Have you ever given it any thought about the Return on Investment (ROI) for a strategically crafted resume or career service? Has anyone told you that having a VALUE RICH resume document or fine-tuned interview skills can shorten your job search?

There is no exact magic number for the average job search length; it is a very difficult statistic to accurately measure. Some say it takes on average 6 months to secure employment, while others say it can take as little as 3 months. Many “professionals” will guarantee that they have a strategy to shorten this time period – some are successful in this approach and others are not.

I am not here to guarantee that a strategically written resume or fine-tuned interview skills will absolutely shorten your job search. In many instances, people interview very successfully without hiring a professional, and others are great at writing their own resume. But, if you are like many others who get jittery and nervous at the thought of interviews or have a difficult time explaining your value and accomplishments in a 1 or 2 page document than you might want to consider the Return on Investment for hiring a professional.

Most resume writers, especially those like myself – certified by a professional organization – are not just typists. Our real skill, expertise and passion lies in defining, positioning, and promoting our clients job skills and ultimately bringing their career to new heights.  We are not just writers, but we are specialized marketing researchers – trained in creating a brand, researching and showcasing your top value and marketing your skills in a way that grabs attention in just one quick glance.

To determine whether or not you should even invest in a professional resume writer, consider how long it will take you to craft that perfect resume?

– Do you have the knowledge to ensure you cultivate achievements, not job responsibilities?

– Can you write a Qualifications Summary that highlights your value proposition and not just your career objectives?

– Do you love playing around with graphics and features available in Microsoft Word? Enough so that you can ensure your resume stands out above the rest?

– Do you have the time to research the key skills and competencies required for the position you are after?

– Do you have the time available to write your own resume or LinkedIn Profile?

If you can answer YES to the above questions, than you can probably write your own resume and shorten your own job search. But if you answered NO to even one question, than you might want to consider the return on investment for hiring a professional skilled in crafting documents that get noticed and get results!

So, what is your Return on Investment and how can you calculate it?

Well, if your yearly salary is $30,000 then your daily cost of unemployment works out to roughly $115.00/day. If you invest $400 in a strategically written resume and you shorten your job search by 4 days, then you have made your money back and then some.  If your yearly salary is $60,000 your daily cost of unemployment is $231.00/day. By investing $700.00 in a professional and earning $924.00 in 4 days of employment, you will have your return on investment! At a yearly salary of $90,000 you are losing $340.00/ day that you are out of work – but if you invest $1,000 towards strategically branded documents and career services and you shorten your job search by as little as 4 days you will make your money back.

That’s right – in just 4 DAYS you can EARN YOUR INVESTMENT BACK!! At these rates, your package has paid for itself in as little as 4 days of employment.  And these figures don’t even take into account the added employment perks such as bonuses, benefits, etc…

So although I am not here to guarantee that a professional will shorten your job search, I am here to say that if a professional can help leverage your skills in this competitive job search market and shorten your job search efforts by even 4 days then your investment will pay for itself.

Do some homework and research the professionals available to assist you. Don’t just look at their service fees; look at samples of their work, certifications, awards, publications, etc… Make sure that your investment is a good one!

Thank you for reading my blog! If you have any questions or would like to inquire about our services, please contact info@skyeisthelimit.ca