I’m sure that many job seekers are wondering, Should I contact a Professional Resume Writer? Of course, I’m slightly biased on this subject. However, I’ll do my best to give you some unbiased strategies of when and how to contact a resume writer and help you determine whether or not you should contact one.

1. Do I need a Professional Resume Writer?

There are several advantages of working with a professional resume writer. The main reason is, as a professional writer with expertise in branding and marketing job seekers, professional resume writers can look at your career objectively. We’re not as personally invested in your past, we’re more invested in your future. As a best practice method, we will focus on the positive aspects of your past career, minimize the damage of any “shaky” career periods, and partner with you to position you as one of the best candidates available. I consistently get positive comments such as “I never would have thought to do my résumé this way” or “I love how you did _____it really works”. And one of my all time favorites is, “WOW! I love the resume” Essentially, we bring a fresh perspective to your job search campaign and will utilize best practices based upon current career trends and information.

2. When should I contact a Professional Résumé Writer?

A. If you’re going to work with a professional writer, the sooner the better. Many sought-after résumé experts have waiting lists, making it difficult to turn around a project in less than a week. Each résumé writer has his/her own methods and you may have to do some “homework” before being able to even meet with the writer. You may also find that some résumé experts specialize their practices to niche industries, so it’s best to start your search early.

B. Contact a professional résumé writer before you actually NEED the résumé. Often, job seekers will call after they have been doing a job search for several months and get nowhere. At that point, you may or may not have the patience or the money to wait several days more on a new resume. If you try to put a tight timeline on a résumé writer with an already busy schedule, you could potentially find yourself paying a higher price for a rush job or worse yet, working with a subpar organization.

C. If you know that there is the potential threat of a company downsizing or a new supervisor has come into the office, get prepared early. New leadership brings change and new ideas. I often talk to job seekers who have successfully worked with a company for a number of years only to find out that they are not the “right fit” for the new supervisor who is now in charge. In that case, a job change is inevitable and it’s better to have something ready to go in advance of an untimely departure.

3. How much should I expect to pay a Professional Résumé Writer?

Most Certified Professionals who manage solo practices vary their pricing depending upon the project and his/her level of expertise. Ask for a project quote. What you can expect is that typically an independent writer with more experience is going to charge significantly more than an internet site that doesn’t have a face to it. Just make sure that you hire someone who is credentialed and participates in continuing education.

Verify their credentials! In many cases, the professionals who make their individual livelihood working individually with clients will produce better work than an internet site promising fast turn-around for minimal cost. Experts who INVEST in their careers by earning credentials, joining professional career management organizations, and participating in continuing education are often in high demand, charge more, and produce better results.

Those are the three top questions I can think of in terms of hiring a professional résumé writer. In all honesty, take time to evaluate your career, evaluate your personal marketing strategy, and evaluate your success rate from your current résumé. If it’s not producing at least a 10% return, then perhaps it’s time to INVEST in a professionally credentialed résumé writer.