Posted on Jun 5, 2016
Would you prefer to write your own resume or hire a professional resume writer? Explain why?
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Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 42
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I hired a professional. My reasoning was that I needed and wanted help translating my military experience into civilian language. I feel it was completely worth the money I spent. Just so you are aware some professional resume writers will charge you more if are military.
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SFC David Davenport
I had several quality offers for employment that came from the resume. Ironically I ended up taking a job that I interviewed for without giving them a resume. So to answer your question very comfortable.
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I think writing your own resume helps you to remember how much skill you have, and how qualified you are for certain positions. Often times we forget details if we haven't thought about or talked about them in a while and it helps to refresh your memory.
While we are on the subject, I'm a recruiter and I'd like to be able to reach out to fellow veterans who are looking to make a career move and hopefully connect them with great opportunities. Is that something that I can do on this site??
While we are on the subject, I'm a recruiter and I'd like to be able to reach out to fellow veterans who are looking to make a career move and hopefully connect them with great opportunities. Is that something that I can do on this site??
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CW3 Dylan E. Raymond, PHR
Who are you recruiting for? You can post roles and your network will be able to see them
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Sgt Teressa Sutton
That sounds good, I have several clients that want to fill specific roles, I'd love to create a win\win for someone transitioning out of the military. I'll take your advice and post those roles.
Thank you.
Thank you.
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Speaking from personal experience, what worked really well for me was having the on-base professional resume writer do my initial Federal resume as part of my Transition Assistance Program (based upon both my older civilian resumes as well as my EPRs and OPRs), and then updating and tweaking my Federal resume from there as I gained new experiences.
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I would definitely write it myself but in that make sure to keep it as simple as can be due to our numerous duties performed while serving. if your not careful your resume could easily turn into a novel
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I wrote my own, then utilized a professional writer to "pretty it up." I know my experience, but they know current jargon, how to translate into "corporate speak," and can deliver a beautiful end product. I was out of work, gave them my existing resume, and once we talked through the new version, i had a job in a month. Well worth the investment!
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Dylan,
As others have said here, it really depends on how good a writer you are. It may also depend on what your job was in the military and how easily it transfers to a civilian role. You know best what you did, yes. But, a good professional resume writer should be adept at drawing those things out of you and wording them better than you may have done on your own. Myself, having been military for 20 years, I found I was using terms and "accomplishments" in my resume that either were not considered significant by my civilian counterparts, or they did not know what they even meant. It took me several iterations to finally cleanse my resume of the military jargon. If you do decide to write your own resume, do get several people to review it and try to get a couple reviewers that have never been in the military. Good luck!
As others have said here, it really depends on how good a writer you are. It may also depend on what your job was in the military and how easily it transfers to a civilian role. You know best what you did, yes. But, a good professional resume writer should be adept at drawing those things out of you and wording them better than you may have done on your own. Myself, having been military for 20 years, I found I was using terms and "accomplishments" in my resume that either were not considered significant by my civilian counterparts, or they did not know what they even meant. It took me several iterations to finally cleanse my resume of the military jargon. If you do decide to write your own resume, do get several people to review it and try to get a couple reviewers that have never been in the military. Good luck!
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Your written draft should be completed in your own hand. Then decide if you wish to pay someone (this is not needed as there are multiple avenues that will not charge vets) or just have it reviewed by at a minimum of 3 people.
When changes are suggested focus on reviewing if the change will affect the job you are applying for. You should always tailor your resume to every job you apply for. Being stubborn and wanting to keep things that are more than 10 years past and/or have no relevance to the job you are applying has bitten many.
Understand that you know yourself the best that is a pro when writing it down however, the con side is "you know yourself the best" which means you may read into things that others can not see in your resume.
When changes are suggested focus on reviewing if the change will affect the job you are applying for. You should always tailor your resume to every job you apply for. Being stubborn and wanting to keep things that are more than 10 years past and/or have no relevance to the job you are applying has bitten many.
Understand that you know yourself the best that is a pro when writing it down however, the con side is "you know yourself the best" which means you may read into things that others can not see in your resume.
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Double-edged sword!
