The best way to get help writing your resume and accompanying materials is to get a referral from someone you know and trust. Employing a resume service is like employing a hair stylist: you’re joining forces with someone who can help show you in the most favorable light. The key is collaboration. If you surrender control to a writer who doesn’t help illustrate your strengths, your resume will reflect only how the writer sees you, not necessarily who you really are.
As a resume writer for more than 20 years, I get most of my business from referrals. I help my clients take part in every step of the transaction. I quiz you about what you like to do, where your strengths are, what you would do for free, and what you wouldn’t do for any amount of money. We analyze your skills and achievements to identify what it is about you that gets you where you want to go. We work together identifying language that is comfortable for you, and will be accessible to potential employers. Your participation in writing and editing will give you familiarity with the material, and confidence in your qualifications. By the time we’ve finished, you will have been through at least two practice interviews. You’ll be able to speak about your resume as if you’d written it yourself, since, in essence, you have.
As far as needing help composing your own resume being a sign that you can’t write: it’s not just about writing. It’s also about selling yourself in a way that will appeal to a reader, and it’s quite hard to evaluate your own qualifications impartially.
