Professional resume writers

[next2015]

Hi guys,
A friend of mine will be landing in a few months, and he's considering using a professional resume writer to boost his chances of finding work. Has anyone here used these services? Is the expense really worth it?

I'll appreciate any feedback, especially from anyone that has used such services and how they impacted your job search. I'd prefer to share with him a well informed opinion as opposed to just my thoughts.

Thanks

 

[CDNPR2014]

considering every job application these days requires the job seeker to tailor the resume to the specific job, resume writers are good for creating a catchy format and possibly writing good descriptions - which may or may not be relavant to a specific job. personally, i'd rather do it myself than spend the money on someone else to do it for me. i believe the going rate is $150ish for this service, possibly higher. for formatting and industry language ideas, i do a google image search for the role i'm interested in and use those as a template.

 

[foodie69]

I did it and landed a full time job in my field of expertise within 2 week of arrival in Vancouver.

http://all-trades-resume-writing.com/candace-alstad-davies-resume-writer/

 

[next2015]

I did it and landed a full time job in my field of expertise within 2 week of arrival in Vancouver.

http://all-trades-resume-writing.com/candace-alstad-davies-resume-writer/

Interesting! But tell me, was the final resume really different from the one you had written your self? If so, what made it different?

 

[next2015]

considering every job application these days requires the job seeker to tailor the resume to the specific job, resume writers are good for creating a catchy format and possibly writing good descriptions - which may or may not be relavant to a specific job. personally, i'd rather do it myself than spend the money on someone else to do it for me. i believe the going rate is $150ish for this service, possibly higher. for formatting and industry language ideas, i do a google image search for the role i'm interested in and use those as a template.

I agree... Doing it your self makes more sense, and the $150+ is a bit much to part with for this. However, he shared with me a copy of the resume he had done himself, using that approach, and a critique of the same resume by a recruiter... What seemed like a good resume, in my opinion and other friends - some are consultants with leading firms; was average at best, according to the recruiter. And the recruiter's comments actually made sense...

 

[foodie69]

Interesting! But tell me, was the final resume really different from the one you had written your self? If so, what made it different?

It was custom made to Canadian specifics, used much better description, words and generally looked and sounded professional. And I could not be bothered to write one myself, to be honest..That was 6 years ago, if it works today, I do not know.

 

[CDNPR2014]

I agree... Doing it your self makes more sense, and the $150+ is a bit much to part with for this. However, he shared with me a copy of the resume he had done himself, using that approach, and a critique of the same resume by a recruiter... What seemed like a good resume, in my opinion and other friends - some are consultants with leading firms; was average at best, according to the recruiter. And the recruiter's comments actually made sense...

that 1 recruiter is not going to be the only person who reviews the resume during a jobsearch. every recruiter and person reading a resume has an individual opinion, and what one person likes, another person dislikes. just read the articles online about resume do's and dont's. while there are some general guidelines for success, you'll notice not all recruiters share the same opinions.

it's good to get critiques of resumes to help guide a person in what works best for their industry. it's also important to not get caught up in making a resume look perfect or getting opinions about it from everyone. the only opinion that matters is the person reviewing the resume for a particular role. as a job seeker, it's a hit and miss really. the first person to review a resume isn't necessarily a recruiter or hiring manager, it can be an admin asst, receptionist or junior staff. a resume can be trashed for the simplest of reasons or it can be put on a short list because it's unique (google Relevant Resume). if the resume isn't being changed for every application, then the chances of getting an interview are slim to none. recruiters don't want to see general resumes. they want to know how you specifically meet the qualifications they are looking for and what value you will bring to the role.

 

[next2015]

that 1 recruiter is not going to be the only person who reviews the resume. every recruiter and person reading a resume has an individual opinion, and what one person likes, another person dislikes. just read the articles online about resume do's and dont's. while there are some general guidelines for success, you'll notice not all recruiters share the same opinions.

it's good to get critiques of resumes to help guide a person in what works best for their industry. it's also important to not get caught up in making a resume look perfect or getting opinions about it from everyone. the only opinion that matters is the person reviewing the resume for a particular role. as a job seeker, it's a hit and miss really. a resume can be trashed for the simplest of reasons or it can be put on a short list because it's unique (google Relevant Resume). if the resume isn't being changed for every application, then the chances of getting an interview are slim to none. recruiters don't want to see general resumes. they want to know how you specifically meet the qualifications they are looking for and what value you will bring to the role.

Very sensible! I'll just leave to him to make a decision.

 

[next2015]

Guys +1 for your input. Greatly appreciate it.

 

[Milsrome]

hello everyone, Settlement Online pre arrival is a free program to pre-landed immigrants who's PR application is at Medical Stage. this program has free course on Resume Building and each province in Canada have facilitators. Eventhough the course is facilitated but facilitation is asynchronous so means you still do your course in your own time in your country. Many pre landed immigrants benefit on this free program from the government of Canada coz you will not only learn how to do your resume and cover letter in Canadian format but there are many topics on job interviewing, importance of soft skills in Canadian workplace and other topics that are employment focus. Settlement Online Pre arrival is offered in Manitoba, Saskachewan, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and the Atlantic provinces. It's free and funded by IRCC.. http://www.arriveprepared.ca/