How to Become a Resume Writer and Earn Up to $100 Each One

This article will help you become a resume writer and earn extra money while helping others get their dream job.

This type of work is becoming very popular. Believe me, I know from my previous experience as a career coach just how much people struggle with their resumes or CVs.

You just have to look at the latest statistics to understand how unemployment is making a big impact on millions of people.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 9.22 million people unemployed in the United States and actively job seeking.

In the UK the figure is 1.6 million who are unemployed according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

9.22 million people in the USA are unemployed and actively job seeking. In the UK 1.6 million are unemployed.

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That’s a whole lot of people who need to find jobs, right? The demand for professional resume writing services is HUGE. All companies nowadays expect their job candidates to send in a resume or CV.

Also, as many organizations are now recruiting online the competition for each job offer is fierce and will only increase each year.

So, as you can see, the outlook is very good if you want to become a resume writer and even start your own home-based business.

You can charge high fees ($100 – $500) depending on your level of skill, expertise and your knowledge of certain industries or job sectors

If you enjoy writing that’s great. You’ll also need a good understanding of absorbing and organizing information.

You’ll also be able to present your clients in their best light to hiring managers. If you can do this then you CAN get paid to write resumes!

How to Become a Freelance Resume Writer

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1. Can you find work as a resume/CV writer?

In a word, yes! As I mentioned above there are currently millions of people unemployed in the US and the UK who all need a resume or CV to get a job.

Remember, those statistics don’t include the high percentage of employees, reported at around 70%, who are unhappy in their present job and want to change careers.

2. What skills do you need to become a resume writer?

Well, you’ll need certain skills if you want to get paid to write resumes and be really proficient.

To create or update resumes here are the skills you’ll need:

a) Good grammar
The first skill you’ll need is a good command of the English language. Or your own language if you’re based in a non-English speaking country.

TIP: Hiring managers just HATE to see a poorly written resume full of grammatical or spelling mistakes.

b) Analytical skills
Good analytical skills are required too. You’ll need to ‘read between the lines’ of what your client is capable of in a job role and match their resume to what the actual job description requires.

c) Organizational skills
Clients don’t always provide you with all the information you need. You may have to case them for their work history, qualifications, skills, talents, and responsibilities.

So you need to stay on top of your workload and organize your files and folders to meet certain deadlines.

d) Time management skills
Clients will procrastinate when it comes to providing you with the necessary facts and details.

Time is precious as you need to complete the resume or CV before the job advert closing deadline.

A good idea is to set an alarm on your phone or computer to remind you of certain tasks and their deadline dates.

e) An eye for detail
If you want to become a resume writer you’ll need to make absolutely sure there are no errors in the resumes or CVs.

Having a keen eye for detail is a skill you’ll need when you check and recheck the final document to ensure your clients’ success.

3. What equipment do you need to become a resume writer?

The good news is, you’ve probably already got what you need. A decent laptop or computer with a fast Internet connection is desirable.

If you want to offer one-to-one sessions then you should consider Skype or Zoom calls to connect with your clients.

Start a blog and add a contact form where clients can add their details.

For example:

a copy of their current resume
with their previous work history
qualifications
skills
talents
responsibilities

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4. What’s the fastest way to make money as a resume writer?

The absolute quickest way to start getting clients and making money is to specialize in a particular industry or sector.

a) Specialize, specialize, specialize

You’ll get more quality work if you’re a specialist and not a generalist. For example, if you’ve specific knowledge in:

Healthcare
Marketing
Education
Customer Services

You’ll be able to charge more and target clients in those specific markets. Your experience will make you stand out from generalist resume writers and eventually you’ll become known as the ‘go-to expert’ in your field.

b) Aim high

It only takes a little more time to create a professional or executive resume than it does to create a budget level resume.

So, my advice is… AIM HIGH! Professionals are willing to pay much more than a normal job seeker.

It makes sense really, as they’ve more to lose if they don’t get the job offer. So, just make sure you charge what you’re worth.

c) Create original templates

I don’t recommend downloading generic resume templates from the Internet to use.

But I DO recommend you create your own set of resume or CV templates. They’ll make your life easier and provide your customers with a faster turn around.

Many candidates leave it to the last minute to request help. You’ll find you may have to work at a speedier pace to meet their needs.

d) Offer add-on services

Get some experience (you can easily do this with your friends and family who need their resume updating). Then you can start to offer add-on services like LinkedIn profiles.

Take a look at these 10 Linkedin profile examples from the business section of LinkedIn, to see how the experts put it together.

This kind of service has become very popular over the past couple of years. You can charge up to $100+ for a LinkedIn profile well done.

Take a look at How to Write a Killer LinkedIn Profile to charge more!

Another add-on service you can offer is creating cover letters, as they are often requested by companies at the same time as the resume or CV.

Take a look at this article from Forbes on how to write a cover letter that gets you the job interview for more inspiration.

By creating your own original templates you’ll save valuable time by just ‘filling in the blanks’ once you have received the necessary information from your client.

e) ATS – Applicant Tracking Systems – learn how to get your clients past the resume robot tracking.

Around 80% of companies now use applicant tracking systems or ATS to vet their job candidates using specific keywords and phrases before a hiring manager ever sets eyes on the resume or CV.

If you’re serious about starting a professional resume writing business then you need to gain expertise in ATS.

By doing this your clients will have the best possible chance of getting past the ‘resume robots’.

A great place to start is to take a look at the Jobscan site. These guys are really experts at helping candidates get through the really tough Application Tracking Systems (ATS) take a look for yourself here.

f) Automate as much as possible

I know from personal experience how time-consuming it can be going backward and forward to your clients to extract the information you need to update or create their resume.

Use technology wisely and you can streamline your professional resume writing service.

g) Discounted rates at start-up

If you’re just starting out then why not consider offering discounts in return for testimonials from your first few clients then use them on your blog and marketing materials.

5. Where can you find clients as a resume writer?

Consider contacting your local recruitment and employment agencies and ask them to refer clients to you in return for a commission.

Add a few samples of your resumes on your blog so your visitors can see the quality of your work.
Use social media to advertise your services, in particular, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Advertise in your local press.
Ask all your friends and family to send clients your way at a discounted rate.

6. Where to find more information on becoming a resume writer?

I’ve found this book by Susan Britton Whitcomb very useful. She uses her 16 years of experience as a career writer and specialist in resumes and portfolios for professionals.

Learn the Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer I found this book full of great information on becoming a resume writer.

7. Where to find accreditation to become a resume writer?

There are a few companies that offer training to start a resume writing business. Whilst you don’t actually need to be qualified you’ll find having these accreditations means you can charge more for your services.

Both associations offer further training to become a professional resume writer.

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