Cheap Resume Writing Service - Bargain Or Buyer Beware?

© David Alan Carter
All Rights Reserved

I'll confess: I love a good bargain. I've been known to come back from Home Depot with a box of ceramic tile that doesn't match anything in the house. "It was an odd lot," I said to my wife. "Five dollars for the whole box."

OK, it might have been a mistake to buy that $5.00 box of tile, but it wasn't an expensive mistake. When it comes to a cheap resume writing service, however, it's a different story. That's because there's more to the cost of a resume than just the sticker price. There's an unseen cost, measured in lost wages. Let me explain.

A Cheap Resume That Keeps You Unemployed Is No Bargain

If you've lost a job that paid $32,000 per year, and you're simply trying to get back into the market in that same salary bracket, let's do some math. For every week you remain unemployed, you're losing $615.00 in potential wages. Now consider that a poorly-crafted resume is going straight into the circular file of employers when it hits their desks. Other resumes are getting favorable attention; candidates are getting called in for interviews. But not you. All of a sudden, the product of that "cheap" resume writing service is costing you $615.00 per week, and every week that your phone doesn't ring.

Lost a job that paid $50,000 annually? Then you're out a whopping $962.00 each and every week that your phone is not ringing. Tack that on to the price of that "cheap" resume, and you'll begin to get an idea of the true price you've just paid for a document that's at a competitive disadvantage in the marketplace.

Why Is Cheap More Likely To Be Poorly Crafted?

Nine times out of ten, the cheap resume writing service is operating a factory. Yes, there are resume factories just like there are wing nut factories; each spitting out a high volume of product that all pretty much look alike. That's fine for wing nuts. A resume, on the other hand, is representing an individual. It should be a marketing document carefully customized to reflect the unique qualifications of one particular job seeker. That's not an easy job. It's a job that requires some personalized attention from the writer. And a factory is not set up to provide that attention.

A resume factory offering bargain rates is getting by on a razor thin profit margin. It depends on high volume to stay in business. And because of that, it simply can't afford to allow a writer much time with a client.

The client pays his money, fills out an online questionnaire, and waits. The wing nut (er, resume) comes spitting out the other end of the shop floor, and off you go.

With the economy in a ditch and competition keen, do you really want to be presenting yourself to prospective employers as just another wing nut?

Look Beyond The Price Tag

Don't let initial pricing alone be your only guide in determining which resume writing service to go with. Take other factors into consideration, like...

... the credentials and experience of the writer,

... the willingness of the writer to conduct a telephone interview to fully explore your qualifications and goals,

... the availability of a guarantee - ranging from a guarantee of satisfaction, to a guarantee of interviews.

Believe it or not, there are resume services out there that offer all of the above, for less than you might think. In fact, I can help you identify a resume service employing only Certified Professional Resume Writers who are qualified to deliver a polished document that puts your best foot forward in a tough job market. And can do so at a reasonable price. The page Resume Writers Reviews identifies 10 of the more popular companies out there, and I rank these writers on values like...

• Quality of workmanship
• Credentials
• Pricing
• Guarantees

You’ll find star rankings, mini-reviews, and in-depth reviews on each of these 10 companies. Look over these mini-reviews, and pick one or two to go in depth. 

I wish you the best of luck in your job search! – David

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