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View Full Version : What to look for in Resume service??



Joe Tonich
05-02-2004, 1:04 PM
I want to get a professional resume service to make one up for me, but there's so many around how would I know if they're good? Are there any things I should look for ( or look OUT for) when I look? Any Q's I should ask? Any help in this area would definitely be appreciated as I've never had one before except a 1 page thing my sister made up a while ago. These things are a pretty big $$ item around here and I'd hate to not get my moneys worth out of it. Can't move without a job! :(

Thanks,

Joe - lookin to move SOUTH!

Michael Perata
05-03-2004, 4:50 AM
Joe

If you don't feel comfortable writing, then a resume service is certainly a good substitute.

I would recommend googling (what a verb) on the basics of what a resume should contain. Be as industry specific as possible. A resume written for tech job is much, much different than a resume written for a sales job.

Interview the resume service, get several examples of resumes written for individuals looking for similar jobs to the one you are looking for. Examine the writing style. If the resumes aren't interesting to you, you can be very sure they are not interesting to a potential employer. Spend sometime interviewing the writer, face-to-face or over the phone. If the writer seems disinterested, imagine the resume you'll be getting.

Lee Schierer
05-03-2004, 9:05 AM
Just be careful using a resume service. Some tend to exaggerate and you can be embarrassed during an interview if you don't know exactly what they meant by what they wrote on your resume. Some potential employers actually check the facts recorded on resumes. I prefer to write my own, because I can fully discuss what was meant by the infomration on the resume.

Jim Becker
05-03-2004, 9:52 AM
I prefer to write my own, because I can fully discuss what was meant by the infomration on the resume.
Lee's statement is very important in more ways than at first apparent. Your resume reflects "you" and if it doesn't sound like you, that can be a negative. "Slick" doesn't count. "Fancy" doesn't count. Good spelling, grammar, succinctness and clarity does. You can easily get help from friends to insure that you meet those goals. Further, "one size" doesn't fit all. It's not unreasonable to create a resume specific to a job you are pursuing, emphasizing things in different ways to best fit that opportunity. And that goes beyond the "objective" stated on the resume. You can't do that with something created by a service due to the cost.

BTW, your resume should be work and (pertinant) education related. You don't need any personal information on it other than name, address and phone number.

Aaron Koehl
05-03-2004, 11:48 AM
Lee's statement is very important in more ways than at first apparent. Your resume reflects "you" and if it doesn't sound like you, that can be a negative. "Slick" doesn't count. "Fancy" doesn't count. Good spelling, grammar, succinctness and clarity does. You can easily get help from friends to insure that you meet those goals. Further, "one size" doesn't fit all. It's not unreasonable to create a resume specific to a job you are pursuing, emphasizing things in different ways to best fit that opportunity. And that goes beyond the "objective" stated on the resume. You can't do that with something created by a service due to the cost.

BTW, your resume should be work and (pertinant) education related. You don't need any personal information on it other than name, address and phone number.
I have a word document with resume guidelines given to our graduating MBA candidates if anyone wants it.

I would highly recommend a cover letter--if possible do a little research and address it directly to the HR director or hiring manager, which might mean calling up and asking who that is. The cover letter gives you an opportunity to highlight and generate interest in your resume, while presenting more than just the facts--you should key this cover letter to the needs of the organization. Again, a little bit of research-

_Aaron_

Charles McKinley
05-03-2004, 3:13 PM
Hi Joe,

I'm not sure what job search engines you are using or what type of job you are looking for. Update your resume then post your current resume on Monster or one of the other sites and see if it gets any hits. Check "Key Words" that potential employeers would look for.

Check the state you wan to move to for a service like PA Career Links from their employment office.

Good luck!

Ian Barley
05-03-2004, 3:35 PM
I spent a lot of time reading resumes (we call them CV's - Curriculum Vitae).

A resume's purpose is to get you an interview - the interview gets you the job offer. If the resume gets you the interview, but you don't match the resume you won't get the job. Like Jim says, that means don't be fancy or smart on your resume unless you are gonna be fancy and smart in the interview. And only do that if the job needs fancy or smart.

Set out your resume in reverse date order and write about what you can do. If you're not that happy with the writing process just write it out in the same way you would say it and get somebody to help edit it into good written form.

If your experience and skills possibly point to a couple of different work areas then do a couple of different resumes. I used to have one based on technical skills and one based on management skills. I could then adapt whichever one was appropriate to the job I was going for.

One other tip. If you get an interview and it goes OK write a thank you letter to the person who interviews you - ideally so that it arrives on their desk the next morning. It need be only a couple of lines. "Thank you for your time today. I was very interested in the job and hope very much to hear from you again" sort of thing. This stands out because most people get most of their communication by email and voice and a letter stands out, especially a personally addressed one. I have never done this and not been offered the job. In my previous career I probably interviewed a couple hundred people and nobody ever did it to me.

Joe Tonich
05-03-2004, 4:51 PM
Thanks everyone,

This is all pretty new to me as the only interview I've ever had was with the State. I was in const. for 12 years (hired on the day I put in my application) and then 10 years at a factory (hired a week after applying, no interview here either. They called me up and wanted me there at 8am, filled out the paperwork, and was working by 9:30 ) Never really had the need for a resume before and now I sort of regret it. I'll PM Aaron for the guidelines and see if I can look at some others to get an idea of what they are like.

Thanks again,

Joe

Chris Johnson
05-03-2004, 7:37 PM
I just wanted to say good luck on the job hunt, but if your job skills show like your efforts here...you won't need the luck!



Thanks everyone,

This is all pretty new to me as the only interview I've ever had was with the State. I was in const. for 12 years (hired on the day I put in my application) and then 10 years at a factory (hired a week after applying, no interview here either. They called me up and wanted me there at 8am, filled out the paperwork, and was working by 9:30 ) Never really had the need for a resume before and now I sort of regret it. I'll PM Aaron for the guidelines and see if I can look at some others to get an idea of what they are like.

Thanks again,

Joe

Tony Falotico
05-03-2004, 9:50 PM
Joe, I had a 'professional resume' written several years ago and ended up re-writing it myself. First off, the guy talked some good buzzwords at first but when we really got down to it he DID NOT have a clue as to the type of work I did. Also, his exaggerations were a little to stretched (far fetched) and I didn't want to have to explain them in an interview situation. I suggest write it yourself.

Also, I see you listed as a State Highway Worker. I work for the DOT in (North) Florida. Don't know how far south you want to come but I would be more than willing to help you out any way I can. Things ain't real good right now with the Governor's privatization programs, but two more years and he is history as Gov' (term limits for Governor in Florida). Counties and municipalities are always looking for good people, and many (most) of them are members of the State retirement system. So, if you need any help, advise or have any questions (assuming Florida is in your prospective territory) don't hesitate to PM me. Let me know exactly what you are looking for and I'll keep my eyes open for ya'. North Florida is a great place to live and raise a family.