Many in the corporate world don’t see a reason to employ professional writers when creating their CVs. However, such a view towards CV writing can be self-sabotaging.
With such a mindset, you’re practically stopping yourself from getting the best highlight of your skills and competencies.
So, do you need a professional CV writer? Yes! You need them to help you create a CV that’ll push you far in your job-seeking endeavours.
Still not convinced? Let’s look at other reasons you should hire professional CV writers in the UK.
Advantages of using professional CV writers
Consider your CV as your sales pitch; it’s your way of selling yourself to the recruiter even before you meet them. It can make or break your chances of getting the desired role.
That should be enough reason for you to let creative CV writers craft one for you. But if you need further convincing, consider the benefits below.
Save Time and Effort
CV writing is time-consuming, especially for someone who doesn’t do it often. You must first identify your skills, recount your relevant experiences and determine the best way to articulate them.
Remember that you must somehow find a way to tailor everything to fit the role, pass the ATS test, and be convincing enough for the recruiter.
When you think about all of that, it can be pretty overwhelming, and it sounds like it’ll take a lot of time.
Not to mention, personally writing about your achievements may feel awkward, almost like you’re boasting in some cases. On the other hand, having someone else do it feels better.
Giving your CV to professional writers means you’re offloading most of the work to someone else. In return for the fee you pay, you get to invest the time and effort you would have put into writing the CV into some other profitable use.
For example, it would take you several hours of research and writing to create a good CV. You’ll get the CV in less time by letting professionals handle it. Plus, you’ll have more time to cater to other necessities.
Optimise Your CV To Fit Role Requirements
Many people make the mistake of trying to create a one-size-fits-all kind of CV. Recruiters don’t like seeing that. One-size-fits-all CVs rarely pass the applicant tracking system test. So, you must optimise your CV for the role you want.
Now, you’re most probably thinking, How do I optimise my CV for a role? There’s no straight answer to that question. How you tailor your CV will depend on the industry, the nature of the job, and some other requirements.
For example, you’ll design a CV for a leadership role differently from how you’ll develop a CV for a secretarial role. The requirements for the positions are different, and so are your existing competencies.
- Professional writers have invested time learning how to craft winning CVs for different job roles.
- They know the proper structure, message and words to use depending on the position you’re applying for.
- Expert writers have a knack for creating CVs that can simultaneously prove a job-seeker’s competencies and answer the recruiters’ questions.
Instead of working for hours trying to edit your CV for a role, let a pro take care of it for you.
Develop a Compelling Executive Summary
Recruiters spend an average of 7 seconds on a CV. When you think about it, 7 seconds is a pretty short time to go through a full-page document properly. However, recruiters are pros and know what they’re looking for while quickly glancing through your CV.
When recruiters peruse your CV, they’re looking for specific elements on it, and if they can’t find those things within a few seconds, they’ll drop the CV.
Keep in mind the recruiter is not limited to 7 seconds on your CV. However, it falls to you or your CV writer to ensure it’s good enough to be worth the hiring manager’s time for a thorough review.
One such element is the executive summary. An executive summary at the top of your CV quickly highlights who you’re, what you can do, and the value you can give to the company. It’s a summary of the CV.
Therefore, how well your executive summary is put together can make or break your chances. Here you want to be concise and use punchy words to convince the reviewer to go through the rest of your CV. But you most probably don’t know how to do that.
Professional CV writers in the UK have honed their skills in creating compelling summaries for clients over years of practice. They can capture the highlights of your personality, career and skills in a few key sentences better than you can imagine yourself.
Optimise the CV to Beat ATS
Hiring managers are getting increasingly overwhelmed with the volume of applications they receive for job openings. Statistics show that a low-skilled vacancy received an average of 506 applications in the UK in 2021. That’s a lot of work for the recruiting managers.
In turn, the hiring managers simplify the work by using applicant tracking systems to filter and eliminate incompetent candidates. This process cuts down the volume of CVs recruiters will need to review by any number depending on the criteria set.
