To use a professional CV writer?

[ovaryhill]

Has anyone used one, was it worth it, a rough idea of cost?
Just thinking through my options as job may come to an end next year or hours may be vastly reduced
Any advice appreciated

Considered it, bought a book instead. Beyond a few basic rules (and even those are hard to find agreement on) there seem to be as many opinions on a "good" CV as there are CVs, but the book gave me a few ideas. A lot of people modify their CV for each job application to highlight the bits that will appeal to each.

Waste of money if you ask me. There are near infinite resources on the net to help build a CV, why pay someone to do something you can do yourself?

I wouldn't. You think you're getting an HR professional to do it, but usually the work is farmed out to minimum wage freelance writers who use a template.

All the information is freely available on the internet, you don't even have to write a book. All you need to do is research it.

*buy a book. :D

Like everyone else says, just look online.

Or is it the actual text you have problems with, rather than format?

I don't think it's worth it - the CV writer is only as good as the information you give them. They don't know the ins and outs of your job history so if you don't provide them with the information the CV will be useless.

Sit down and write down every aspect of previous jobs and then collate the most important. Look at examples online of skills based CVs. Also if you will be sending them to recruitment agencies then 4 pages is an OK lenght, if it is direct to a company they 2 pages should suffice, with your best and most important things at the top pf the first page.

Employers are looking for a reason to throw the CV away, don't give them one. A generic CV is pretty worthless - rejig yours for specific jobs to put most relevant info at the top (the stuff in the advert).

When I left uni I paid £130 for a CV to be written and it always got me through to an interview...fast forwrad 8yrs later and facing redundancy I thought I knew how to prepare a CV having a good one already written for me and updating it would be easy. So I gave it a go followed all the rules on the net etc. but wasn't even getting an interview. Time running out I paid for my CV to be rewritten, linkedin Profile, one generic cover letter, one tailored cover letter for a job application (cost me £90) and every job I applied for after I was invited to interview and nailed myself a job.

I would say try it yourself and apply for jobs now to see how well your CV is being received. If your not getting a response then it tells you that you are not including the correct information and key words. I had the benefit of an outplacement company whilst I was going through redundancy and it was a real eye opener to hear that many often scan CVS for key words before thy even read it amongst other things.