The professional writer knows, or should know, how to craft a great resume for you. BUT, you know you better than anyone else, at least you should.
I have always done my own and generally gotten the interviews I wanted. Not always the job though.
The professional writer knows, or should know, how to craft a great resume for you. BUT, you know you better than anyone else, at least you should.
I have always done my own and generally gotten the interviews I wanted. Not always the job though.
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CW3 Dylan E. Raymond, PHR
So the issue is not the resume the resume served its purpose and that is to get you in the door.....next thing would be to work on the telephone interview or the face to face interview
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PO2 Peter Klein
All aspects of the job hunt are important: resume, cover letter, online profiles, and interview skills. Since I have not looked for a job in sometime and am about to retire, I have not kept up with newer techniques that may be used today.
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SPC Rebecca M.
I was asked about a year ago by my e-publisher to update a book I wrote on interviewing skills. I haven't really thought much about it, but after reading this thread I'm thinking it might be a good idea. By the way, I hold the Master Career Counselor designation in the National Career Development Association and have been working in vocational services for 15+ years post-service, so I forget that what seems so natural to me is foreign territory for many others. I may have to update that book just to ensure accuracy at this point...but my focus is primarily on assisting the military to civilian transition for service members and their families, and working with adults with disabilities. That includes service-connected vets (like myself) and EMFP members. Resumes and cover letters (basically responding to a want ad or dating service ad, more or less) get you the interview where you can sell/market yourself. The interview has a discrete set of skills and unwritten (mostly) behavior codes as well. Thank you notes are critical and often overlooked. I hire most people when I've received a thank you note or follow up emails than those who interview and never touch base afterwards. Your Internet presence is critical - certain social media sites are viewed more favorably. Activity and content are scrutinized (so lock down that Facebook profile to "Only Friends" unless you want a potential employer to see all about your toddler's birthday party or that all-night clubbing party or grilling experiment gone horribly wrong, etc.) and right or wrong do play a role in shaping people's opinions of you - sometimes before you ever even get an interview. Here at my office, we also do a public records search due to being Base contractors and the tendency of many of our applicants to falsify their criminal history. Many factors going on behind the scenes. Resumes are a big thing though - as are proper wording on applications. The right word choice can make all the difference, while using the wrong word (both describing the same scenario) will send your packet to the vertical filing cabinet in a blink of an eye. Google can help. Someone who knows the industry, or a good wordsmithing friend can speed up the process tremendously.
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I'll take a professional. I don't always know how to speak to my strengths or write well about what I do. I just go on & on blah blah blah
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CW3 Dylan E. Raymond, PHR
Dawud just remember at some point you have to communicate what is written on the resume. The resume does not get you the job it gets you in the door....
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If you're not a good writer, that will kill you in the marketplace sooner or later, depending on where you want to go. We've seen horrible resumes from Vets. Good ones are somewhat rare and great ones that the Vet actually wrote were few. So the resume gets you to the interview and that's where your mouth can disagree with what's on paper. Poor spoken grammar vs. what's on paper is a dead giveaway that a ghost writer is on board. So write down your 80% draft and have it cleaned up preferably by a Vet hiring manager who knows you shouldn't be providing something for the scientific journal.
For Fed jobs, it's more about understanding how the RESUMIX system works and the path your USAJOBS package takes. Then, who (what skills, authority, etc.) deals with it and what causes it to keep in motion going forward to people who actually care about your worth.
I thought someone was putting together a Webinar for resumes, job searches, etc. I volunteered to take part but never heard back. Based on the grammar seen in posted questions and responses, I'd say a number of the RP folk out there can use some quality office time to settle down into a good writing groove.
For Fed jobs, it's more about understanding how the RESUMIX system works and the path your USAJOBS package takes. Then, who (what skills, authority, etc.) deals with it and what causes it to keep in motion going forward to people who actually care about your worth.
I thought someone was putting together a Webinar for resumes, job searches, etc. I volunteered to take part but never heard back. Based on the grammar seen in posted questions and responses, I'd say a number of the RP folk out there can use some quality office time to settle down into a good writing groove.
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