There’s no denying it: It’s a rough economy out there. Tough economic times only make it even more challenging for job seekers to find employment, even the most skilled and talented ones. The way to stand out from the competition is an excellent resume. But in order to stand out, you need to make an impression quickly. An average of 250 CVs are received for each open job position, and research shows that recruiters spend an average of 6.25 seconds on each resume. If your resume isn’t perfect, it will be chucked into the bin. The bottom line? The stakes are high. By hiring a professional resume writer, you can dramatically improve your odds of success. Take a look at the five ways in which a resume writer can help you.
1. Better express your skills, experience, and credentials. Resume writers are professional writers. If you are an accountant or an engineer, your writing skills might not be top notch. If you’re not getting interviews but your credentials and experience are stellar, more likely than not there is a problem with your resume. Remember, your credentials and skills won’t impress anyone if they aren’t eloquently conveyed. Resumes need to convey a lot of information, but they need to do so in a manner that is concise, compelling, and captivating. This can be a challenging thing for anyone to do, let alone someone who isn’t gifted with words. You’re far better off putting this challenge in the hands of a professional. Though if you do decide to go it alone, be sure to check out our pro tips and tricks for effective resume writing.
2. Ensure your resume is current. If you’ve been gainfully employed for 25 years and suddenly find yourself on the job market, you may be left scratching your head as how to write a resume that is up to date. “If you’ve been out of the job market for a period of time, it’s hard to know what the current hiring practices are without a lot of time-consuming research,” explained Sarah Boisvert. “Many resume writing services have been in business for years and track industry trends. Their writers are trained in how to respond to the demands of HR professionals and hiring managers. Insider knowledge is an intangible benefit worth the cost of using a service.”
3. Highlight your cross-functional abilities. In today’s world, employers expect employees to do more and are increasingly placing an emphasis on cross-functional abilities. “It’s no longer enough to do one aspect of a job. More employers are expanding job descriptions and increasing duties to compensate for the perceived instability in the economic climate,” Boisvert said. “Often this involves writing your own reports and interacting more with customers with decreased support staff. Demonstrating good writing on your resume tells a company’s HR department that they can count on you to fill cross-functional jobs and gives you a competitive edge over other candidates.”
4. Improve the structure and organization of your resume. It’s not just about what you say, it is also about how you say it. Different situations will warrant different resume structures. A professional resume writer can help you figure out which structure to use so your resume stands out.
5. Play up the pros, and play down the cons. If there is some kind of issue in your employment history that might raise a red flag to employers, a well-written and well-structured resume can help to downplay it. Perhaps you’ve been out of the workforce raising your children for the past 20 years, and now there is a two-decade gap in your work experience that you don’t know how to address. Or maybe you’ve made a midlife career change and you’re worried your skills and experience won’t seem relevant in your new industry. Of course, no one can rewrite his or her professional history. But whatever you case may be, a professional resume writer has the skills and expertise to accentuate the positives on your resume while drawing employers’ attention away from the negatives.