Maybe you’ve been staring at your LinkedIn profile for hours, wondering if your years of professional experience actually count as adulting. 

Or you’re currently drowning in the vast ocean of job descriptions, each asking for a novel’s worth of qualifications, wondering how you can add keywords to your resume.

Welcome to the modern job search.

It’s in these situations that I can understand why hiring a resume writer has been on your mind— especially if you haven’t been getting interviews.

However, as your career coach and behind-the-scenes HR tea-spiller, I’m about to convince you that it’s ultimately not worth it.

How Much Does a Resume Writer Cost?

Your modern-day resume writer can cost anywhere from $30 to over $500+ for executive-level resume writers.

Like most professionals, it depends on their experience, education, and even where they live. 

As someone who has lived in major cities like Denver, Miami, and Atlanta, I can guarantee that writers there will charge more to cover their cost of living than someone living in a small town.

Here’s what you can expect a resume writer to charge and what you’ll get:

• Career-Starters (Under $100): A no-frills, ATS-friendly resume to get your foot in the door. It’s tailored for one job title. Perfect if you’re applying for your first job or a straightforward role.
• Entry-Level ($100 – $200): A polished resume tailored to your limited work history, with keywords for specific industries. Great for internships or entry-level roles.
• Mid-Career ($250 – $400): A strategic resume highlighting your accomplishments and leadership skills, formatted to stand out in competitive fields, if your resume writer has done extensive research.
• Executive Level ($400 – $1,000): High-level resumes paired with customizable templates and cover letters. Ideal for multi-industry applications or senior leadership roles.

To be clear: I’m not saying someone in the Mid-Career range can’t hire a resume writer under $100 and get a solid resume.

But you’re going to do most of the work by figuring out what needs to be on your resume— your resume writer simply rewords it for you.

RELATED: 8 Steps To Finding a Job You ACTUALLY Want (& Pays Well)

Pros of Hiring a Resume Writer

If I wanted to convince you to hire a resume writer, here’s why I would:

1. Expertise and Experience: Resume writing is a science. Good writers know what recruiters (and the ATS) want to see. They take the burden of writer’s block and expertly highlight your skills, qualifications, and achievements using their templates.
2. Time-Saving: You’ve got enough on your plate. Finding a job, networking, staying sane. The last thing you want to do is spend hours agonizing over resume formatting or tailoring your resume for different jobs.
3. Objective Feedback: Most people don’t know what they’re qualified for. A resume writer may be able to objectively give you some insight into this. 
4. Customization: One-size-fits-all resumes don’t cut it anymore. A resume writer can tailor your resume to specific job roles or industries, focusing it on what each employer wants. They’ll handle all the ATS “keywords” and Experience section line editing for each application so you don’t have to. 
5. Increased Confidence: There’s something to be said for having a resume that’s been professionally polished. Knowing you have a professional to back you up gives you a boost of confidence, making your job search feel less like a chore and more like an opportunity to show off what you’re made of. 

RELATED: How To Write A Resume for a Career Change

Cons of Hiring a Resume Writer

As a career coach with a Master’s in Human Resource Management, here’s why I would tell you not to hire a resume writer:

1. Cost: Hiring a resume writer isn’t exactly a pocket change kind of purchase. As I mentioned, depending on the service, you could be looking at anywhere from $100 to over $1,000 for a resume. That’s a lot for a piece of paper.
2. Loss of Personal Voice: Few things are more frustrating than seeing something meant to represent you come back feeling completely wrong. Resume writers are great at spinning gold from your experience but can sometimes gloss over your unique quirks and personality. It’s a delicate balance between selling yourself and sounding like a corporate robot, or even worse, sounding like everyone else who applied for the same job.
3. Risk of Overly Generic Resumes: Most resume writers work with a template. Cool. However, a resume can only be tailor-made if your resume writer
   • A. Researches your industry, and
   • B. Knows your story. A professionally written resume will come off as generic if it’s not customized to you. And there’s always the risk your resume writers will sling a generic resume at you.
4. No Guarantee of Success: No magic formula guarantees an interview. Hiring a resume writer is not a bulletproof solution. At the end of the day, you’re the one who has to perform in interviews, and it’s your responsibility to ensure your resume gets you interviews.
5. Dependency: You might find yourself leaning on your resume writer’s skills a bit too heavily. Suddenly, you feel like you need them for every job application. In reality, resume writing is a skill you can learn in one afternoon.
6. Slower Response Time: If the job of your dreams has a quick turnaround time before the application closes, getting a professional resume writer involved, particularly if it’s someone you haven’t worked with much or at all before, could leave you with a less-than-stellar resume or a missed opportunity.

FREEBIE: 10 Questions to Ask in a Job Interview

TLDR: Are resume writers worth it?

So, is hiring a resume writer worth it? 

In my opinion, no.

If you’re struggling to present your career story in a compelling way and don’t have the time to research what recruiters want, hiring a good resume writer could be an option. 

But if you want to feel confident that your resume is telling your unique story, want the ability to make changes on the fly, and want to be empowered in the job search process, I’ve got a better option: my Upgrade Your Resume Masterclass.

In one afternoon, you’ll walk away with not only a professionally polished resume, the tools to land interviews, and the confidence to secure the title and salary you deserve, but also the ability to create customized resumes for every job opportunity that interests you whenever you want – the resume writer’s toolbox will be at your fingertips. 

You’ll learn how to communicate your value, highlight transferable skills, and pick an ATS-approved template that makes recruiters stop scrolling.

Be honest with me: isn’t that worth more than hiring a resume writer?

And if you really want someone to look over your resume, I can give you personalized feedback and recommendations to avoid red flags and submit your best resume!

About the Author:

Hey, I’m Rayla! Let’s digitally shake hands…

I’m a career coach who is living for the chance to show you how to develop the tools you need to get a new job or promotion quickly and with confidence.

If you liked these tips and are impatient for more, here’s how we can connect:

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Anything else? Fill out my contact form or email me at hello@rayla.co.