Professional CV writers know the typical criteria reviewers set for the ATS and how to optimise your CV for them. Primarily, ATS screens out CVs based on specific keywords. Hence, if your CV is not optimised for the keywords, you risk missing out on a role you’re otherwise well-qualified to take.
Creative CV writers will optimise for the appropriate keywords and other requirements to pass the ATS test. For example, if you’re vying for a managerial role, the keywords requirements will be slightly different from when you’re going for an entry-level position.
You’ll Stand Out From Your Competition
There’s a popular misconception that writers use templates when creating CVs. That’s not true for reputable writers. These service providers know better than to provide generic and bland CVs for their clients.
Therefore, they’ll take their time to get to know you, your skills, experiences and ambitions. More importantly, they’ll dig deep into what makes you unique; if you haven’t found it yet, they can work with you to discover it. Then they’ll market it most enticingly on your CV.
But it doesn’t end there, a pro has all the tools to make your CV standout from the rest. You don’t necessarily need to have unique skills or experiences. A masterful wordplay and CV structuring by an expert can make all the difference.
Signs it’s Time to Hire a Professional CV Writer
Understanding the benefits of hiring professional CV writers is one thing; it’s another to know when to hire them
Different scenarios warrant a need for you to use CV writing packages. Let’s examine a few such situations briefly.
Fresh Applicant
The UK job market is a tough one. On the one hand, about 9.8 million employed Brits are actively job hunting for better opportunities.
On the other hand, around 1.2 million people are currently unemployed in the UK. That makes a total of some 11 million people who will jump at available job roles.
Therefore, getting a job is quite tricky due to the stiff competition. You’re already at a disadvantage if you’re new to the workforce or have been out of the game for a long time. Most roles nowadays require some level of work experience which you may not have. Or you may be competing for the same position with people who have more experience.
If you find yourself in any of these situations, having a CV help can push you a long way. Working with professional CV writers will remove the need for trial-and-error applications.
Plus, your CV will compensate for your shortcomings and put you on the same or higher level as your competitors.
Job Search Efforts Have Been Unfruitful
Everyone knows how long and exhausting job searching can be. You can spend most of your days every week sending out applications and getting little to no positive feedback.
Then with time, self-doubt and fear start to creep in as the stress levels build up.
At such times, you’ll need help in any way it presents itself, and one of the best assistance you can get out there is with your CV. Then again, you may have yet to receive the feedback you’d like because your CV needs to be better. So, it would be best if you let a pro look at it.
Not getting positive replies signals a need to review what you’re sending out. And your CV constitutes a significant part of what you forward to recruiters. A professional CV writer will provide an honest expert opinion of what your CV needs and will help you create it for a fee.
Now don’t let the price scare you. The cost of hiring a top-level CV writer is always worth it. Of course, we’ll consider this in more detail later in this blog.
Switching Career Paths
We all come to that point where we decide to do something new. switching career paths is always challenging.
If you’re changing roles in the same industry, you may have the skills but not the experience in the new position. However, if you’re switching industries, you may not have enough skill and experience to compete with people who have been in the industry. In both cases, your CV will need work.
A professional writer will help you craft a difference-making CV for the new position you’re considering. They’ll help you highlight your best self for the job by accentuating your transferable skills and experiences. They’ll also infuse the CV with keywords that’ll push it beyond the ATS and into the recruiters’ hands.
Additionally, the writer knows the best CV format for each industry in the UK and will tailor it to the new position. Primarily, they’ll give you your best shot at securing an interview for the role.
No Experience with Applicant Tracking Systems
98% of large organisations use ATS to screen CVs and shortlist candidates for interviews. So, the CV writing process is no longer about impressing the recruiters alone; you must first beat the machine.
An applicant tracking system is software that stores, analyses and filters candidate information. Simply put, it looks through a bunch of CVs and uses preset parameters to select qualifying candidates. It primarily helps the recruiter to streamline the number of candidates they need to interview.
Most people don’t know how ATS works or how to optimise it for them. If you fall into this category, you have little chance of making it past the software. Hence your best option is to let people who know how to game the system handle it.
Yes, you may choose to learn CV writing, but that takes time, and the job opening won’t remain available for long. So, your best bet is to hire a professional CV writer to do the job for you. They know how to beat the ATS mechanism.
