Using CV Writing Services

What to Expect From a Professional Curriculum Vitae Writing Service

Aug 28, 2009 Andrew Knowles

Having a CV written by professional is becoming more common. But it can be hard for job-seekers to know how to get the best value for money.

People often struggle when they need to write a curriculum vitae. What seems to be a simple task rapidly becomes a challenge, because it is hard to know what to put in and what to leave out.

This is one reason why it is becoming more common for job-seekers to have their CV, or resume, written by a professional. People are realizing that the quality of their CV can determine whether or not they are invited to interviews. It is, therefore, worth making what is a small investment compared with the potential rewards on offer if they get the job they are pursuing.

In periods of increased unemployment, the number of organisations offering CV writing services increases dramatically, but there is no guarantee that they all offer value for money. The variety of prices on offer is a good indicator of the range of quality that is available. This can make it hard to people to determine which CV writing service to use.

The factors which determine the price, and the quality, will include the method in which data is collected, and the expertise of the CV writer. Someone considering whether to have their CV prepared, or re-written, professionally should be aware of the issues involved.

Collecting Data to Write a CV

Before a CV can be written, a significant amount of data needs to be collected. A CV must include details of employment history to date and relevant educational and professional qualifications. It should also reflect a person's achievements in the workplace.

Some of this information can be passed to the CV writer by supplying a copy of an old CV, or by filling in a form. However, the most effective way is through an interview. This can be done face-to-face or over the telephone.

The interview allows the CV writer to ask the questions they need answers to, and to get a feel for the person's character and their approach to workplace issues. These interviews will usually take at least an hour, and possibly longer for professionals with significant amounts of experience.

The Professional Experience of the CV Writer

An effective CV will contain all the relevant keywords for the particular industries and/or roles that a person is seeking. The best way to ensure these keywords are present is to have the CV written by someone who understands those industries or roles.

This understanding can only be gained by experience. A good CV writer will be someone who has been in or worked closely with those industries. For example, the best person to write a CV for an IT Project Manager is someone with past experience in that role himself. This allows the CV writer to conduct the interview more effectively and create a CV containing the relevant information.

A Good Quality CV is Worth Paying For

The old saying "you get what you pay for" is a general principle that holds true for CV writing services as much as anything else. If the service on offer is very cheap, it is probably going to be based largely on pre-prepared templates.

A useful way to assess how much should be paid for a CV writing service is to consider the amount of work involved. A good quality CV can take 2-3 hours to write, plus the time taken in the interview. This means a professional CV writer can turn around 2 CVs per day.

There are also other overheads to take into account – particularly advertising. These costs can be high because it is a fairly young and very competitive industry.

A good way to think about the price is to consider the value. If a good CV is going to get a job that pays, perhaps, five thousand per year more than the job-seeker's current earnings – how much is it that CV going to be worth? That might help give some indication of what is a reasonable amount to pay.

Having a CV written by a professional is an investment. It is not a guarantee of a job, or even of an interview. But it gives the advantage of a concise, focused document that has been prepared by a professional copy writer who understands the industry and how recruiters work. In times of high unemployment that advantage can make a crucial difference.

The copyright of the article Using CV Writing Services in Career Advice is owned by Andrew Knowles. Permission to republish Using CV Writing Services in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

A Good CV can Help Move Your Career Forward

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