Should I pay a resume writer?
Pay a resume writer if you fit the roles you apply to and still hear nothing back, or if a long career needs a clearer story. Packages on the services' own pages ran from $179 at TopResume to $1,899 for Let's Eat, Grandma's executive service, paid once. The writer's job is the document; ask what any bundled applying actually does.
By the editors of The Handoff Updated First published
- Paid by
- You
- Paid to
- The writing service
- Works for
- You
- Cost
- Packages we read ran from $179 to $1,899, once.
What does a resume writer do?
A resume writer interviews you or reads a questionnaire, then rewrites your resume. Let's Eat, Grandma's Starter and Premium packages both include a resume, cover letter, LinkedIn rewrite, a 30-minute consultation and 2 revisions within 7 days, with first drafts 7 days after the consultation Let's Eat, Grandma. ResumeSpice promises a first draft within three business days of a phone consultation and 14 days of unlimited revisions ResumeSpice.
How much does a resume writer cost?
| Service and package | Price | Notes from its page |
|---|---|---|
| TopResume, Professional Growth | $179 | Resume only; cover letter and phone consultation are add-ons TopResume |
| TopResume, Career Evolution | $229 | Resume and cover letter |
| TopResume, Career Confidence | $349 | Adds a LinkedIn makeover and an interview coaching session |
| Let's Eat, Grandma, Starter | $439 | Resume, cover letter, LinkedIn rewrite Let's Eat, Grandma |
| ResumeSpice, Entry Level | $479 | For 0 to 2 years of work ResumeSpice |
| ResumeSpice, Professional | $589 | For 2 or more years of work |
| TopResume, Executive Priority | $599 | For leadership roles TopResume |
| Let's Eat, Grandma, Premium | $689 | Same inclusions as Starter |
| ResumeSpice, Executive | $699 | For C-level and executive roles |
| Let's Eat, Grandma, Transform | $889 | A tier above Premium |
| Let's Eat, Grandma, Executive Concierge | $1,899 | Unlimited revisions within 10 days |
| TopResume, Get Hired Now | From $2,495 | Adds unlimited coaching sessions TopResume |
| TopResume, DIY tools | $24.95/mo | Software, no writer |
The cheapest package here with a resume and a cover letter is TopResume's Career Evolution at $229. ResumeSpice prices by experience, from $479 to $699, and executive packages across the three services run $599 to $1,899.
What do resume writer certifications like CPRW mean?
A certification means a trade association has judged the writer's work, in an exam or a portfolio review. It is not a license; PARWCC, which grants the CPRW, describes resume writing as a field where anyone can claim to be a resume writer PARWCC. The three you will see most:
- CPRW, Certified Professional Résumé Writer. Granted by PARWCC after a timed exam graded anonymously by CPRW-certified writers. It stays valid while the writer keeps a PARWCC membership, with no continuing-education requirement PARWCC.
- NCRW, Nationally Certified Resume Writer. Granted by the NRWA. Candidates report 10 continuing-education units, pass a sample review, then write a resume and cover letter for a fictional client in an exam. It lasts three years and renews with 15 more units NRWA.
- CMRW, Certified Master Resume Writer. Granted by Career Directors International to writers who already hold a credential such as the CPRW or NCRW, after a blind review of seven resumes, an ATS-friendly resume, two cover letters and a 1,000-word essay CDI.
Any of these tells you the writer passed a test of craft at some point. None tells you they know hiring in your field this year. Ask which body granted the credential and when, and check it: the NRWA publishes a directory of its certified writers NRWA.
What are the red flags when hiring a resume writer?
- A guarantee you have not read. ResumeSpice's 60-day interview guarantee gets you a reworked resume, not your money back, and only if you sent it to at least 15 companies and ask within 90 days ResumeSpice. TopResume's terms say resume-writing purchases are final unless a package states a guarantee TopResume.
- Extras counted as value. TopResume's packages list "we apply for you: 20 jobs per day" and sending your resume to 200 recruiters TopResume. Ask which jobs and which recruiters before you count them.
- No conversation. On TopResume's lower three packages, the phone consultation is an add-on TopResume. Without one, the writer has only your old resume and a form.
- A fee to place you in a job. That is a different service from writing. The FTC warns that a placement firm asking you for a fee, especially in advance, is a reason to walk away Federal Trade Commission.
When does a resume writer beat an AI tool?
A writer wins when the hard part is deciding what your resume says. An AI tool wins when the hard part is changing it for every job.
- A writer is better for a career change, for ten or more years of work that need cutting to the story for the next role, or when you cannot say what you are good at.
- An AI tool is better when you apply to many roles. A writer delivers one resume, which then goes out unchanged to each job. Simplify+ costs $39.99 a month Simplify, and Dreamwork (our publisher) at dreamworkhq.com writes a tailored resume for every tech role it matches, with Pro at $39/month or $99/quarter.
- Both can make sense: pay a writer once for a strong base resume, then let a tool tailor it to each posting.
When is a resume writer worth it?
- You fit the roles you apply to and get almost no replies.
- You are senior, and ten or more years of work need cutting to what matters for the next role.
- You are changing fields and your resume still describes the old one.
When is a resume writer not worth it?
- You get replies but no offers. That is an interview problem; a coach helps more.
- Your search is mostly referrals. The person referring you matters more than the document; run it yourself.