How to Choose the Best Executive Resume Writing Service [in 2023]

1. Research for a professional resume writer

• As a high-level business leader, including at C-Suite, board, VP, or director level, you must have an equally high-level executive resume. You’re looking for someone to provide you with personal service, so you need to work well together.
• Choose an executive resume writer who can understand your whole career. Make sure they have a clearly defined process. Understand the steps, and ensure they’re not vague, ‘creative,’ ‘flexible,’ or an ‘art form.’ Look for positive skills, not mysticism or hype. Check out their stated objectives. If they ‘guarantee’ you’ll immediately get a job, then run away.
• No one can guarantee you an interview place, let alone an actual job. Resume writing is about improving your odds. Will the files be yours at the end? You must be able to tailor the resume document in the future. Any executive resume writing service that expects you to go back time and time again is a con.
• Does the scope of services include drafts of a cover letter, a thank you letter, a LinkedIn profile text, website content, and so on? Make sure you don’t end up paying for something you won’t be using.
• Ensure you’ll be working 1:1 with the writer. If you want reassurance, ask for direct contact with the resume writer, before you commit your money.

2. Check out the free resume review

• A professional resume writer will give you valuable and detailed feedback on your resume. They understand what employers look for in a resume and are up to date with current selection trends.
• Ask for a free resume review by an executive resume writer.  Your reviewer will provide feedback on your resume’s strengths and weaknesses, and you will get an idea of how the resume writing service would approach your resume.
• Look at the following process steps. These should cover a deeper review of your professional background and specific areas to target. They should provide insight into the challenges of meeting the main role requirements.
• Note whether and how the resume writing service might highlight your additional added value. It is a challenging exercise to do but always worthwhile.

3. Consider the quality of the executive resume writing service

• Testimonials and reviews are a good place to start but look for resume examples on the service provider’s website.
• Don’t be dazzled by flashy resumes. Design, style, and structure are important but think technically rather than aesthetically. The layout has to be both ATS-friendly and reader-friendly.
• Look at the words. They should be easily understandable, without jargon, and hyperbole-free. Will your professional resume be written in the first person or third person? The first-person is usually more personal and makes a greater impact.
• Ensure the examples you can see are based on actual resumes, not those artificially constructed for marketing purposes.
• Look at the website’s career advice section. Make sure this is still in current use and provides informative articles. If they’re shallow, insubstantial, or obvious marketing, then move on.
• Look at the background of the resume writer and ignore supposed ‘qualifications.’ Find a writer who’s followed a professional career to a senior level and had experience in recruitment and hiring. They must be up to date with best practices and able to write compelling material unique to you.

4. Look at any guarantees offered

• Resume writing is a to-and-fro process. Any guarantees should focus on performing the work to a level of satisfaction, not on the certainty of you getting an interview or a job.
  That ensures the ability to get the resume writer back on track if they go off in the wrong direction.
• Check out whether there are different levels of service offered. Is the turnaround time to receive the first draft okay for your needs?
• If you have a deadline, don’t be afraid to ask up front if the writer can practically meet that or not.
• Be aware that guarantees will never cover infinite rewrites as you chase job after job. Resume writing services aim to target the initial specific role you provide the details for and you tailor for others.

5. Executive resume writing service cost

• Executive resume writing service costs can range from $250 to $3,000 depending on the process and the experience of your resume writer or career coach.
  Compare pricing, but don’t be put off by the dollar value. The likely return on your investment (ROI) is most important. Consider the potential cost of delays in getting work.
• Balance price against the scope of service. Also, consider the reputation of the executive resume writing service. Look at the credibility of the information presented and any testimonials provided.
• A very high price suggests the service is probably targeted at very senior executive resumes. Instead, look at the spread of pricing for the scope of services you need.  Also, be wary of the lowest pricing. The fee needs to cover the professional resume writer spending the time required. If time is tight, the service will be limited in quality.

6. Making the final choice

Misunderstandings can happen. It’s a fact of life, so consider how the service proposes to handle that if you end up holding a shiny new resume but feeling there’s a problem with it.
As you make your final selection, do you feel confident the service will successfully deliver a professional resume to you? When finished, it should:
Include the relevant keywords an ATS needs to see but in a natural, readable way.

• Provide an efficient user experience for the busy recruiter who has to review 100+ resumes.
• Deliver the increased level of detail a hiring manager needs to see in an engaging way.
• Present a compelling career story about your match for this next opportunity.
• Show you can deliver results at the level of responsibility the hiring organization requires.
• Demonstrate the added value that aims to put you ahead of the other applying candidates.
• Those are your aims and also show the main reasons why it’s worth using a professional executive resume writer.

7. Proceeding, once you’ve chosen

• Have confidence in your final choice of a resume writing service. If you consider all of the above, your risk of ending up dissatisfied will be small. Then throw yourself into the process with commitment and put doubts aside.
• Focus on working in partnership with your resume writer. That will increase your chances of being selected for an interview. It will also set the interview panel up with a positive frame of mind before they even meet you. Ultimately it will accelerate your job hunt considerably.