Beware of Resume Writers
Too many people are taking advantage of folks affected by the challenging job market by offering pretty bad and untrue resume advice on LinkedIn.
I have reviewed resumes for friends and folks in my network for years and have been recruiting for a while now, and that experience helps me set expectations. Ultimately, I understand that the resume review process is subjective, and past a certain point, improving the resume has diminishing returns on investment.
I'm not saying all resume review folks are bad people or trying to scam folks. But I can tell you a few red flags to look out for before paying for a resume review:
First, they say they can help "ATS proof" your resume. The idea that a ton of companies use an ATS to screen resumes and reject applicants before a recruiter sees the resume is inaccurate. Have you had a response from a recruiter just a few minutes after you submitted your resume? It could be the screening questions you answered with your application, or the recruiter got a notification and reviewed your resume. Most of the "evidence" people present for ATS programs automatically rejecting resumes is honestly easily explained by people who understand the recruiting process.
The reality is several ATS programs have process automation tools, but not many (if any) have full AI capabilities, and most companies don't have the budget for an ATS with those features. If companies use AI to prescreen resumes before recruiters see them, they are few and far between.
Also, imagine these resume writers are correct, and an ATS autonomously reviews and decides on a resume. To "ATS proof" your resume, the reviewer must know how the AI program was trained to screen resumes and what settings the company uses. And not just one company, but every company you're applying to. Believing someone has the key to all this information is not logical. At best, they'll have you include keywords from the application, which is good advice, but not worth the money most are charging.
Second, they offer services without having an introduction call with you. Resumes are about communicating an individual's career story incredibly efficiently. If a resume writer doesn't take the time to get to know your goals, objectives, etc., then you can get the same value out of running your resume through ChatGPT.
Third, they credit themselves for their client's success. The resume review process is subjective. The resume is one reason a recruiter might accept your application, but other things could be the real deal breakers. Absent a recruiter commenting that the resume was a real difference maker, resume writers don't have reliable data for their services. Correlation and causation are two very different things.
Here is some free advice that can help improve your resume:
Look up Google XYZ resume formatting.
Have data to substantiate your claims.
Focus on your work's impact on the business, not the individual tasks you performed.
Use keywords from the job description to update your resume for each application.
Simple formatting is best; most ATS programs will parse your information into the company's database, and simple formatting helps avoid mistakes in that process.
Send your resume as a PDF.
I know this market is incredibly deflating, but I hope people keep focused and motivated. Don't pay for a service that seems too good to be true. Finally, don't blame yourself for the current job market; new opportunities are on the horizon!
