A freelance resume writer is a self-employed individual who prepares resumes for job applicants. Resume writers must gather information from clients about their past work experience and academic background, and then puts the information together in a resume that emphasizes the individual's suitability for a particular job. Some freelance resume writers hold down other full time jobs and just write resumes on a part-time basis to generate additional income.
Resume businesses often begin with a freelance resume writer offering to prepare resumes for friends and family members. An established freelance resume writer may advertise for clients at the local employment office, online, or in the classified section of a local newspaper. Local and national freelance resume writer groups also promote the services of individual writers through trade magazines and website directories. Resume writers have to find out a lot of personal information from their clients in order to write an accurate resume and consequently, many resume writers rely heavily on client referrals from close contacts and past clients.
Most freelance resume writers organize face-to-face or over-the-phone interviews with prospective clients. The client tells the resume writer about the position they intend to apply for and provides the resume writer with a detailed history of their academic and professional experience. Resume writers have to conduct research to learn about different industries so they can tailor resumes to each client’s particular needs. Clients who intend to apply for a variety of different positions often require two or three different resumes or one very broad multi-purpose resume.
A freelance resume writer has to agree to a deadline by which they will have a draft of the resume ready for the client to review. Clients can either accept the document or request some modifications. The resume writer makes adjustments as necessary, and provides the client with the completed resume in paper and/or electronic form. Many clients also require cover letters, and some freelance resume writers provide a cover letter free of charge while other charge a supplemental fee.
Established freelance resume writers often focus on helping clients who work in one particular sector of the economy. Jobs in the medical field and academia often require specialist skills and in order to prepare good resumes for their clients, freelance resume writers spend time researching industry trends to ensure that the resumes they write promote the kind of skills necessary to land a job. Resume writers also have to stay up to date on trends in the resume writing industry, make sure resumes that they produce are formatted correctly, and use keywords that recruiters look for when sorting through job applications.