Should You Pay Someone to Write Your Resume?
Resume writing and CV creation is surprisingly a booming 21st-century job. There are hundreds of people and agencies offering the service on job search websites and social media. Some job seekers jump on the opportunity of a professional assisting them in building an outstanding document. But, a lot of people still have reservations about hiring the services of a resume writer. It could be because they believe that they can do a pretty good job themselves or because they have other personal inhibitions.
Ethically speaking though, is it wrong to pay someone to write your resume? Well, professional resume writing is not an illegal job. You are not committing any criminal act when you pay for the services of a resume writer. Is it advisable then? You are the only one that can make that decision for yourself. However, there are some things to consider before you decide to pay someone or to do it on your own. You should carefully weigh the pros and cons before making your decisions. This article is here to give you objective information that we hope will aid you in making a clear and informed decision.
Advantages of Paying Someone to Write Your Resume
- If you hire a very skilled, professional resume writer, it makes your document stand out because they use the best and trending styles. They ensure your document has a good layout and most importantly, keywords that will make it possible for your resume to pass through Applicant Tracking Systems.
- Professional resume writers can help you when you need a resume to be prepared for cases like when you want to apply for a peculiar job role or when you are in the process of switching careers. Resume writers can help you tailor your resume for a target job because they possess industry-specific knowledge.
- Sometimes, your chances of landing an interview and then a job increases when you hire the services of a professional. When you keep on receiving rejection emails and no callbacks after applying to plenty of jobs with the same CV, then it may be time to let another pair of eyes go over your document and find out if it needs reform or an update. You may have made some mistakes like putting too much or too little information.
- Outsourcing your resume writing saves you time especially when you are still working in your current place of employment. It also saves you from stress.
- A lot of job seekers are using the services of professional writers. Your resume may pale in comparison when placed side by side with that of others. Remember that job seeking is a competition of some sort. You do not want to reduce your chances of being the best.
Disadvantages of Paying Someone to Write Your Resume
- Hiring a professional costs money. The price of hiring a resume writer varies from your career level and work experience, the agency or writer you hired, and other determining factors.
- There are a lot of job seekers out there and many patronizing these writers. This could mean that your resume will not be written within a few hours or as fast as you want it.
- There are a lot of writers out there, most claiming to be professionals while they have just little to no experience or qualification. This makes it quite difficult to pick the right person and the search could cost time.
- If you, unfortunately, hire the services of a scammer, your resume will be poorly written, or worse, you could be getting a plagiarized version that has been sold to a lot of people with just minimal changes made. That does not bode well for you in an interview setting because hiring managers can smell a shoddy job from far. A badly written resume does not even guarantee you an interview in most cases because your document may likely not pass the application stage. Hiring a bad writer is a mistake that also costs you valuable time and leaves you feeling ripped off at the end of the day.
- When someone else does the writing for you, it may not encompass all you want to say in the way you would have wanted it to be said. To make sure you achieve maximum satisfaction, explicitly state what you want, keep the communication lines open with the writer and make sure you review the work.
- Hiring someone to do the job does not absolve you of responsibilities. You have to provide them with all the essential details to be used. This may require you to fill in a form, send emails or talk on the phone. You have to do your part for the writer to be able to have something to work with. You need to maintain regular correspondence with the writer to make sure that your resume is being written to your taste.
Tips on Finding the Right Resume Writer
After carefully considering the for and against, and you choose to go ahead and craft your resume yourself, that’s great! With the right amount of confidence, determination, and practice, you can write a resume that could even be considered professional. You can get a lot of help on the internet, from downloadable templates to tips that will guide you. You can also enlist the help of an experienced friend or family (for free, we hope) to help you proofread and edit.
On the other hand, if you have decided to pay someone, that’s great too. As we mentioned earlier, there are a lot of good writers and bad ones too, especially on the internet. A fancy LinkedIn profile does not equal a good writer. Below are some tips to help you find a good professional resume writer.
- Do a background check on the writing service. Do your research by thoroughly checking social media pages and websites. You should be looking for signs of professionalism and experience. If it is possible, you can schedule a meeting with the writer, either in-person or virtual.
- Check for reviews. Read people’s comments about the brand and if possible, talk to someone who has used their services.
- Consider more than one option. After thorough research, you can choose the writing service that you think will best for you.
- Ask for a sample of the writer’s work before agreeing to anything. You can also ask to see drafts of the document before it is completed.
Final Thoughts
Whatever your decision is, whether you decide to pay someone to write your resume or to do it yourself, ensure that it is a choice that you have carefully considered, are comfortable with, and most importantly, one that promises you an excellent resume. That’s all that matters.