Are professional CV writers worth it?

[Flumpaphone]

Hi all

I've worked for my current employer for nearly 25 years and gone up the ladder. However I'm feeling like I need a change of job.

I've been dusting off my cv. I have lots of professional experience and skills but my cv looks old fashioned and I'm not completely sure how to really make my skills really come to life.

I've been looking at a couple of websites for professional cv writers and whilst they are expensive (£300 ish) I am prepared to pay for a good one.

Does anyone have any experience using a cv writer?

I'm also worried there might be a few charlatans out there so any tips on how to find a good one? Word of mouth is difficult as I don't want to set a rabbit off with my current employer or tell my friends yet.

Depends how good you are at doing your own I guess

I've used them and it is interesting the insight they provide. I think ego kicks in with most people, and they naively think they nail it themselves.

Much of it is key words... which is stupid, because if everyone did it, they'd no longer stand out and these words would become overused and cliché.

Much of it you can do yourself... use the hidden character 'P' symbol in word to check for double spacing etc, read through every last word for spelling mistakes, check for consistency with acronyms and formatting...

The main point for all CVs is don't undersell yourself. Crucially, you must show evidence of significant achievements! 'Lead salesperson' means nothing... 'boosted sales by 50% and increased company revenue by 28%" is far more impactful.