should-you-use-professional-cv-writing-service

Should you use a Professional CV Writing Service?

We have been asked by many people who are genuinely unsure if they should engage with a CV Writing Service, why it could be beneficial and how to pick between them.

Some of the questions we have had are as follows:

  1. What happens if I am not happy with it?
  2. Is it different from other CVs or do you just use common wording and templates?
  3. How are you going to write my CV if you have not done my type of job or worked in my industry before? Surely I can write my CV better since I understand my career better than you?
  4. What happens if the CV just doesn’t sound like me and the employer can tell?
  5. What happens if I want to make changes and how many changes will you allow?

So without trying to answer them all now, I thought I would jot down some reasons for having your CV professionally written as well as some hints and tips when selecting a company.

The advantages to having your CV professionally written are:

  • It is easier for someone else to be objective and decide what information is relevant or not to your particular industry and career aspirations.  As long as the person or company writing your CV has experience and a good reputation they should be able to handle any sort of role, albeit some with more research and information than others.
  • The job market is ever changing and if you have been in the same job for a while it is difficult to keep up-to-date with what information is required on a CV. For example you must now exclude your date of birth, nationality and marital status which was normally included a number of years ago. It is the CV Writer’s job to keep up to date with the job market and reflect this appropriately in your CV
  • You will save more time having your CV professionally written which allows you more time to concentrate on other things
  • A reputable CV writing company should be able to tailor your CV to meet your industry requirements, the job you are applying for and so it can pass ‘Applicant Tracking Systems’.  

Now, that is the advantages of having your CV professionally written, but enjoying these advantages depends on what company you pick

So some tips when researching which CV writing company you wish to work with:

  • Do they have industry specific experience: ensure they are have written CVs in your industry before so you can ensure you will receive a bespoke CV tailored to your industry and the job you wish to apply for and not a general CV with the usual stock statements such as ‘excellent team player’ etc
  • Be prepared to invest a little time: if you don’t have a CV then you will likely have to complete a form for them (and/or have a brief interview).  If you have a CV you will may be required to provide further information and you will of course have to review your CV to ensure you are happy with it.
  • Understand their terms (not just compare prices): review the terms and conditions to make sure you understand them.  For example, how many days your CV will take to write (to avoid missing application deadlines), how many drafts they will do for you (some cap the number of versions you can have and some do not), and do they offer any guarantees such as privacy or satisfaction guarantees.
  • Check their customer testimonials: most CV companies will have reviews either on Facebook, Google Plus or more commonly TrustPilot.  This should give you an independent verification of customer feedback to help inform your decision.

I hope this helps you make an informed decision about having your CV professionally written and how to choose a reputable company to write your CV, even if it is not The CV Guru!

Good luck!