Resume Builders vs Resume Writing Services

Starting the process of creating or revising your resume can seem daunting. Thankfully, with technology, you don’t have to embark on this process alone. The internet allows you to connect with top professional resume writers from all over the nation and access resume-building applications that can guide you each step along the way.

But which one is the best fit for you? Both routes can ultimately lead to a good resume, but the strategy used to get there is very different. What it comes down to is which course fits your personal preference and fills your needs correctly.

This article will give you a general idea of what each one offers along with pros and cons to consider for each one.

Online Resume Builders:

In recent years, resume builders such as Zety, Livecareer, ResumeGenius, ResumeHelp, and VisualCV have become popular tools for professionals looking to create a professional resume. While each service has its unique offering or “spin” on its approach, resume builders have these core benefits in common.

Benefit 1: Professionally Designed Templates

A hurdle to crafting a resume is facing a blank computer screen. Thankfully, online resume builders make sure you don’t have to start designing your resume from scratch. Many offer dozens, if not hundreds of different templates.

This allows you to select a layout that works best for your industry and look professional without hiring a designer. Some resume builders will even offer suggestions of which templates to use based on your goals and needs.

Benefit 2: Pre-Filled Content and Writing Prompts

Most resume builders will include easy-to-fill fields, which will then be placed in the appropriate sections based on the template you’ve chosen. This way, you can focus on content rather than making sure your margins are correct.

Not sure what to say? The resume builder will have prompts and pre-filled content to get you started.

Benefit 3: Cover Letter Generator

Since your cover letter will need to be modified regularly, resume builders offer tools to quickly create and change them to match the formatting aesthetics of the rest of your resume. This feature alone can equate to hours of time savings during this process.

Benefit 4: Multiple Downloadable Formats

Employers may require you to submit your resume in a particular format. A resume builder will allow you to export into any format with just a few clicks.

In the future, you may wish to modify your resume on your own. In this case, resume builders allow you to export your document to Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, and Google Documents.

With the host of benefits that resume builders have, they also bring some limitations. These are important considerations to avoid going through the entire process to realize it will not work for your needs.

• The pre-built templates are limited in how you can customize them. This is done on purpose as it simplifies things for non-technologically savvy users. However, for someone looking for the flexibility to modify it to fit their needs better, this can be challenging.
• Resume builders cannot provide individualized feedback to help draw out the portions of your expertise to make your resume stand out. Even with AI-driven feedback, it lacks the personal touch of human feedback.
• If you are not careful, resumes produced with the help of a resume builder can appear formulaic and generic, which an employer can usually spot.

This is why many are deciding to enlist the help of a professional resume writing service.

Professional Resume-Writing Services

More and more individuals these days are deciding to entrust their resume to a professional resume writing service. These services offer a personalized development experience.

At the end of the process, you will have a resume that has been expertly crafted for your industry, proofread, and edited to create maximum impact. Some of the best resume writing services and most well-known include TopResume, CareerPerfect, and ResumeGo (that’s us!).

Let’s go over some of the specific benefits of this kind of service.

Benefit 1: Industry-Specific Expertise and Current on Recruiting Trends:

The chances are that it has been some time since you’ve created your resume. In that time, recruiting practices have changed dramatically. Having a professional resume-writing service means that you have a team that is knowledgeable of current trends and techniques to maximize your likelihood of success.

Professional resume writers possess industry-specific knowledge that will be valuable, especially in an increasingly competitive job market.

Benefit 2: Personalized Guidance

One of the first steps a professional resume writer will do is schedule a time for you to connect with them via phone or a video conference call. During the initial consult, they will be able to gain deep insight into you as a person and know how best to serve you.

Beyond offering expertise on layout and tone, a professional will help extrapolate who you are in a way that grabs an employer’s attention.

Benefit 3: A Polished, Cohesive Final Product:

As mentioned previously, most people tend to follow a “paint by number” approach, primarily when they use a resume builder.

A professional resume writer will produce a resume that is original, powerful, and expertly crafted. You can submit your resume with confidence, knowing that your resume puts you in the best possible position to succeed.

Benefit 4: Faster Job Acquisition and Higher Pay:

A professionally prepared resume will increase the speed at which you can get into your next job. According to some studies, a professional resume can yield 32% faster results than any other method.

How about income? Employers were willing to pay an average of 7% more to candidates that had a professionally prepared resume over those that had done them independently or utilized a resume builder.

Should I Choose a Resume Builder or Resume Writing Service?

As you can see, there are many benefits no matter which route you choose. If you are a skilled writer with time and patience, going with a resume builder might be a good choice. A builder gives you the added benefit of a guided, easy-to-follow roadmap to produce a high-quality resume.

However, suppose you are like a growing number of professionals entering a very competitive industry. In that case, a professional resume writing service may be the edge you need to stand out from the crowd.

One thing to keep in mind, while costs of using a resume service or resume builder should be a consideration on what path you should choose, it should not be the determining factor.

While a resume builder may offer cost savings initially, it may cost you in the long run when it comes to your long-term professional earnings.

Considering that studies have found that resumes written by professional resume writers have statistically yielded higher interview percentages than normal resumes, a case could be made justifying the more significant price tag of utilizing a professional resume writing service.

Which resume creation path will you choose?