When you shouldn’t use a Certified Master Resume Writer

Today, there are exactly 43 Certified Master Resume Writers worldwide. The Certified Master Resume Writer (CMRW) is the first credential specialty designed to acknowledge excellence and it is only awarded to the best-of-the best global resume writers. I’m one of them.

To apply and qualify for the CMRW, applicants must already possess a recognised resume certification, have written in the market for some time (no newbies allowed), have a body of work that demonstrates contemporary representations, such as personal branding, positioning and strategising and have equal strengths in multiple disciplines. We are considered by many to be the elite resume writers.

But, not everyone should work with a Certified Master Resume Writer.

You don’t want to do any homework

The best outcome is a collaborative process between the client and the CMRW. There is homework involved and this homework can take time and involves self-reflection and doing a couple of exercises so you can pinpoint strengths and accomplishments. If you just want your current resume placed into a fancy template, then don’t work with me. My objective is to make sure you outshine your competition. But in order to successfully articulate your value to employers, I need YOU to dig deep and assemble the right data. This can take some time, but the results are worth it.

You are not a team leader, professional, manager or executive

I work with clients across all levels, but the clients that will get the most out of working with a CMRW is a professional, manager or executive, who want to secure their ideal job, or promotion and are perhaps aiming for a six figure salary or more. If you are just starting out, a school leaver, or apprentice, I can work with you, but to be honest, you will do just fine working with a non-credentialed writer, as recruiters for this level are looking for different qualities and generally don’t expect a WOW resume.

The higher up you go, the more competition, which is why working with an elite writer makes sense if you are serious about your career.

You need your documents within 24 – 48 hours

Quality and cost of professional services typically correlate and so does the time it takes to prepare a top-notch resume, LinkedIn profile or government application. Typically a low-end service will spend about 1-hour on your resume and cut, copy and paste content into a new template. In contrast, I can spend up to 20+ hours on any given project including conducting analysis, research, preparing drafts, undertaking consultations, proof reading etc., so there is no such thing as a 24 – 48 hour turnover.

You don’t like honest feedback

I’m known to be fairly blunt (but polite), in particular when reviewing requests from clients for government applications. If I don’t think you are qualified, or shouldn’t be applying for a particular position, I’ll let you know. Some people love the honesty, yet others will take offence. If you don’t like this type of feedback (warts and all), probably best you don’t touch base with me.

You are not open to suggestions and advice

If you think you already know everything there is about resume writing, then please don’t work with a CMRW. Some of the approaches being used by Master Writers (including myself) are contemporary and very different to what you learnt at school. So you need to be open to a new way of doing things, as the modern document is about branding and positioning and is devoid of all clichés and long lists of duties and responsibilities.

You think a resume is the only thing you need for an effective job search

A resume is a critical part of the job search, but the reality is that it is only one part of the job search puzzle (albeit a really important one). If you are not prepared to do the work and get your professional resume in front of the right decision-maker, then don’t waste your money. And getting to the right decision-maker is not necessarily applying for jobs via SEEK, or talking to HR. So you have to step up and learn the right job search strategies, so you can nail the job search. (I can help you with that as well, but ultimately, I can’t make you do the work).

So if are willing to do the work, open to new approaches and want to succeed, touch base, I would love to hear from you!