Resume Writing Advice » Professional Resume Writing

Would a resume writing service help?

Michelle — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 03:31:31 +0000

I’m a recent college graduate with a BSC in biology with a good GPA, some clinical experience but not lab experience. All of these employers want laboratory experience. I have applied to about sixty jobs and no luck. I’m thinking it’s my resume combined with lack of lab experience. Do you think if I were to have a professional resume writer write my resume, it would overshadow what I lack and give me a better chance? Or are Resume Writing Services rubbish? Mature nice answers please cuz I’m worried sick.

With all the resume guides and free advice there is no need to go to a resume service. Resume services range from excellent to very bad and picking one can be difficult. So be careful and do some research before you spend your money. – It is difficult to truthfully mask a lack of specified experience on a resume as most companies use trained professionals or computer programs to screen resumes and applications. They usually look for key words. The trick is to use the key words without blatantly lying. If you did lab work as part of college training you may be able to portray it a manner to get you past the reviewer. For example you probably had classes where you grew cultures and processed the results. I am not advising you to fabricate experience, but to state those processes which you actually performed in the lab at school. Once you get the interview, you will have to convince them that you can perform the required duties with minimal training, so do some research and get advice from experienced people. Join some groups on the web that discuss the type of work you are looking for so you know and can use the industry abbreviations and buzzwords correctly. In these times of high unemployment you are competing with a lot of experienced workers Perhaps you can find an internship or volunteer at the hospital or clinic to boost your experience while you are applying for jobs. Even if it is washing test tubes, you would be currently working at a lab. Finally although it is difficult to ask for feedback;contact the HR department or send an e-mail and ask for feedback on how to improve your resume, and any other tips they can give you. I once was hiring graduate engineers and several from one college listed the same professor for a reference. The professor was bad reference, but the students never knew it. If they asked me for feedback All I could tell them was to check their references. Additionally, I would ask someone with HR experience to review your resume and give you honest feedback. (Perhaps your college has a research lab, or visit one that does) Also applying for a job in this economy is something like roulette, the more resumes you send out the better your chances to get an interview. Good luck The PracticaL Mentor

What is the best professional resume writing service for someone on a budget?

Michelle — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:14:06 +0000

Need help! I’ve been applying for numerous jobs and have rewritten my resume and cover letter on my own countless times with no response from employers. So I’ve decided that I want to get a professional to write my resume and cover letter for me. After all it couldn’t hurt.

I did some research and found a site called www.resumewriters.com that had pretty great reviews and was also thinking of maybe using the resume writing service of monster.com. Does anyone have any experience using either one? I would prefer to stay below $350 for the cover letter and resume package since I don’t have alot of money. So if anyone has any recommendations in that price range I really could use the help since there are way too many choices out there and some are way too expensive. Thanks!

Get a friend to do it for free… You know yourself best, so I’d say that you should just consult someone who knows you a bit and you can together work out a better resume… but to be completely honest, it isn’t you it is the government and the financial crisis we are in. There aren’t more jobs available necessarily even though the economy looks slightly better. I can explain, but that is a different conversation. Good Luck.

Which is the best professional resume writing service in Bombay?

Michelle — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 23:10:07 +0000

Preferably in Bombay but anywhere in India will also be helpful.

* List your technical knowledge first, in an organized way. Your technical strengths must stand out clearly at the beginning of your resume. Ultimately, your resume is going to be read by a thoughtful human being, but before it gets to that point it often has to be categorized by an administrative clerk, and make its way past various sorts of key word searches. Therefore, you should list as many directly relevant buzz words as you can which reflect your knowledge and experience. List all operating systems and UNIX flavors you know. List all programming languages and platforms with which you’re experienced. List all software you are skilled with. Make it obvious at a glance where your strengths lie – whether the glance is from a hiring manager, a clerk, or a machine.
* Never work alone–pay attentions on the social-network. The social-network is fatal factor for your work present and future, the social-network is the your connections in the society, it can be your parent,friend,classmate,colleagues etc.Good scoial-network can improve your efficiecy, not only on the work itself but also good for your entire future career path.(job-hunting, recruit, professional personal development,life and work advice etc.The Free Insiders Referral Network of Jobs – insidersreferral.com is such tool for your to build such useful network.To expand and enhence your social-network and make it more useful, just go and check it up.
* Quantify your experience wherever possible. Cite numerical figures, such as monetary budgets/funds saved, time periods/efficiency improved, lines of code written/debugged, numbers of machines administered/fixed, etc. which demonstrate progress or accomplishments due directly to your work.
* Begin sentences with action verbs. Portray yourself as someone who is active, uses their brain, and gets things done. Stick with the past tense, even for descriptions of currently held positions, to avoid confusion.
* Don’t sell yourself short. This is by far the biggest mistake of all resumes, technical and otherwise. Your experiences are worthy for review by hiring managers. Treat your resume as an advertisement for you. Be sure to thoroughly "sell" yourself by highlighting all of your strengths. If you’ve got a valuable asset which doesn’t seem to fit into any existing components of your resume, list it anyway as its own resume segment.
* Be concise. As a rule of thumb, resumes reflecting five years or less experience should fit on one page. More extensive experience can justify usage of a second page. Consider three pages (about 15 years or more experience) an absolute limit. Avoid lengthy descriptions of whole projects of which you were only a part. Consolidate action verbs where one task or responsibility encompasses other tasks and duties. Minimize usage of articles (the, an, a) and never use "I" or other pronouns to identify yourself.
* Omit needless items. Leave all these things off your resume: social security number, marital status, health, citizenship, age, scholarships, irrelevant awards, irrelevant associations and memberships, irrelevant publications, irrelevant recreational activities, a second mailing address ("permanent address" is confusing and never used), references, reference of references ("available upon request"), travel history, previous pay rates, previous supervisor names, and components of your name which you really never use (i.e. middle names).
* Have a trusted friend review your resume. Be sure to pick someone who is attentive to details, can effectively critique your writing, and will give an honest and objective opinion. Seriously consider their advice. Get a third and fourth opinion if you can.
* Proofread, proofread, proofread. Be sure to catch all spelling errors, grammatical weaknesses, unusual punctuation, and inconsistent capitalizations. Proofread it numerous times over at least two days to allow a fresh eye to catch any hidden mistakes.
* Laser print it on plain, white paper. Handwriting, typing, dot matrix printing, and even ink jet printing look pretty cheesy. Stick with laser prints. Don’t waste your money on special bond paper, matching envelopes, or any color deviances away from plain white. Your resume will be photocopied, faxed, and scanned numerous times, defeating any special paper efforts, assuming your original resume doesn’t first end up in the circular file.

