We’re always being told that we should go for a job where we’ll use our skills and enjoy it. But when it comes to applying for jobs, what’s the right career path? Is it a resume builder or is it best to hire an expert, like a resume writer?
To understand this dilemma, let’s list some of the benefits of each option.
What Is A Resume Builder?
What is a resume builder? Essentially, it’s software that creates a resume for you from scratch. While you may have to input some information about your own skills and experience, the program will take care of everything else — formatting, font selection, headers and footers, graphics (optional), etc.
Resume builders are great tools because they’re simple to use and won’t cost you anything except time. They’re also versatile: if you decide that an early-career marketing position isn’t for you (e.g., you’re more of a people person), you can quickly swap your qualifications for the skills you’ll need for a different career.
Resume Writers
A resume writer is someone who helps you format and tweaks your existing resume or create a new one from scratch. Resume writers include career coaches, professional resume writers/alterations, and sometimes even entry-level HR representatives. Often times when you hire a resume writer, you are going through a resume writing service. A resume service is a company that specifically employers resume writers who help job seekers with improving their resumes.
Which is Best for You?
If you don’t know whether to use a resume builder or resume service, it’s important to do your research! Each has its advantages and disadvantages, so it’s a matter of finding what works best for you.
1. Resume Builders
If you’re short on time or just don’t feel comfortable coding your own resume, a resume builder might be the right choice for you. These tools take the hassle out of resume creation and offer a lot of built-in options.
Pros
Easy to use. Most free resume builders are fairly intuitive — enter your information and watch it be transformed into a stunning resume. You can usually choose from several types of layouts, fonts, and header/footer options.
Cons
No hands-on experience. Most builders offer a one-size-fits-all approach, so your candidate profile won’t reflect your unique strengths and weaknesses.
2. Resume Writers
A professional writer will not only make your resume attractive to employers, but they may also help you tailor the content to best suit your target company’s needs.
Pros
Expert advice. If you’re just starting or are unsure of how to present yourself professionally, a well-researched resume writer will be able to help you get started and provide plenty of useful information for building and tweaking your resume.
Cons
Adds time to the process. If you’re in a hurry or want a quick job search, this added step may slow things down considerably.
The Company’s Benefits
Your resume reflects your own achievements and experience and the value you can bring to an organization.
Resume builders can help you maximize the most important piece of your resume: your professional experience. If you’ve already been through a round or two of job interviews, then you have some of that professional experience right on your resume. That’s great! However, if you haven’t been through an interview in years but feel certain that you’d be a strong match for the role, it’s worth investing some time and effort into creating a killer resume.
The benefits for recruiters vary based on their specific needs. If their focus is on candidates that a resume builder has already vetted, then the recruiter can quickly glance through resumes and call back only the potential candidates they’re interested in. If they’re looking for a specific skill set, it will be easier to find the right candidate because of the resume’s ability to clearly display this information.
- The choice of jobs is completely up to the applicant. The builder can choose from hundreds of different job types, ranging from entry-level clerk up to CEO, and everything in between. These choices are based on the person’s skill set and interests.
- Career planning is easily done as the applicant can come up with a plan for a 10-year career path, if desired.
- The applicant can be sure that they will get a job that is position type-related. Resumes from Resume Builders have the job title listed as one of many skills or interests. It’s very difficult to get a job using a resume that doesn’t have any type.
The Candidate’s Benefits
If your resume writer is a member of the same career services office as you, they’re probably already using your information. If not, it may help to include some useful details or qualifications that are specific to your career path or the company you’re interested in. In either case, it’s always worth it to make sure all your information is up-to-date and reflects the strengths and experiences that will be useful to the organization you’re interested in joining.
The choice of jobs is completely up to the applicant. The writer’s sole goal is to create a resume that gets him hired. It’s not a resume that will help the candidate create a 10-year career plan, yet there can be some elements of accuracy when it comes to career planning.
- The writer knows what types of jobs he works on, so the resume will have information as to which type of job is being offered.
- The writer can know which type of resume is most likely to get him hired. This can be very beneficial.
- A Resume Writer might be able to get past the Applicant Tracking System because of professionally written content.
In the end, you need to consider your personal and professional needs when deciding whether to use an app or build a resume on your own. If you have a great amount of experience and are in a competitive field, it may be worth investing the time to build your own resume or using a builder tool. Otherwise, if you’re looking for an easy place to start, an app or builder service may be the best option for you. Always remember that editing and updating may take more time than you originally thought it would. If this is new to you, be sure to ask questions when possible – your resume writer should be able to help guide you and ensure you end up with the best-looking and most useful version of your resume.
Keep in mind that no matter how good a job your resume looks if it’s not compelling enough for an employer, they are unlikely to choose it over one from another candidate. The resume is only one of many factors that your prospective employer considers deciding who to pick for the job.
