Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need a resume?

A resume is your calling card to a prospective employer. Without one, you are at a complete disadvantage with respect to your competition. A good resume, however, is your ticket to an interview.

Most employers will not interview without first previewing your credentials. And whether you are selected or rejected for an interview is almost always based solely on information presented in your resume. However, often the wording, layout and design of many resumes can sabotage your chance at getting an interview.

What is the purpose of a resume?

The primary purpose of your resume is to get you an interview. A prospective employer will first screen your background, determine whether or not you are eligible for further review, and then decide whether or not to grant you an interview. A dynamite resume and equally successful interview will get you the job offer.

You face stiff competition in the job market today. Your resume and cover letter may arrive on the desk of an employer along with hundreds of others. Obviously you want to maximize the possibility of your resume being selected by sending a clearly written, easy to read, professionally designed resume.

At A Write Impression we create effective, personalized resumes that highlight your unique capabilities, skills and accomplishments. Then we professionally format your project before printing your package on quality resume paper. With our assistance, your resume will stand out and you will get that interview.

How do employers use my resume?

Your resume is used in several ways through the employment process. First of all resumes are used to eliminate candidates for the job opening. With hundreds of resumes to read through during this first screening, an employer will spend an average of 20-30 seconds glancing at each candidate. That means you must grab the employers attention right up front in your resume.

During the second stage, the few resumes that were not eliminated, perhaps 20-30, are read carefully in detail. From this cut will come the 10 or so applicants who are selected to actually interview for the opening. It is at this point that your resume functions most powerfully as a communications and marketing document. In order to make it through this cut, your resume must clearly communicate your work related skills and unique value to the employer when compared to other candidates.

Finally, if you have made it to the interviewing process, your resume will serve as an outline for discussion of your skills, knowledge and accomplishments. If well written, your resume has the power to influence the direction that the interview takes - keeping it focused on your strengths rather than weaknesses.

Should I write my own resume?

That really depends…are you a skilled professional writer? Are you able to look at your own strengths and weaknesses objectively and have the ability to communicate them clearly and succinctly to potential employers? Are you familiar with the more than 100 resume key words or action verbs?

Remember that an employer spends only 12-20 seconds glancing at your resume before deciding if you are a possible candidate for the job. While this is true, remember that this is also only the first cut. Of course, after this first elimination, if you have been chosen as a candidate your resume will be thoroughly read. This second cut is based solely on the quality of the writing in your resume. It is crucial that your job history, accomplishments, and qualifications are presented clearly and concisely. You should present enough information to show that you can make an immediate and valuable contribution to the employer.

At A Write Impression this is what we are best at. Many resume services only offer typing services but we go that extra step, creating a professional self-marketing document written just for you. We believe that the best resumes combine both format and content. We will design a professionally written resume for you, carefully balancing both these elements, maximizing your chances of being selected as a candidate throughout the entire employment process. This final resume will be printed on quality resume paper. You will have the option to receive matching envelopes and professionally written cover letters on your own matching letterhead stationary. When you present your resumes to employers, you can be certain that the first impression you make will be your best impression.

Are professional services expensive?

As Frank Fox, President of the Professional Association of Resume Writers, asks in his article "Straight Talk About Your Resume, "Does it make sense to spend $40,000 to earn a college degree and then market that investment to employers with a do-it-yourself resume? Or to have solid career credentials and a salary level of $30,000, $60,000 or $100,000…and use a less than professional resume to represent you?" Besides, truthfully, what does it "cost" you to be unemployed or even underemployed?

A resume prepared by A Write Impression is a personalized marketing document and should be considered an investment in your future. Our resumes will help you get your foot in the door of the companies you wish to work for. So, please don't confuse the "cost" of our resumes with the "price." After all, how much does it really cost you to have no income? If a resume prepared by us helps you to find a new or better job just one day sooner, isn't it worth the price?

Some firms will charge you up to $1,000 to write your resume. We produce a professional resume for only $100 with all of the features of the more expensive companies. And we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Sounds good, how do I get started?

The first step is to visit our order department and fill out our online form. Please provide as many details as possible. If you have a previous resume, or information you feel will help us better prepare your new job search materials, please copy them into the available spaces provided.

Once you submit the order form you will then be sent to our payment page. After selecting a payment method, you will then either mail us our fee or complete your payment transaction at a secure encrypted processing site. We will then begin work on your project.

We have several different resume formats to choose from all designed to provide a professional appearance. We consider many designs and layouts before we select the one just right for you. Professionally created, your resume will be strategically developed to capitalize on your strengths and accomplishments.

Whether you are new to the job market, a recent college graduate, unemployed, or presently employed and seeking to advance your career, it is critical to have professional job search materials.

We have more than 35 years of resume and cover letter writing experience with thousands of satisfied customers from every continent on earth. And we know what it takes to produce documents that will get you a job interview.

Once you have placed your order, please visit our Career Center for valuable tips related to the job search process, interviewing, the hidden job market and other topics. Then visit our Links pages to find that "perfect" job!

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