Are there any professional medical resume writing companies?

Michelle — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 03:22:08 +0000

I need a great resume but I don’t know where to start. I’m ready to jump in my field and become certified but I don’t have a professional resume that’s targeted torward my career. I did my internship for 5 months as a surgical tech and I don’t really have too much to put on it. It’s basically start from blank but I need a strong basic resume that will help me land a job.

Monster.com has a résumé writing service.

Please suggest me some good professional resume writing services.?

Michelle — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:36:30 +0000

If you are interested in a professional resume writing service you should look for a company that can write a resume that you can use as a self-promotional marketing document that gets you the job interview.

Try Crux Resume Writing they offer a free detailed consultation, in which they actually take the time to learn your background, your goals and your industry and then they create a custom resume. Plus they give you the results of the resume critique for free! http://www.cruxresumes.com

Good Luck!

professional resume writing services?

Michelle — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:13:51 +0000

I’m a recent college grad and have been struggling to get a job for over a year now… I feel I’m getting close so I’m utilizing every resource I can.
Has anyone ever used professional resume writing/editing services? If possible I would like to find someone personally within the Baltimore/DC metro area but I realize most of this is probably done online. Does anyone know any good websites that aren’t a ripoff? Are these services even helpful? Thank you!

A lot of Universities in DC will provide resume/writing services. Try American University’s writing lab, you may have to claim you were a student or they could just take you as a walk-in and have no problem. They’ll really help you get off the ground.

What is the best resume writing service?

Michelle — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:43:54 +0000

I’ve been unemployed for over a year now and I can’t understand why. I have a PhD from Harvard, 10 years of working experience yet employers don’t seem to want to interview me. My only conclusion is that my resume must be abysmal (i.e. terrible, sucky, below par). Has anyone tried out a professional resume writing service? If so, what were the results? How much did it cost you?

I used ResumeGuru.US
They were extremely professional and got me a fully rewritten resume and cover letter within 4 days. I had been unemployed for over 18 months, so I understand how frustrated you must feel. They basically hand-held me through the whole process. They asked me tons of detailed questions to truly dig into my work experience and ultimately gave me a brand spanking new document that really shone through and through. I used it to apply to 6 jobs. A week later, I got my first interview since being unemployed. It’s true, having a great resume really helps you get through to hiring managers. The cost? 75$ all inclusive. They even gave me a free Interview Tips guide and a detailed evaluation that really opened my eyes to all my mistakes in my resume. I can’t recommend this service enough. You can submit your resume for a FREE evaluation when you visit their site. Last time I followed them on twitter, I used the eval request code TWTTEVL. They also post free tips and job news on Facebook. Good luck!

Is this a strongly written professional resume? any feedback is fine?

Michelle — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:22:49 +0000

Rebekkah

Dedicated customer focused administrative professional offering significant experience in self-directed position requiring effective support, secretarial, and administrative abilities. Proven interpersonal, communications, and multi-tasking skills. Adaptable team player recognized for willingness to learn and teach newly acquired skills.

