How do you know when it is time to ask for professional help with your resume?
Job searching is an expensive process. Interview outfits, time off work, balancing your work/life balance while you search and apply, interview outfits….and more. Many people (understandably) don’t want to spend on top of that for professional support with their resume or selection criteria.
If you have been applying for a while without success, it might be time to consider calling in the pros. Think of it as an investment in you just like a new interview outfit. I can help you to tell you career story clearly, coherently and in a way that will get you past the electronic filters and in front of the recruiters and HR team.
Here are some things to consider when asking yourself “is it time to get some help with my resume?”
Writing isn’t your strength
Not everyone is a natural writer. I have worked with many people who have amazing skills in IT, youth services, education etc but they struggle to advertise their skills in a way that brings them to the attention of recruiters. Using a professional writer helps you to focus on developing your job skills while someone else focuses on sharing that information on paper.
You have no idea what to put in or leave out
Resume writing can be really stressful! How far back do you go? What jobs do you include? What do you do about gaps in your employment? What do you do if you don’t have a reference from a role because you left on bad terms? What do HR recruiters care about the most? A professional writer will know how to guide you with all of these questions and how best to highlight your strengths.
Talking yourself up is not your style
A strong resume calls attention to your accomplishments, contributions and successes alongside your work experience and education. It is a balancing act and that can be hard to do if you are not naturally someone who likes to #HumbleBrag. A professional writer will help you to draw attention to the things you have done that are worth bragging about and engage the attention of a potential employer.
You have applied for a lot of roles with no luck
Do you apply for lots of different roles and never get any further than the application point? It’s possible your resume is not making it past automated trackers.
In many large organisations and some government sectors who outsource to recruitment agencies, initial applications pass through a software program to search for key terms before making it to the HR team. If your resume isn’t formatted properly or is missing key terms, it may not have made it past this initial filter.
You are an individual
Maybe you are looking at a career change but struggling to show off transferable skills. Many people have substantial career gaps – or extended casual employment – for a variety of reasons. While I can’t change your employment history, I can help you to smooth out the bumps in your work history and allow an potential employer to focus on your strengths.
Investing in a professionally written resume might just give you the edge you need to shorten your job search and land the right job. Contact Mel today!
Mel Writes Resumes 