10 Ways to Know You’ve Found a Trustworthy Executive Resume Writer

Have you been conducting a job search and written a new resume but having little luck—and are you starting to ask yourself: Is a resume writing service worth it, do I want to spend the money? Or, maybe you’re just beginning a job search and you’re not even sure where to start with revamping your current resume—and wondering the same thing about paying for a professionally written resume.

Here’s what I can tell you: When you find the right executive resume writer, with the right experience, and the right skill set for your resume needs, then a professionally written resume is definitely worth it.

Perhaps you’ve already started researching professional executive resume writers and resume writing services, and are getting frustrated amid the thousands of results out there on the internet while you’re trying to decipher which professional resume writer is the best fit for your needs or the one you can trust to do a great job.

Or, are you concerned about being taken advantage of or not receiving the best quality career documents? When you’re searching for an executive resume writing service on the internet, and sending your money to someone, it makes sense you’d be concerned about that. There are scams out there. But, there are also plenty of incredibly talented and experienced writers who can create a great resume that can help you on your way to achieving your career goals. 

I hear from concerned job seekers every day who are trying to wade through the thousands of online writing services and determine the best fit for them. That’s why I created this 10-point checklist to evaluate executive resume writers and determine credibility, trustworthiness, and the best fit for you. If you’re applying for executive positions and searching for a resume writer, these are the ten factors I recommend you should take into consideration:

1) The writer herself, or the professional resume writing service she works for, has been in business for at least a few years. Be wary of resume mills that pop up overnight. The longer the resume writer has been in business, the more likely they are one of the more reliable professional resume services. More than five years in business is a good predictor of reliability. This is only one measure of trustworthiness, though, so I don’t advise using it as your sole means of evaluating professional writers or resume writing companies, but keep it in mind as you consider other factors.

2) The writer, or the professional resume writing service they work for, has been recognized in respected publications, or honored with industry awards. Forbes, Fortune, Time, MSN, and US News & World Report are among the places you can look to see if professional resume writers have been published or called upon to give an interview and offer expert advice.

3) They have a LinkedIn page—either for the company or the individual writer, but preferably both—and that page includes positive reviews from former clients. Use LinkedIn to find out who is behind an executive resume service. Check out the company and the writer’s pages for recommendations and other information that demonstrates their professional experience and accomplishments.

4) They have positive reviews on online platforms other than LinkedIn. Google the executive resume service or the writer and search for online reviews. Look also for information on the person who is giving the review. Reliable review sites usually come from recruiters and career industry professionals.

5) Their website includes client testimonials with a photo and full name. These are the most credible. Anyone can put a fake testimonial on their website, but if the testimony includes a headshot or a full name, you can be confident it’s legitimate.

6) They are a certified professional resume writer or employ certified resume writers. These four resume writing organizations review, evaluate, and test resume writers before issuing a certification: The Resume Writing Academy, Career Directors International, National Resume Writer’s Association, and Professional Association of Resume Writers. Look for the following certifications: ACRW, MRW, CARW, CERW, NCRW, CPRW. Also, check for Better Business Bureau membership and look for the seal on the service’s website. If the resume writing service has a low rating with the BBB, it’s a sure sign to stay away.

7) They have a good process for resume writing—beginning with the fact that the executive resume writer you work with takes the time to get to know you. Do you want to fill out a worksheet or career history questionnaire and receive a resume created from a template—or would you prefer a custom-created executive resume based on your personal branding, job search strategy, unique work history, achievements, and career goals? As you consider whether the process of the resume writing service is a good fit for you, also consider how they communicate. Do you prefer to work via e-mail questionnaires, or by telephone consultation and have someone else gather all the information and do all the writing? Decide how you want to be involved in the resume writing process and your comfort level relying on the wisdom and experience of your resume writer.

8) The executive resume writing services’ websites you look at, or a writer’s website have free resume samples available for review, or they offer to make a sample resume or two available for you to look over. Not everyone shares the same idea of a great resume writer. The best way you can ensure that your idea of a great resume matches the resume writer’s idea of a great resume is to review executive resume samples from them. Are you impressed with their executive resume samples? If so, that’s a great indication you’ll be happy with the resume they write for you. if their resume samples are outdated, boring, or poorly written, then it wouldn’t be wise to invest in working with that writer. Look for someone whose executive resume writing work matches your expectations. There’s no such thing as a perfect resume, but there are effective resumes and there are bad resumes. Make sure you get a resume writer that you can work well with to get a good executive resume that works for your needs.

9) They are thought leaders in the resume writing and career industry. Check out their blog, online publications, articles on LinkedIn and other social media, and media features. Outstanding professional resume writers who are credible and trustworthy will be industry thought leaders. They’ll publish content that helps others on their own blog or LinkedIn profile, and they will be expert sources for top media publications.

10) Their pricing matches the quality of their executive resume writing work. The rates an executive resume writer charges will be an indication of the level of time and energy invested by them, as well as of their years of experience and expertise in the field of professional resume writing. Do you want a $99 document with a 24-hour turnaround that uses a resume template and is written from content you provided in a questionnaire—that potentially hundreds of other job seekers are using too—with no writer contract? Or do you want a handcrafted, well-written executive resume with personal branding that helps you stand out to prospective employers during the hiring process? You’ll find prices for executive level resumes ranging from $100 to $2,000. The old adage that ‘you get what you pay for’ is usually right. A guarantee is also an indication you’re working with a reliable resume writer—they’re not afraid to stand behind their work.

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For more job search and career advice, as well as hundreds of resume writing tips to help you get the attention of potential employers and recruiters, visit the Great Resumes Fast blog.

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Need support for your job search? You can find out more about the Great Resumes Fast professional resume writing service and the talented team of professional resume writers that make up our resume service at: https://www.greatresumesfast.com/about.htm.

Are you tired of your resume being rejected by applicant tracking systems? I know how frustrating it is to submit your resume and receive no response. I hate seeing qualified people never break through the screening process. It shouldn’t be that way. That’s why I created this guide and I encourage you to download the FREE PDF so you can start seeing better resume response rates!