The Story
“…but I think of you as a cleaner or someone I pay to wash my car. Someone who does the things I don’t want to do, or don’t have time to do… I don’t have the time to give you the information you want so you can write a resume for me. Can’t you just…put to work your “professional abilities” and give me a resume that will get me an interview? I’m not really asking you to lie.
Just do it, I’ve asked nicely”
*Storm clouds gather…a crow caws in the distance as a dog yelps then falls silent…a heavy pall descends on the Resumes Done Right office…tumbleweeds roll by*
…say what now?!
This was my interaction with a client this week. It was the third one of its kind in as many months and highlighted what seems to be a misunderstanding of or an attitude towards Professional Resume Writers and what service they are here to actually provide.
Resume Writers with recruitment and HR backgrounds are not likely to want to be your copy writer. We are not here to create a grand yarn that while sounding really good, has no real factual, referenceable content. If this is your current resume, you are, pardon the language, trying to baffle them with bullsh*t when you should be blinding them with brilliance.
So what, I can hear you asking, do resume writers actually add to the equation? Well we are here as consultants and coaches to work with you to extract the details we need to write the resume that will deliver that wow factor. Think of a personal trainer at the gym, they bring the knowledge of how to achieve your fitness or health goals and you bring the effort. You don’t need one, but you will get a better result faster when working with an expert.
When you come to me for a resume, I want you to go away not only with the best resume we can make for you in an appropriate period of time, but a fresh understanding of what should go in your resume…and why. I want you to understand this process, so your ongoing career search will become less stressful and more rewarding. I want you to have the tools to overcome the challenge of moving between companies, applying with confidence for that promotion and to walk into that interview with a clear understanding of what you bring to the table. A new employer should feel as lucky to have you as you are to get an opportunity with them.
Unfortunately, for most people, remembering the specifics of what they have done and understanding the impact to the business they were working in is not natural…it’s HARD.
“We don’t mince words here, and we mean it when we say that working with Resumes Done Right could well be the most difficult, but ultimately most rewarding resume rewrite you have ever undertaken.”
…but now’s not the time to give up, that’s where your coach, consultant and new resume writing best buddy can help! Please know that it is our pleasure to assist you to remember and/or provide ideas as to how to source this detail. We will push you for information that recruiters and managers want to see; we will go through examples with you, supply sample content to spark your memory and help come up with strategies to locate lost information. This is where a real Resume Writer with a background in recruitment is worth every penny. We will give you the perspective of a recruiter or hiring manager and what they will see as important. At the end, you will get a document written with your tone, with detail specific to your experience clearly articulating your ability to deliver in the environments and positions you have worked in.
So what has this got to do with the bad client experience I had this week?
Well, to put it bluntly, they weren’t prepared to put any effort in to helping me understand the detail. They wanted me to “create” a resume for them. Not only would this resume be lacking the detail required to really deliver an outstanding application, it would be a lie.
And this brings me to my point. We cannot lie or use “creative licence” on your resume. Falsifying your resume is grounds for immediate dismissal in the best circumstances, can lead to fines of thousands of dollars and serious legal action and arrest in the worst. Clearly, it’s worse for high profile people who have even been arrested for resume fraud, but don’t think it can’t happen to you too.
For us here at Resumes Done Right, being caught falsifying a resume results in irreparable damage to our reputation and exposes us to legal risks which are simply unacceptable. We will not lie for you. So please don’t ask us to get “creative” with your resume as refusal may offend.
P.s. One last note of caution. It might pay to avoid any resume writers who don’t ask for specific detail where it’s missing, and/or offer to add content that you haven’t confirmed that you have done. Maybe they get creative with your work dates or add in some achievements “from someone they know who’s worked there before”.
It’s just not worth it as it can irreparably damage your employment chances as most companies now keep records of these types of experiences with applicants…and don’t think recruiters don’t talk.
What WILL Resumes Done Right do for you?
Great question and I’m glad you asked. Resumes Done Right will provide a three draft process to ensure that there are enough review, feedback and revision opportunities to get your resume done right. We will endeavour to get your initial draft completed and back to you within 3 – 4 business days of receiving all required information, questionnaires and documentation supporting the rewrite from you.
The initial draft will be a “working draft” complete with information from your original resume, the questionnaire and any conversations we have had with you to eke out that detail we are so passionate about. It will have highlighted gaps, edited content, clarifying comments and questions to help us complete a full review and gain a clear understanding of what further information is required.
Following the initial draft, the turnaround time can be as short as a two business day if you can review the document and supply any additional content requested immediately. All up, the standard resume rewrite will take just over a week.
Resumes Done Right have a proven track record of delivering outstanding resumes which get people jobs. Just see our amazing Google Reviews for more information.
