There is no doubt that we are in some of the toughest economic times that we have seen in more than 70 years. Rather than looking for people to hire, companies are laying people off in numbers not seen in 25 years. The unemployment level is now over 6% nationwide.

How do you find a job in these tough times? One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to update your resume. Experts suggest having a professional writer resume rather than trying to do it yourself.

Why Do You Need a Professionally Written Resume?

Face it. There is a lot of competition for the job you’re seeking. Computer job classifieds don’t cater to just a few people; instead, they leave the job openings for the entire public to view. If you want your resume to stand out in the crowd, it needs to be the best of the best. Unless, you know what you’re doing, you may spoil your chances for getting an interview.

You may be tempted to pass on the idea of hiring a professional, because writing a resume seems so easy. Your word processing software has several different templates that you can modify for your own use. It seems like a good idea until you consider that everyone else has the same templates you want to use.

How Do You Find the Right Company?

There a lot of individuals operating freelance businesses that will write your resume for you. In addition to the individuals, there are also a lot of professional companies that produce professional resumes. How do you sort through all the propaganda offered by these services to find the gem at the bottom of the pile? Here are some strategies that should help you find the right service to produce your new resume.

• Does the professional have a website? If they are serious about producing resumes, then they should have a website detailing their credentials and the services that they provide. Look it over carefully. Does it impress you? If it does, then research further. If it turns you off, then look elsewhere.

• Is the professional a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers? While it is not required to produce a quality resume, anyone who has the designation CP RW (Certified Professional Resume Writer) is serious about the resume business. If they care enough to maintain membership in the PA RW, then they will understand the latest and best information on how to make your resume stand out.

• Do they have samples of their work? Ask to review some samples of previous resumes on which they have worked. Ask if they have any testimonials from previous clients.

• Do they guarantee their work to be error-free? Any serious professional will guarantee that their work will be delivered error free.

• Price is important too. How much do they charge for their services, and what services do they provide for the price they charge? Will they provide you with a CD copy of your resume? Is the cover letter included?

Even though you find the best resume writer, you will still need to have the ability to adjust your resume on every job that you apply for. The changes you make will only need to be minor, but these days, you need to target your resume specifically for every job. That is one way to make it stand out from the crowd.

Image taken on 2009-09-29 15:08:25. Image Source. (Used with permission)