Everything to Know Before Choosing an Executive Resume Writing Service
Are you looking to snag an executive level or senior leadership position? If so, you know it can be tough to land a high-level job title in today’s job market. There is fierce competition with an equally intense job search process–and it all starts with choosing an executive resume writing service.
By: Ashley Dolar | Contributor for Let’s Eat, Grandma
An executive resume writing service is a special type of offering designed for senior-level professionals. It often requires special, laser-like attention from a skilled professional who writes and revises job search documents based on your specifications.
What is an Executive Resume Writing Service?
Hiring a senior-level resume writer can make life easier for a busy executive job seeker. Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash
Let’s take a look at the big picture. Most executive resume writing services are designed to make your life easier and your job search more efficient. It’s a little like deciding to get your haircut by a trained professional instead of resorting to the do-it-yourself clippers.
In other words, an executive resume writing service is tailored toward the ultra-busy lifestyle of top-tier talent.
You can expect this type of flagship offering to pull out all the stops by pairing you with an experienced senior-level writer who asks the right questions and works through unlimited revisions. It’s all about providing white-glove treatment from beginning to end. Fast communication and targeted support are especially important for an executive resume writing service. It’s definitely collaborative, but it is also designed to match the individual tone and style of each executive level professional.
Many executive resume writing services bundle several products together to give their customers a more inclusive job search package. The Executive Concierge Service at Let’s Eat, Grandma focuses on personalized attention with a senior-level writer and white-glove service. Features include the all-important executive-level resume, a future-focused value proposition letter, and full LinkedIn Profile Rewrite. You’ll also meet with an executive career coach to discuss anything from leadership strategies to interview preparation.
Why Use an Executive Resume Writing Service?
Some executive resume writing services include a valuable career coaching component. Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash
Put simply, your job search is already hard enough, and an executive resume writing service is an investment that provides first-rate documents while making your life a little easier.
How does that translate into results though?
Let’s look at a few reasons high-level professionals choose to delegate this type of technical work to an executive resume writing service.
They are subject matter experts in executive-level resume writing.
You likely have a complex professional history. A top-notch executive resume writer is skilled in creating resumes that showcase hard wins without the fluff. They are able to prioritize and organize your most important achievements from the past 15 years. And, they can help you figure out how to best list your earlier roles on your resume or within the Work History section of your LinkedIn profile.
Another major value of working with an executive resume writing service is that they recognize that your resume doesn’t need bells and whistles. You are already likely to be an award-winning organizational leader who makes tough, strategic decisions that affect the lives of hundreds or even thousands of people daily. That’s where senior-level resume writers can provide valuable insight and feedback.They know the job search industry so you don’t have to become an expert overnight.
They know how to highlight your competitive advantage and transferable skills.
The best executive resume writing service shows your strong organizational leadership skills with solid, easy-to-read examples. High on the list is strategic thinking, relationship building, and problem-solving skills. You also need to demonstrate a strong ability to mentor colleagues and direct reports in their own career development, which helps organizations scale and build a prosperous future.
A top-tier resume writer focuses on these types of high-level skills throughout the process and across documents. During the critical consultation stage, you can expect targeted questions about your professional accomplishments and direct guidance on how to best position yourself in the marketplace. This strategy can help you land an interview, receive an offer letter, and even negotiate a better compensation package. If you have a lot of experience to fit in your executive resume, a professional resume writer can professionally advise you on how best to present roles from your career, too.
They save you time and energy, freeing you to focus on other parts of your life.
Finding the right executive resume writing service not only saves time and energy, but most importantly, it saves your brain from bouncing between tasks. It’s called “context switching” and it diminishes your productivity by at least 80%. That’s the last thing that any executive wants to hear!
The same Forbes article notes perfectionism and self-doubt as other productivity killers. A trained resume writer is concerned with careful attention to detail and high-quality work so you can be proud of your accomplishments without having to break out your fine-tooth comb. And self-doubt? Not many people are comfortable boasting about their professional achievements–but that’s exactly the job of an executive resume writing service. They celebrate your wins for you, which lets you leave your bragging shoes at the door.
What’s the Process Like?
Premium executive resume writing services use a highly collaborative process. Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash
Each executive resume writing service has their own unique process. However, it’s widely believed that the best in the business offer a collaborative experience.
Generally, they ask for an existing resume and host a follow up conversation with you. Then, they assign a resume writer to your project. This trained professional gathers more information through a consultation and then builds your resume from the ground up. They may also custom-create any other professional resources like a cover letter or LinkedIn profile. Many services offer limited revisions upon request.
The executive resume writing service at Let’s Eat, Grandma makes a point to dial into your high-level career needs with their 4-step process:
- Intro Consultation: You’ll upload your existing resume, schedule your first consultation with your senior-level writer, and choose an executive coach.
- First Drafts: Your writer will email you first drafts and schedule a second call with you.
- Revision Period: You’ll have 10 days to fine-tune your documents with your writer before receiving final versions to your inbox.
- Executive Coaching Session: You partner with a career coach to discuss high-level topics of your choice in a 60-minute session.
How Do I Choose an Executive Resume Writing Service?
There is a lot of variety out there, and you’ll want to find the best balance between price, product offering, and credibility. Here are a few questions to consider beforehand:
- What do the reviews say? A good place to start is to hire a service that has been featured on a “best of” list. Our resume services, for example, have been featured as a recommended resume writing service by Growth Hack Your Career. We also strongly recommend reviewing Trustpilot and other popular review sites for the most up-to-date information.
- Do they have any examples? Always ask for examples of executive level resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles as a quick check on quality and value.
- What do you need? An executive job search needs more than just a resume; however, you’ll need to examine each bundle of offerings to see which one is the best fit for you.
Price is also a consideration. Your investment in an executive resume writing service can range from $350 with larger “resume mill” companies to $5,000 (or more!) with select boutique executive resume firms. Turnaround times, communication, and level of expertise can vary greatly between services. (Remember the adage that you get what you pay for–but we also believe that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a top-quality executive level resume!)
Final Words of Advice
Choosing an executive resume writing service can be stressful. Fortunately, many services have a free consultation or review before you commit to anything.
Let’s Eat, Grandma offers a free resume critique with a senior resume writer or you can choose to schedule a call with a dedicated customer success representative. It’s always a good idea to research several companies before picking an executive level resume service. That’s how you’ll find out which service is the best match for you.
Best of luck in your job search!