OT: Professional resume writer worth it?

[S.B. Crumb]

Seriously considering moving on from my current employer at the moment but it's been a verrrry long time since I've last gone job hunting (almost 15 years - lucky for me).

I'm considering getting my resume done by a resume writer. No idea what current trends are in hiring practices and I'm guessing competition for openings is stiffer now so might be worth it.

Yes/no?

Any other tips? Best websites to do some job hunting on? Hell, not even sure what one wears to an interview nowadays lol.

 

[RUskoolie]

Setup a Linkedin account and be very detailed. That is the 2016 version of a resume. Then start friending people in your industry.

I get hit up by a recruiter often on there.

You can write a resume, it's not that hard.

 

[Knight Ed]

The question is how good are you at writing your own resume? I have seen people who are not great candidates write outstanding resumes and people who are excellent candidates kill themselves by writing terrible resumes. Where do you fall?
You can probably Google some sample resumes for whatever job you are looking for to get an idea.

 

[RU85inFla]

If you do any hiring in your industry, get some of the candidate resumes and see what you like. Also, is your field somewhat specialized because your resume writer is not specialized in your field most likely.

LinkedIn is very good. Good place to look as well as a good place to be found.

 

[Knight Shift]

Do you have access to resumes to your current company? Or have you saved good resumes? Take a crack at it yourself, and then have a colleague or friend review it. Part of the trick to resume writing is having the right buzzwords to catch the attention of the company hiring. A professional resume writer may not have experience in your particular area and not know the buzzwords. You may also be able to get the help of career services where you went to college?

 

[mildone]

I've done a lot of hiring and I find resumes to be next to worthless once you get past an HR or recruiter review. But yeah, I guess you need to get past that HR or recruiter review of the resume.

Having said that, the value of a resume writer would seem to be inversely proportional to your skill as a writer combined with your experience seeing resumes in your industry. Even if you don't use a writer, be sure to have a couple people at least do some editing to eliminate any grammar or spelling mistakes.

And as others have said, depending on the industry, Linked-In is arguably more important than your resume. Just make sure the Linked-in details and the resume details are synchronized (I used to be surprised how often they are not, now nothing surprises me).

This is practically a cliche, but if you can think of some way to make yourself stand out, some experience, a slightly unusual presentation of the information, or short web address to a portfolio of some particularly brilliant work you've done and are prepared to discuss, then do it.

 

[S.B. Crumb]

Thanks for the input.

OK, maybe I will take a crack at it myself and try to get feedback somewhere.

Regarding LinkedIn, I actually have an account (don't even remember why I have it) that I paid about zero attention to until now.

Is this a negative? Do have to scrub it or start a new one somehow? Also, are the 'Premium' features they offer of any value?

 

[Knight Shift]

Thanks for the input.

OK, maybe I will take a crack at it myself and try to get feedback somewhere.

Regarding LinkedIn, I actually have an account (don't even remember why I have it) that I paid about zero attention to until now.

Is this a negative? Do have to scrub it or start a new one somehow? Also, are the 'Premium' features they offer of any value?

I don't have premium features. I have my own law firm. Maybe if I was job hunting, I would feel differently. A friend who has his own firm has premium and a lot more connections than me. He was busting my chops about how he had several hundred connections. I asked him how many of those connections were clients--he said NONE. I supposed in some industries the connections and activities helps. My recommendation is to clean up your existing account and as mildone recommended, sync it with your resume.

 

[mildone]

Thanks for the input.

OK, maybe I will take a crack at it myself and try to get feedback somewhere.

Regarding LinkedIn, I actually have an account (don't even remember why I have it) that I paid about zero attention to until now.

Is this a negative? Do have to scrub it or start a new one somehow? Also, are the 'Premium' features they offer of any value?

Just flesh it out with all the same information you're putting on your paper resume. And it would be a good idea to get some recommendations or endorsements from co-workers (or former co-workers) or anybody else.

I keep them on mine, but you might want to scrub any recommendations or endorsements from your blow dealer or hooker pimp off your linked-in profile. Again, depends on your industry.

Oh, and Premium is not necessary if you're shopping yourself around. It's more useful if you're hiring.

 

[dazl]

Any other tips? Best websites to do some job hunting on?

Once you have your resume put together and reviewed by a bunch of folks, the absolute best way to find a new job is through networking, networking and more networking. Looking for jobs on 'job board' websites is generally a waste of time. Corporate sites that list openings are a bit better, but rather than respond to a job posting online, find a way to get a referral into the company to 'bypass the HR department'. Building your network through LinkedIn is a start. If you don't think you have a lot of folks with which to network, think again --- all former bosses, subordinates, co-workers, vendors, customers, trade show contacts, neighbors, classmates, folks who work with you on volunteer projects, frat brothers, etc. might know someone who can get you an interview in your target company. And yes, build a target company list to give to people. If you don't have specific company names of where you would like to work, that's not going to help someone who might be able to help you.

Best wishes for success in your search!

 

[Goo]

If you're asking the question, you will need a resume writer. I thought my resume was outstanding until I had one done professionally. It was like night and day. Just remember you get what you pay for and you will need to do a lot of the hard work. I gave my writer seven pages of bio, she picked it apart via email and over the phone.

I used Rosa Elizabeth Vargas. She's an award winning writer in the industry. Go to her website and see her samples and go from there. Good luck.

 

[kapyoche]

Don't waste your time sending resumes. Resumes are not a hiring tool but a rejecting tool.

But you should have a detailed LinkedIn profile so others can view it and not bother you.

The key interaction in any job search is the first conversation (by phone) you have with the hiring manager. Do not make it more than 20 minutes. Note, you are negotiating from the first interaction. If you do this from the beginning then you don't need to negotiate at the end.

I would recommend recording a targeted video for a company you want to work for and make it no more than three minutes and send it to the hiring manager.

Have some body of work to show instead of what you have done at other companies. You have to differentiate yourself.

Write a blog on LinkedIn so you are showing your thought leadership.

Also, don't look like you are looking for a job; look like you are doing the job.

I coach people who are struggling to get good jobs and those who follow my simple method not only get the job they want but have been surprised how much salary they have gotten.

Last tip: Do not look for a job until you are happy at your current job. Do whatever you have to do to turn it around first and then look for a job. Doing this will help you get the job and the salary you want.

One more thing: The skills you need to do a good to great job are not the same skills you need to get a good to great job. Keep this in mind and you will do well.

Good luck!

 

[RU85inFla]

Thanks for the input.

OK, maybe I will take a crack at it myself and try to get feedback somewhere.

Regarding LinkedIn, I actually have an account (don't even remember why I have it) that I paid about zero attention to until now.

Is this a negative? Do have to scrub it or start a new one somehow? Also, are the 'Premium' features they offer of any value?

The biggest value of LinkedIn is that when people in your network move and you no longer have their contact info, you can find them thru LinkedIn.

Don't create a new profile. However immediately invest in connecting to everyone in your professional network.

 

[Knight Shift]

The biggest value of LinkedIn is that when people in your network move and you no longer have their contact info, you can find them thru LinkedIn.

Don't create a new profile. However immediately invest in connecting to everyone in your professional network.

When people in your network move, that may also alert you to a new opening.