"I expect to be retained by a recruitment firm, and they prepare resumes for their clients. Why do the work for them by writing my own?" -- John T.

© David Alan Carter
All Rights Reserved

Concerned that you're about to put time and energy into a resume better left to recruiters? A former recruiter answers the question...
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John, short answer: because nobody is as interested in your future as you. Yes, many if not most retainer firms will have a recruiter's assistant or a staff writer work up your resume from scratch, or re-type an existing resume to match their letterhead and corporate style. Now, you can either trust that the assistant or staffer has the necessary chops to deliver a top-notch marketing document. Or you can deliver your own resume to that person, giving them something to work with.

In the latter case, the assistant certainly won't dumb-down your resume to match those of other clients. And there is a good chance that you will have presented a document that will elevate you above those other clients – even after that assistant re-works your format to match their corporate look.

Sidebar: Given the rapidly increasingly influence of the web and social media, the degree to which your executive resume writer is tapped into those influences can have a dramatic impact on the success of your job search. My advice? If you do explore the services of outside talent, make sure the executive resume writer you choose is knowledgeable not only in crafting a must-read traditional resume, but skilled in the intricacies of social media. Look for a writer who offers online branding. For example, the development and placement of online identities and profiles at sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, Google Profile, etc.
( Read my review of one such writer, Erin Kennedy.)

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