QUALIFICATIONS:
•3 yrs. of administrative experience in a health care setting, handling multi-faceted clerical tasks .
•Exceptional ability to communicate effectively with staff, patients, and public.
•Ability to translate from English to Spanish.
•Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel.
•First Aid/CPR certified from American Red Cross

EDUCATION:
Bachelor’s of Arts- Psychology California State University Dominguez Hills
Concentration Courses: Behavior Modification, Abnormal Psychology, Case Management Functions.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Residential Treatment Facility, Bayfront Youth and Family Services
Administrative Secretary, 2006- Present
•Provided administrative support to all departments. Maintained department calendar.
•Compiled statistical data for monthly and quarterly reports.
•Managed legal and medical documents and billing for CEO/Administrator.
•Audited charts for the unit. Attended Utilization review meetings.

Accomplishments: Created and organized an information center for our department. Results: Better
access to information, and less time searching for it. Employee of the Month- June.
2008, Nov. 2009. Commended for being a team player in intiating a team effort
to help resolve a work unit crisis with our clients.

Psychiatric Hospital, Kedren Community Mental Health Center
Case Manager- Children’s Outpatient, 2005-2006
•Worked with at-risk youth and their families to help minimize their defiant behavior youth were exhibiting.
•Translated for Spanish speaking clients. Maintained progress notes in clients charts.
•Provided referrals to clients in housing, education, mental health, and medication services.
•Handled and resolved more than 20 cases of families in providing family stabilization and re-unification.

Accomplishments: Provided outstanding services to both clients and departments during our Audit Survey.

Level 14 Group Home H.V. Group Home, Inc.
Youth Counselor, 2004-2005
•Counseled juveniles with behavior problems and promoted the safety and well being of adolescents.
•Taught groups on life skills, anger management, and positive self-image.
•Charted and filed notes for social workers and probation department.

Accomplishments: Received “Employee of the Month” for taking on more responsibilities of other
employees and intervening in a crisis situation with a client. Received high
performance evaluations from supervisors for exhibiting leadership and excellent work
ethic.

I see some minor grammatical things in here but overall it’s pretty good if you’re wanting a job as a medical office secretary or in administration in a hospital/mental health facility.

I’d move the experience entries to the top so that they’re highlighted. I’d also kill that "3 years experience" comment, you have 6 years total here fairly related to each other "in health care settings".

Clarify that MS Office skill level with some validation. MCAS certification might be a major advantage here. Also clarify which levels of Red Cross certification – some employers in that setting will require CPR at the professional rescuer level or with AED. Consider getting your CPR from AHA instead – it’s the same material but many health folks lean toward that one.

Consider getting some training in computerized accounting systems such as QuickBooks or Peachtree – it could boost your computer skills section considerably.

I’d drop the employee of the month references – if it were "employee of the month for 24 consecutive months…" that might help but with only a couple references, it’s not helping at all.

You mention that Word, Excel, and Translation skill but don’t show us in your experience where you’ve used it. Elaborate on that.

Your specialization in the BA (write that as "Bachelor of Arts in Psychology" – no apostrophe there and no dash) doesn’t really matter here unless you’re applying for positions in client care, in that case your initial statement is wrong – it tells us you want to be an administrator.

Run this through spell-check and pay attention to where you’ve put some commas – they don’t all go where you have them.

It looks like you’re leaning into a career that will go into health administration or will stagnate as "administrative assistant" or "secretary". You might want to look into going back to school for an MHA (Master of Health Administration) or an MBA. If you don’t have any supervisory experience (I don’t see any mentioned here) then get some.

Add: I don’t agree that it looks like a professional resume writer wrote that – at least not a good one. It has too many errors in it to be professional and doesn’t include the expected template-based "buzz words". The most glaring indicator that a professional didn’t write it is that the premises set forth in that paragraph are not supported in the body of the resume. A secretary probably wrote this and not too bad of a secretary/admin asst.

HR people usually ignore that paragraph by the way – it’s always BS that says little more than "I’d like a job please". We jump straight into the meat of the resume and make our own conclusions.

Is this a strongly written professional resume? What do you think? I spent a lot of time writing my resume.?

Michelle — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:44:15 +0000

Rebekkah

EDUCATION:
Bachelor’s of Arts- Psychology California State University Dominguez Hills
Concentration Courses: Behavior Modification, Abnormal Psychology, Case Management Functions.

Accomplishments: Provided outstanding services to both clients and departments during our Audit Survey.

Accomplishments: Received “Employee of the Month” for taking on more responsibilities of other
employees and intervening in a crisis situation with a client. Received high
performance evaluations from supervisors for exhibiting leadership and excellent work
ethic.

I think this is an excellent resume! The idea is to pack as much information you can into the smallest space possible, and you have done this very well. Recruiters tend to get glazed eyes when faced with a four or five page resume. Yours seems just about right!!

Is this a strongly written professional resume? I have spent a lot of time writing my resume?

Michelle — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:32:51 +0000

Rebecca

EDUCATION:
Bachelor’s of Arts- Psychology California State University Dominguez Hills
Concentration Courses: Behavior Modification, Abnormal Psychology, Case Management Functions.

Accomplishments: Provided outstanding services to both clients and departments during our Audit Survey.