Ok, I’ll admit it. I have a vested interest in this post. I also happen to be someone who cares a great deal – about my clients and anyone else who is about to spend hard-earned money on a resume.
I do believe that to a certain extent choosing a professional resume writer is like anything else. You need to go with your gut and make sure it’s a personality fit. But, please please please…ask questions first! This quick list will help you make sure you understand what you’re getting and help you make the hiring decision.
1) Ask what the person’s credentials and experience are. The correct answer may or may not be someone with HR experience. First and foremost, can they write? Have they done this before? In your field? How did they get in to resume writing? What do they like about it? You’re interviewing this person, so ask the hard questions. It may be too late once you’ve paid!
2) Who writes the resumes? Do you talk to the writer, or will the work be outsourced? It’s not always the case that you’ll work with the owner of a company, which is perfectly fine. Just make sure that you understand how the work will be assigned and whether you can access the writer directly so nothing gets lost in translation. It’s just a waste of time.
3) How do revisions work? Is there a specified time that you must reply within? Are you limited to a number of drafts? What if you find a minor correction in two months from now? Can you speak to someone over the phone about revisions or is it via email? Ask these questions and make sure you’re ok with the answers.
4) When is payment due? I require full payment up front. This is an odd concept for some, especially clients who are in a service industry themselves and are used to payment upon the job’s completion. It’s a little different when you’re getting a haircut or having a home repair done, though. I’m sending a document into the great wide open and hoping that a person I’ve never met face-to-face is honest and will pay me. Unfortunately, for most resume writers, it only takes one bad apple. So understand if you’re asked for payment up front, it’s pretty typical 🙂
5) What if I don’t like my resume? Any good writer will feel comfortable answering this, because 99.9% of their clients are happy. A guarantee is a pretty bogus concept – it’s been said that the only guarantees in life are death and taxes and I think that’s pretty accurate. I always tell my clients that the last thing I’d ever want is a detractor in the marketplace so of course if they were horrendously dissatisfied we’d work it out. If someone is uncomfortable about this discussion, it could point to an issue. This is a service business, after all, so the writer should fully understand that you’re the customer, and therefore, always right!