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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,343
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Anyone have their resume professionally done? Did it help get a job?

It is expensive, around $500.00!

I think we may bite the bullet & do it, my husband lost his job suddenly last week (cost reduction) & he tried doing one himself & applying, but looks like the resume matters quite a bit...really, send back jobs around $10.00 an hour & he was a manager!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,953
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Anyone have their resume professionally done? Did it help get a job?

I'm sorry your husband lost his job, that can be so devastating.

From all I know, it is worth it to get your resume professionally done. I went through all of the resume business with my daughter and her friends when they got out of grad school. Along the way, my daughter learned so much about writing resumes, she started helping her friends.

Even the paper you use can be important, and the font (hint: don't use comic sans).

Look around online, use Yelp for your area, it can make a big difference. Think of it as an investment in your future. And keep copies!

Good luck Smile

A Thrill Of Hope The Weary World Rejoices
Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,019
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Anyone have their resume professionally done? Did it help get a job?

Unless he has worked in a human resources position in a professional capacity, I would recommend having it done. HR managers are looking for a relatively short and concise outline of previous job responsibilities and accomplishments. Keeping it to one page is a plus. I think there may be a couple of posters who have mentioned that they work/worked as HR professionals.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,179
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Anyone have their resume professionally done? Did it help get a job?

The unemployment office here, helps with your resume for free.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,179
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Anyone have their resume professionally done? Did it help get a job?

On 3/20/2015 deepwaterdotter said:

Unless he has worked in a human resources position in a professional capacity, I would recommend having it done. HR managers are looking for a relatively short and concise outline of previous job responsibilities and accomplishments. Keeping it to one page is a plus. I think there may be a couple of posters who have mentioned that they work/worked as HR professionals.

I agree with having a one page resume. Many companies are looking for certain key words. If they are not found, they toss them out. I have never used a resume service. For high paying jobs, I would for sure. $500 seems high imo.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,954
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Anyone have their resume professionally done? Did it help get a job?

Big companies don't even LOOK at resumes...they are scanned by machines for words that match the job description...or screened by third party firms or clerks looking to make sure the resume matches the job.

You can get simple outlines for resumes online....it shouldn't be more than one or two pages anyway. $500 is a major ripoff, IMO.

I still think person to person contacts and sites like Linkedin are more important, especially for management jobs.

I just went through this when I submitted resumes to two television stations. They both said no phone calls were accepted - everyone had to go through their site.

I hadn't heard back, so I called the managers - I know them at both places. They BOTH said they had never received my resume from corporate (it had been about a week or a little longer)...and both set appointments for me because I called. Same with my seasonal job. My manager there called me about a f/t position. I told him that the website said that all jobs had to go through the headhunter form and he just laughed and said not to bother about that....that's just to screen people OUT.

So my advice is to have him network with everyone he knows and make sure his Linkedin info is up to date (or start an account there).

I think it's MORE important to send thank you notes (handwritten) to anyone and everyone he networks with who helps him...and to everyone he interviews with - even the first round with a low level HR clerk.

Best of luck to your family!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,764
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Anyone have their resume professionally done? Did it help get a job?

Years ago when I was doing my first resume, my dad made a few recommendations that helped me get my first interviews.

Now, I think it's well worth your while to pay someone to produce a professional resume in order to help you compete for that job. While screening job applicants recently, my brother told me about a particular resume he ran across with flowers and a floral scent on it. He shook his head and told me they tossed it without further ado. He couldn't believe someone would expect to be taken as a serious applicant with this type of approach.

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Posts: 5,511
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Anyone have their resume professionally done? Did it help get a job?

We have a centralized HR but I often see people stop by my office job hunting. My employer does hire boomers as well as recent grads. I will say many boomers are reluctant to join the digital age. That's a killer because how are you going to perform the job once hired?

Paper resume's are a thing of the past. Everything we accept has to be digital, pdf's, etc. Keep it concise, 10-15 yrs at most. It will 'date' you if you go back farther. Same with your education. Only list your highest degree. If older than 10-15 yrs then leave off graduation.

Everything we accept gets submitted to an email box. Resume, college transcript, etc. In the automated process, yes it does look for key buzzwords. If your DH knows a specific type of software, list it.

If he's getting 10/hr job offers he's looking in the wrong places. Target your employers.

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Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Anyone have their resume professionally done? Did it help get a job?

On 3/20/2015 Snowpuppy said:

We have a centralized HR but I often see people stop by my office job hunting. My employer does hire boomers as well as recent grads. I will say many boomers are reluctant to join the digital age. That's a killer because how are you going to perform the job once hired?

Paper resume's are a thing of the past. Everything we accept has to be digital, pdf's, etc. Keep it concise, 10-15 yrs at most. It will 'date' you if you go back farther. Same with your education. Only list your highest degree. If older than 10-15 yrs then leave off graduation.

Everything we accept gets submitted to an email box. Resume, college transcript, etc. In the automated process, yes it does look for key buzzwords. If your DH knows a specific type of software, list it.

If he's getting 10/hr job offers he's looking in the wrong places. Target your employers.

He still needs a professional resume for online jobs. The content is still needed, not an actual piece of paper. $10/hour is ok here, not where the op lives in NY.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,954
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Anyone have their resume professionally done? Did it help get a job?

On 3/20/2015 Snowpuppy said:

We have a centralized HR but I often see people stop by my office job hunting. My employer does hire boomers as well as recent grads. I will say many boomers are reluctant to join the digital age. That's a killer because how are you going to perform the job once hired?

Paper resume's are a thing of the past. Everything we accept has to be digital, pdf's, etc. Keep it concise, 10-15 yrs at most. It will 'date' you if you go back farther. Same with your education. Only list your highest degree. If older than 10-15 yrs then leave off graduation.

Everything we accept gets submitted to an email box. Resume, college transcript, etc. In the automated process, yes it does look for key buzzwords. If your DH knows a specific type of software, list it.

If he's getting 10/hr job offers he's looking in the wrong places. Target your employers.

Thanks for the inside info...I agree that EVERYONE has to have a SIMPLE .pdf resume to upload to job application sites.

Even though my last jobs involved networking and personal contacts - I had to upload a resume for them all. They use it to screen applicants and move the process along by all parties involved...from clerks to supervisors to upper management. Your paper stock, fonts, etc. aren't important...most people will be looking at a .pdf that was sent from someone else in their company.

I still think $500 for a professional resume is a rip off. There are PLENTY of recent books with great templates...just fill in the blanks. Don't let someone take advantage of your situation...a "professional" resume is less important now than ever.

Past experience, networking and follow up thank you's are more important.