like on both sides of the coin.

7. How long, on average, do you spend on a resume?
It typically ranges from 4 to 6+ hours, depending on the individual’s experience and career level. It normally takes longer for executives or senior managers with decades of experience.

8. Are there any “hidden charges” I should know about?
No. You will be aware of all fees before we start on your project. Also, unlike some firms, I don’t charge exorbitant fees for simple things like file conversions, reference pages, salary history pages, etc.

9. Are you an accomplished and credentialed writer?
Yes. As noted above, my bachelor’s degree is in communications, with an emphasis in journalism, and a minor in English. As a journalist, I received seven awards and honors from regional and statewide contests for professional journalists over a three-year period.

10. How long, on average, do you spend on a resume for someone like me?
That depends, of course, but most projects range from four to eight or more hours, not counting the 90-minute wrap session at the end of our project.

11. How much do you charge?
I have tiered pricing that varies based on factors such as the years of experience, career level, and number of jobs. Due to the complexities of such a pricing structure, I no longer list pricing here on the site, as I don’t want to cause any confusion. Also, I usually update pricing quarterly to reflect changes in service based on the latest job market trends and client needs. You’ll find that my rates reflect the sizable amount of time and effort that goes into my services, as well as the expertise I offer based on my experience and training. Keep in mind that a cheap resume isn’t cheap if you’re losing money every month because of being underpaid or on unemployment.

11. Who will handle my project?
I’ll be the one interviewing you and writing your resume. You’ll get highly personalized attention from me (the owner). No outsourcing to India, no factory-style process.

12. Are there any hidden charges I should know about?
No. I charge flat rates that include revisions–meaning that I revise the resume draft to your satisfaction if it needs any changes. I don’t charge extra after the second round of revisions (though not many of my clients need more than two rounds). I won’t hit you with surprise fees for file conversions. When we speak, I’ll give you the pricing breakdown of what I recommend.

13. Do you have expertise in incorporating keywords into resumes, and optimizing resumes for applicant tracking systems? Do you use special software for this?
Yes. I have gained more and more knowledge in this area over time, particularly since working with a company that makes a software tool that enables me to test the performance of a client’s resume to see how it would do in an employer’s applicant tracking system.

14. Who will handle my project and how does that work?
You will work with me. No offshore outsourcing or impersonal factory-style arrangements. I’ll give you some homework, then I’ll interview you, then I’ll write the resume, and then I’ll make any revisions you want until you’re satisfied.

15. Will the content of my resume be original?
Every resume I write is a custom job, and I don’t use pre-written templates or resume writing software.

16. Do you specialize in my industry or profession?
I specialize in resume writing (and related services/products) for the following fields: sales, logistics, marketing and PR, health care and medicine, IT, accounting and finance, and journalism. However, I have also helped clients land jobs in many other fields over the years, and I have written job-winning resumes for fields that I previously had no knowledge of.

17. Will you be there for me for the long haul?
Yes. As you begin looking for a job, I’d like us to stay in touch. You can always contact me if you have a quick question (and if your request is more extensive, I’ll let you know what I would charge to help you with it, or what one of my career coaching partners would charge to coach you on it). After you land your new job, let me know, and I can help you with wording to update your LinkedIn profile. And then we can reconvene annually to update your resume with your accomplishments from the past year (a service I offer on an hourly basis for past clients).

Read our explanations of these questions and what to look for in a resume writing service.