You have a professionally written resume. Now what?

If you're like many professionals, writing and updating your resume probably isn't at the top of your list of fun. It takes a whole lot of critical thinking, strategizing, arranging, writing, rewriting, and overthinking, which can eat up days of your job-search process.

That's where hiring a professional resume writer can be helpful; they can save you a load of time, energy, and stress. They also have a ton of experience and expertise in the realm of resumes and know exactly what employers are looking for — no overthinking required.

Once you have your professionally written resume, what's next? With your shiny, new resume in hand, follow these tips to find — and land — your dream job.

Planning your job search

Before you submit or upload your brand new resume anywhere, you'll want to map out your plan of action. Searching for the best jobs to apply for takes some strategy, so here are tips to help you set the stage for a successful job search:

  • Define your goals and write them down: You'll have already started thinking about these goals when working with your professional resume writer (they'll ask you about your strengths, weaknesses, and goals), but if you haven't already written these down, do so now. This will help you narrow your job search and shorten the overall process.

  • Make a list of your top desired employers: Make sure they meet your industry, location, size, and work-culture needs by researching these companies and their competitors. Chances are, you'll find additional companies you're interested in by doing this.

  • Assess your online presence: Have you updated your LinkedIn lately? Or your online portfolio? It's time to do a quick Google search of yourself and take the necessary steps to clean up your accounts. If you need to update your professional information, feel free to pull from your new resume.

  • Line up your references: Did you notice your professional resume writer didn't ask for your references? That's because listing them on your resume tends to be a waste of space. But now's the time when you'll want to start reaching out to your references to let them know about your goals and job-search plan.

Now that you've jump-started your job search, it's time to dive in.

Executing your job search

You've laid the groundwork for a successful job search, and now it's time to execute it using your updated resume to your advantage. Here are the steps you can take to find — and land — a new job with your professionally rewritten resume:

1. Determine your go-to job resources

When it comes to finding jobs you want to apply for, it's important to stick to two or three job listing resources. These can be job-search websites, like Indeed, Glassdoor, and CareerBuilder, or, if you want to take your search mobile, you can use job-search apps, like LinkedIn and Snagajob.

It's important you don't try to check every single site or app each day because you'll quickly overwhelm yourself. Also, you'd likely spot many of the same listings.

If you'd like to automate this part of the process, many of these sites allow you to sign up for daily email alerts. That means you'll get new listings straight to your inbox.

Some of these job boards and job-search sites also allow you to upload your resume to their databases. For instance, CareerBuilder lets you upload your resume, and companies can peruse its database of candidates and reach out if you seem like a strong fit for an open position. 

2. Make yourself (and your resume) easy to find

Searching for a job doesn't always mean you have to do all the hard work. Many times hiring managers and recruiters are on the lookout for talent, so make sure you're easy to find on the internet — especially LinkedIn.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to set your LinkedIn profile to “open to job opportunities.” Before you do this, though, you'll want to make sure your LinkedIn is updated. To make life easier on yourself, pull information from your professionally written resume to update your job history.

3. Print hard copies of your resume and network in person

If you really want to get your name out there and be more than just another digital job application, job seekers should start networking. Keep a few copies of your resume readily available (you never know who you'll run into), and put yourself out there. Attend job fairs, seminars, meet-ups, lectures, and volunteer events. 

Also, don't be afraid to grab coffee, or hop on a phone call with folks in your industry. You never know where this could lead. 

4. Use your resume to prepare for interviews

If you land an interview during your job search, use your professionally written resume to help you prepare. Consider the job requirements and responsibilities in the listing, and focus on how your experience lines up.

Also, what's nice about working with a professional resume writer is that they're often able to step back and see your professional experience in a different light. Whereas you're likely more caught in the day-to-day needs of your job, a professional can better see the big picture and find strengths you hadn't yet identified. Use this outsider's perspective to your advantage.

When you head to your interview, don't forget to print out a few copies of your resume to offer to your interviewer(s).

5. Let your resume act as a negotiation tool

If you land a job offer, you can potentially use your new resume as negotiation leverage. If you want to ask for a higher salary or better benefits, lean on your resume to showcase your experience and expertise to prove you're more than qualified for the job and are worth the additional perks.

6. Build up your personal brand

As you continue your job search and even as you progress in your career, you can use your professionally written resume to beef up your personal brand.

As mentioned, a professional resume writer has the ability to look at the big picture — your strengths, your accomplishments, and your overall qualifications. Use the insight you've gained from both your resume and your writer as you build up and maintain your brand. You might be surprised that you'll find new strengths to highlight.

Want to see what a professional resume writer can do for you? Start by getting a free resume review today.

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