Your resume is one of the most important marketing tools you'll employ during your job search. More than that, it’s a highly critical financial tool, too. Without it, you don’t get an interview that lands a job providing money for bills, vacation, and retirement savings.

When there are no strings attached, a professional resume review just makes sense to make sure your resume can stand up to the competition and catch the eye of an employer. 

What is a professional resume review service?

Quite simply, a professional resume review service is one of the many things resume writing companies offer. The great thing is that good resume-writing companies offer free resume reviews. Of course, they do that because they want to sell resume-writing services, but often, you can get the review without paying for the service (though that’s not recommended). 

When you send in your current resume for a professional resume review, your resume will be pushed through a system to make sure it’s applicant tracking system (ATS) friendly. A human being will also give it a once over to make sure your resume is striking the right balance between historical facts about your career and future-facing keyphrases that will impress prospective employers.

You’ll then receive an email with detailed feedback on what’s good and what needs to be changed. At that point, you can either decide to update it yourself or hire the professional resume review service to write a new resume for you (highly recommended).

Why hire a professional resume writer?

A lot of people ask if hiring a resume writer is worth it. Hiring a professional resume writer grants you an advocate. Not only will the writer comb through your career history, but they know how to put a compelling narrative together that aptly sells you to a new job. You’ll work one-on-one with a career expert and walk away with a document that allows you to put your best foot forward and succeed in your job search. 

You have to do some due diligence because not all resume writers are what they claim to be. Check out this article on how to type: entry-hyperlink id: 5Rl4zxPeLckSu6ero22xDf.

5 Signs You Need a Professional Resume Review

1. It's been a while since your last job search

If it's been five or more years since you seriously conducted a job search, you may be in for a few surprises when you decide to look for a new job. As technology and recruiting practices continue to evolve, so do the resume-writing rules. From formatting and layout to content and keywords, there are many items to take into account when evaluating and updating your resume.

Luckily, there are plenty of free resume critique services available to help you determine if your resume is up to snuff or if it needs to be professionally rewritten.

2. Your goals have changed

If you're a few years beyond the entry-level position, it's time to update your resume to reflect this status. The same thing goes for anyone interested in changing careers or taking on their first leadership role. If your goals have changed or your career has evolved, so, too, should the format and content of your resume.

Share these changes with a professional resume-writing service so they can determine if your new goals are clear to the reader and supported throughout your resume.

3. ATS systems, keyword optimization … it's all Greek to you

Most job applications pass through an electronic filter known as an applicant tracking system (or ATS, for short) before they make their way to the hiring manager. If your resume isn't formatted properly or optimized with the right keywords, there's a good chance it won't get past these initial screens.

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4. You're unsure what to include (or remove)

What contact information belongs on your resume? How important is it to include a type: entry-hyperlink id: 1SgJj32ErmqY6cik0Xyzrn? How far back should your employment history go? Can you include information about classes you've taken or volunteer work you've done?

A professional resume critique could be just what you need to figure out what's missing from your resume and what needs to go.

5. Your situation is complicated

Perhaps you've been struggling to find steady work in your field for the past few years, or your resume has some glaring employment gaps. While you can't change the past, there are some steps you can take to type: entry-hyperlink id: 4wEffmDEJ0LvIsAYgM3iNQ. Once you've edited your resume to downplay any shortcomings, request a professional resume critique to see how successful you were at filling in the gaps.

What to expect

After your resume goes through the professional resume review and you decide to hire a resume writer, there are some things you need to be prepared for. 

• It’s a highly collaborative process. Don’t expect to simply send in your current resume and have your resume writer work some magic. There will be questions you need to answer and feedback to give to clarify critical elements of your work history.

• It’s not an overnight process. Most resume-writing projects take at least a week to complete. That mostly depends on how quickly you and your writer communicate with each other.

• Your final resume may exclude things. A good resume writer will not simply rewrite what you give them. Your final resume will be optimized to get past an ATS and have the keywords necessary to impress a hiring manager. The goal is to include only what’s – professionally relevant to your career target.

Good enough isn’t good enough

Considering how important your resume is, ‘good enough’ simply won’t cut it. If you need help, don’t be afraid to seek it out. In the long run, the benefits of a professional resume review can’t be overstated.

Submit your resume today for a free resume evaluation to increase your chances of landing the right job sooner.

This article was originally written by Amanda Augustine. It’s been updated by Marsha Hebert.

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• Real professionals. Real Resumes. Real reviews.

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