Bad at Selling Yourself
You may be the most skilled programmer, designer or product manager in the world. But if you can’t put it all together convincingly in a CV, someone who’s not half as good as you may get the job over you.
Sadly, it can be challenging talking about oneself, especially your past successes and experiences. Unfortunately, you must be a master in it to convince recruiters you’re fit for a role.
That’s where professional CV writers come in. They’ll take time to know you, identify your best selling points and portray them in the most convincing way possible.
Professional CV writers know how to skirt the thin line between brilliantly selling your competencies and vain bragging. They’ll beautifully portray your profile in your CV without giving off any hint of arrogance or pride.
What’s the Cost of CV Writers, and Is it Worth it?
The cost is a common element that discourages several people from giving their CVs to professional writers. Most career professionals believe they can create their CVs without help, so why should they pay someone to do it?
But most of these conceptions aren’t true. Most professional CV writing packages cost affordable rates and give you exceptional value in exchange.
Admittedly, some high-end CV writers may charge huge sums of money, but those aren’t very common, and they do have the results to back their exorbitant fees.
It’s difficult to determine a specific range for the cost of professional CV writing services in the UK. There are no regulations for the industry; hence CV writers get to charge whatever they want without limit or cap. As a result, the pricing often varies significantly.
But typically, highly reputable CV services can charge between 500 GBP and 5000 GBP to write for you. On the low end, you can find writers charging between 50 and 150GBP for the same writing service.
While the price structure typically depends on the writer’s discretion, it may also reflect and be a direct result of some qualities of the writer. Some of those qualities include;
Experience and Educational Qualification
As is often the case in the service industry, price is usually directly proportional to quality. Again, most people in the service industry measure quality by experience, skills and other competencies, plus where the person might have gained them.
So, for example, if you work with a CV writer who’s been in the business for 10+ years and graduated from a top university, you can expect their prices to be high. Typically, such people regard themselves as foremost experts on the same level as professionals in other fields. So, they believe if a doctor can charge you 200GBP per hour, they can do the same.
Conversely, a relatively new writer in the industry will charge you less. That doesn’t mean they lack the skill or quality to write you an exceptional CV, but they’re probably still looking to build a solid customer base and get a track record. So, they’ll be willing to offer cheaper services.
The Track Record
This point rolls off the back of the previous one. Track record often comes with experience and the length of time spent in the industry. So, most times, someone with ten years of experience in the industry will have more results to his name than someone who’s been in it for two years.
But of course, the track records’ quality is a different issue and has little to do with the extent of participation in the industry. For example, a writer may be in the business for five years and build a reputation for disappointing clients after working for and failing to satisfy ten different customers.
On the other hand, someone else may be in the business for two years and build a reputation for providing top-of-the-shelf results. That may happen after he helped all six clients he worked with to secure their dream jobs through his exceptional CV writing.
In such cases, the guy with the better reputation will typically charge more. But all things being equal, the longest-serving CV writing services charge more money.
The Writing Quality
We spoke a bit about quality earlier, but we need to clarify what ‘quality’ entails. Most CV writers are top-level creatives who know how to manipulate words masterfully.
However, not all of them are actual professionals. Some only got into the business to make quick bucks. They have no prior knowledge, skills or experience in work.
Such people typically charge low to lure you in with the low price. But they almost always fail to deliver quality jobs. For example, they can provide a CV that’s bad enough to contain typos, grammar errors and cliches.
These writers also often extensively use templates and create generic CVs for clients.
However, writers that offer quality services will charge higher for their expertise. They may not necessarily charge you much money, but their prices are always relatively high.
So when you see someone offering to write you a CV for a ridiculously low price, be careful in your dealings with them. Consider asking for a sample before you get on board with them.
Conclusion
Professional CV writers have your best interest at heart. They’re willing and eager to take some of the pressure off your shoulders during your job search. The points discussed above clarify why you need CV writers; they maximise your odds of landing an interview.
We at The CV Expert provide quick custom CV writing for professionals across the UK. Call us today to discuss your career path, and we’ll start writing your new CV immediately.