Episode 31: Do I need to hire a resume writer to get better job offers in 2020?

Welcome to The Career Clarity Show, where we help you find a lucrative, soulful, and joyful career path for you! 

Want to easily land a job at a fantastic company where you’re paid well and have an impressive title?

(Who doesn’t?!)

One of the keys to getting an amazing job offer is having a perfectly polished resume that shows you’re a great fit for the role. When it’s obvious on paper that you’re a great match, it’s easy for the hiring manager to make the case about offering you a generous salary.

(Secret negotiation hack: if the hiring manager already sees you as a high-value hire, your starting offers will be higher and you won’t need to negotiate as much!)

However, creating a resume that’s so incredible you’re getting overwhelmed with high-paying job offers is simple…but it ain’t easy.

Tailoring your resume to the exact role, industry, and organization you’re targeting is a critically important step. (Here at Career Clarity, we would know. We just had a client say to us: “I’ve gotten a call back for every single job I’ve applied for since I started using your instructions on how to tailor my resume.”)

Think you’re ready to craft your own winning resume?

Well…you might not be, no matter whether you plan to go the DIY route or get some professional support.

That’s because neither of these paths work well if you don’t know *exactly* the kind of role you want to land next. (Which is where a career coach comes in handy.)

Need help deciding if you’re ready to work with a professional resume writer, or if you actually need to start with a career coach so you can get clear on your true strengths and career vision? Here are some things to consider.

If you have no idea what your next ideal next role could be…work with a career coach first. 
If you’ve been climbing the corporate ladder but you’re bored, tired, or ready to shake things up, it may be time to speak with a career coach. If you’ve ever described yourself as “needing help figuring out what you want to be when you grow up” or if you know you definitely don’t want your boss’ job but aren’t sure what you *do* want, career coaches are perfectly positioned to help you evaluate the employment landscape and see all the available possibilities you could pivot into.

When working with a talented resume writer, you’re going to get a completely different profile depending on if you’re making a switch in your career path or if you’re continuing on a similar path. There’s a true art to looking at a job posting and putting your most important and similar accomplishments on display — and it’s an art that varies wildly depending on the type of role you’re aiming for. So, making the investment in resume writing BEFORE you’ve made a decision on your direction might mean you don’t get the ROI you’re looking for.

If you aren’t certain what your next job could look like, invest in career coaching and going through a holistic process (complete with personality assessments, opportunity brainstorming, and visioning exercises) to identify the best fit based on your strengths, interests, personality, and lifestyle needs.

(Want to learn more about how to identify the 4 drivers of fulfillment in your next job? Check out the eBook, The Roadmap to Career Fulfillment!)

If you know the kind of role you want next but need help positioning yourself on paper to get it….you’re ready to work with a resume writer. 
Resume writers are brilliant at pulling out the most relevant parts of your past work experience and matching them up to the kinds of roles you want to step into next, helping you stretch and grow. They can help you find the diamonds in the rough from your past and feature them prominently in your candidate profile so that future employers start drooling over you and can’t wait to schedule an interview. And, if you don’t have the time or energy put toward resume tweaks (or hate talking about yourself), having someone else do it for you is a fabulous luxury to treat yourself to!

If you aren’t sure you have relevant experience to apply for the roles you want…work with a career coach first.

Career coaches — particularly ones that focus on supporting people in transitions — have a gift for helping you think about ways to bridge experience gaps on your resume before you start applying for new roles.

While a resume writer can make your existing experience sparkle and shine, they kinda need you to have the experience so they can effectively position it. Career coaches can help you brainstorm creative ways to get that relevant experience on the side, so a future employer will be thrilled at the initiative you’re taking to grow your expertise beyond your job. Employers aren’t interested in you as a candidate if you’re applying for roles in fields where you can’t prove you have knowledge or skills — you’re too risky for them to take a chance on. But career coaches can help you strategize how to minimize that risk and get more tangible experience to make you more attractive to hiring managers.

If you need help making your work sound like powerful accomplishments instead of standard job duties…you’re ready to work with a resume writer.
When we reflect on the tasks we did in any given job, it’s easy to get mired in the details and minutiae of the day-to-day. Resume writers have a gift for taking your career goals, seeing the bigger picture opportunities for you, and helping you elevate your work experience into language that’s appropriate for more senior hires.

If you’re great at talking about your work history, but can’t seem to translate it to paper in your CV, resume writers can help you mine those ideas and get them out of your head.

Resume writers also have loads of experience visually differentiating mid- and senior-level hires on paper and know lots of formatting and styling tricks to help you stand out (and that can dramatically increase your starting offers). Most career coaches don’t have that same depth or capability in branding and marketing as resume writers. So if you’ve got it, a resume writer will help you flaunt it!

Investing in support to make your next career move is a great idea, and these guidelines offer specific direction on the professional service that will give you the best return on your investment. It’s your move: do you need to identify your next career step, or have you pinpointed your next move and are ready to start crafting the perfect resume?

Want to learn more about our strategic framework for successful career change? Download The Roadmap to Career Fulfillment ebook right here!

SHOW NOTES:

• Mary Elizabeth Bradford
• Job Jenny
• Let’s Eat, Grandma
• Find Work That Matters – General Assembly Panel
• Email Lisa Lewis at Lisa@GetCareerClarity.com
• Career Clarity LIVE in Englewood, Colorado use the “GCC” discount code to get $30 off your earlybird ticket purchased before 2/14 — AND get a free 30-minute bonus strategy call with me!
• Roadmap to a Fulfilling Career eBook

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