About my résumé writing service

I thought I would share this video and article below, that explains more about my résumé writing service.

My service is unique. Most professional résumé writers use a journalistic approach. That is, they schedule an indepth interview session that may take 90 minutes to 2 hours. They ask lots of questions and take scads of notes. Then they go off by themselves and write the first draft of the client’s résumé. They present it to the client for review, who returns it to them with changes. They update the résumé to a second draft, incorporating the requested changes. Usually there is a limit on the number of rounds of changes, and then final approved résumé is sent to the client. On average, professional résumé writers complete a finished, updated résumé in 5 to 10 working days.

Instead of an intake interview, I schedule a half-day writing session appointment with you. You sit with me at the computer –in person or remotely using Zoom–and we write the résumé together. You’re there, looking over my shoulder, answering questions, telling the story of what and how you do what you do. I’m the driver and you’re the navigator, steering us towards the perfect résumé that tells you professional story, accurately and authentically.

By the end of the writing session, we are done! You not only have your finished résumé in hand (or in email), you just learned how to write a résumé!

After your résumé is finished we move on to set up, complete, or update your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is highly powerful ool to

How long does this process take?

That depends on you, your career level, and how organized you are coming in to the writing session appointment. If you are a C-level executive or in a technical field with a long list of project or publication descriptions to write, that’s going to take longer. (To keep the ending file “clean” of extraneous and potentially problem-causing code, all résumés are created fresh from scratch.)  If you are in a career change, or have a very diverse background and skill set — these all can take longer. On average, we can usually get your résumé finished in about 2 to 3 hours. For new grads, we usually can be done in about 90 minutes, sometimes less.

After the résumé is completed, we next move to LinkedIn. You will learn:

• How to use LinkedIn to network effectively
• How to tweak and update your profile, your privacy settings, set up job search, and more.
• How to use LinkedIn to effectively cross the line from a cold applicant to a warm referral.
• How to write an effective and stand-out cover letter, using a template.
• How to locate key words in a job description and update your résumé correctly to include them.

If desired, I can also typeset a matching list of references for you.

Another aspect to my service is that for many people — particularly those who have lost their jobs and are feeling quite demoralized and dejected — the writing session appointment can even be therapeutic. You see my goal is to help you zero in on your authentic strengths, find what brings you joy in life. And have that be what your résumé reflects and attracts. That is the aspect of this job I love the most — seeing people uplifted, by simply seeing themselves a new light. To see happy faces when they hold up the finished résumé in hand and say, “Wow! I would hire me!”  That’s why I do this work!

So what does this all cost?

The better question is, what will it cost you not to work with me? Do you enjoy spinning your wheels? Do you want to actually get a response from potential new employers? Or is hearing nothing OK with you. I’ve had clients who had been submitting application after application for months and had not a single response.

See more recommendations on my LinkedIn profile, Linkedin.com/in/LaurelAKashinn

A gentleman who was a former C-level executive at a large firm in Illinois came to one of my workshops and quietly sat at the back of the room just nodding his head. He then shared how he’d lost his job and sent out over 1,500 applications before getting a single response. I had to figure this all out on his own.

My colleagues at the National Resume Writer’s Association will confirm as well that many many universities are still not teaching these best practices to new grades. Frequently, students are being helped by professors who haven’t been in the job market in decades and don’t know about the huge changes that have taken place since 2009. And often college career services departments are understaffed, underpaid, and overworked. They often don’t know, either.

To calculate the value, what is your current or desired salary for one week? Now multiply that figure by seven. Currently the Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows the average duration of unemployment is over 4 months — about 16 1/2 weeks. In research conducted by the outplacement firm Risesmart in 2016, it was found that those who use a résumé created by a professional certified résumé writer find work on average 7 weeks faster than those who use the DIY method.

I’d love to talk with you and learn about your career history and goals! Schedule a free consultation today!

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