Hiring a resume writer: Interview with Steven Gara, CBAP(R)

It’s no secret that resume writing is difficult work. Hiring a professional to have your resume written for you can seem like a good idea. Last week I spoke with Steven Gara, a fellow independent business analyst consultant, about his experience working with a resume writer. I learned that resume writers do their best work if you are actively involved in the process and not passively expecting great results.

Thanks to Steven for taking the time to share his experiences. I hope you find his points as interesting as I do!

The resume writing process

Question: What information did you provide your resume writer?

Answer: I provided a current copy of my resume, which was 6 pages long and very repetitive. After seeing samples from Ed Turilli of Accuwriter Services of other resumes he had rewritten, I told him I wanted my resume to make an impact. Since I was paying a fair amount of money to have my resume rewritten, I wanted to be able to use it to apply for the range of positions for which I am qualified. I fed Ed detailed information about these positions and described the picture I want to paint of myself.

Question: What was the process like?

Answer: I spoke to Ed on the phone for about a half an hour. My resume was rewritten and I had the opportunity to get an additional round of tweaks. The feedback I had was so minimal I made the edits myself.

The rewritten resume

Question: What was the final product like?

Answer: Ed cut 6 pages down to 3 pages. My resume now covers 3 aspects of my career. It also uses different verbiage to talk about my experience. I think this gets us a lot as business analysts because we have a certain language and not everyone uses it. My resume is now concise yet it says a lot. It no longer repeats. Even if I held similar responsibilities between different jobs, it now focuses on what was unique about each job so that it is a concise representation of my experience.

Question: Has it been a success?

Answer: Yes. I am getting more calls and interviews than I did with my previous resume.

Tips on hiring a resume writer

Question: What advice would you give to job seekers looking to employ a resume writer?

Answer: Before you select a resume writer ask for samples of their work. Make sure the samples are similar to the way you want to represent yourself. Once you select a resume writer, be clear about what you want upfront and take some time to meet with your resume writer. Provide them as much information about yourself and your target positions as possible. Look at this as an investment. The more information you give them, the better the output will be.

Improving your own resume

Question: What advice would you give to job seekers not able to afford a resume writer and looking to get these results?

Answer: “Don’t overpower the dish with spice”. In other words, don’t be so focused on including every bit of “spice” in your career that it is difficult to read the story of YOU. Everything is not important. Take a step back and look at what you can cut out of your resume.

Also, be careful of verbiage. Take some time to rewrite your resume using the terminology that your hiring managers would use. Avoid repetition wherever possible.

Finally, resume writing is more art than science. There is no one best or only way to do things. You need to experiment to find the right way to present the best possible you.

Related posts:

1. Help a BA!: How do I blend accomplishments and responsibilities on my resume?
2. How to choose a business analyst (part 1): common mistakes hiring managers make
3. How to handle job titles in a business analyst resume