Professional Resume/CV Writers...Is it worth it?

[SwamiLeoni]

Hey Mayberry,

A little bit of background about my situation. I was laid off from a consulting firm who deals in the Aerospace and Defense sector because of sequestration on April 1st. I worked there for 6 months. I have 2 months saved up to live on, then I am on the streets. I have a resume that I thought was working because I have had about 20 interviews, but the jobs were very low paying and some straight commission. They didn't have a salary range on their application.

Now, the current resume I am sending out to companies I want to work for has been rejected left and right. I know to find a way to add in keywords on the job description and implant them in my resume. However, I noticed that I am adding in what I have done and not what I have accomplished. It's hard for me to be objective of myself and write glowing reviews with amazing buzzwords, so I think it would be nice to have another set of eyes on it before I start sending them out.

That's why I am leaning towards hiring a Resume writer (unless a Mayberry brother can take a little bit of time out the their day to help me out) but...they are very expensive, I wouldn't know who to hire, and I'm just not sure if it's worth it.

What do you guys say? I'm starting to get really frustrated, and it's taking a toll on me at the moment.

Thanks Guys.

 

[Sweating Bullet]

I am currently on a 6 month outplacement program where they give you assistance in writing your CV and applications and all that crap. I applied for roles nonstop for about 2 months without a single interview. I re-evaluated what roles I was applying for and have had three interviews over the last 4 weeks and missed out on the roles to people who had more experience.

I think it might what you are applying for but if you want I am more than happy to read over your CV - and can give you some pointers.

 

[Romano338]

I wouldn't pay for a guy to write my resume.

What do you mean by "the current resume I am sending out to companies I want to work for has been rejected left and right"? Is it specific that it's your resume, of can it be the letter (I guess you also do letters in the US)?

Because the letter is important too.

Recently I've seen people who works in helping you with work research (was free because I did it with the job center), so I worked a little on the resume (was already quite good) and mostly on the letter. And suddenly, I had way more interviews.

About the resume, each people will have opinions. In school, people who worked on resumes told me to do it one way. THen I saw a professional, he told me something else. And the week after, on f his colleague told me the opposite.
There is not ONE way.

Key things I learned:
- use a title (the name of the job you want). I guess it can still work without
- you can put your competences on the top of the resume (what you can do based on what you did.)
- don't put too many things, keep it clear, read-able easily

It can also be your method of research. Do you send resumes to companies without knowing their needs?
I learned that calling the company and ask them if they could be interesting in your profil is a good way. So you don't send your resume in companies that will answer you "NO!"

Finally, maybe you have a profil not fitting. Take me for example. The job I'm looking for requires experience, and I have none.
It's stupid because you can't have experience if nobody gives you the opportunity, but the time to do my year in school and the industry world changed enough to put me in that situation. It was ok before my studying, but after, the industry was in a place where they needed sure thing and people with experience.

And finally (damn I'm long here!), because you said you had interviews, maybe that's the problem. Me, again, I'm not good in interviews. I try to look comfortable and motivated, but it's just not who I am. I need to now what I will say, and if somethings happen, I will not be the best to recover. And my personnality makes me look not motivated. Recruiters have already told me I didn't looked like I wanted it.

 

[SwamiLeoni]

I am currently on a 6 month outplacement program where they give you assistance in writing your CV and applications and all that crap. I applied for roles nonstop for about 2 months without a single interview. I re-evaluated what roles I was applying for and have had three interviews over the last 4 weeks and missed out on the roles to people who had more experience.

I think it might what you are applying for but if you want I am more than happy to read over your CV - and can give you some pointers.

Right on man, I'll shoot you a PM. Thanks.

 

[Commissar]

I'm also willing to assist. Fire me a PM if you are interested in me reviewing your cover letter and resume.

 

[Striderxdj]

I'd be wary of having someone else write my resume, let alone paying them. A few years ago I had my previous wife's dad (with a PHD in business no less, and a former university professor who got paid like the above) help with my resume and he had such oddly specific and textbook ideas of how a resume should be, removing a lot of details and information and I literally didn't get a call or anything for months. I rewrote it myself to pretty much how I had it before his "help" and had 2 interviews lined up (and a job) shortly afterwards.

 

[Alcoholica]

I was in a similar situation and I discovered that Monster.com has resume and cover letter writing services for free if you make an account. It is pretty quick and easy and you can see if you should make any changes without spending any money.

 

[Gavster]

Learn to do it yourself. You have the time and its a skill for life. Selling yourself. I read up on how to do it and put my skill set in a pyramid shape. Every job I went for using it I got an interview.

Top three things
Cover letter explains how you can help the company. (Use their mission statement for words)
Resume is short but unique some how. AND only has skills applicable to the job.
No mistakes. Edit the crap out of it.

I'd also create some of the resume with their mission statement/company ideals met too.