Panic is understandable but action is the antidote. 

The sky is falling, it's true, and many feel crushed by its weight. As of March 2009 there were 4.7 job seekers for every job opening in the United States. It's a little alarming if you look at it that way, but we  hear uplifting stories every week! It does take patience and sometimes flexibility; but yes, Virginia, there are jobs!  

R E A L    W O R L D

In a perfect world, you wouldn't need a resume. You'd simply go to a company, strut your stuff, and—shazzam!—get hired. The world is not perfect (or wasn't the last time we checked). An Internet posting might generate thousands of responses. A simple sign in a shop window, even, will draw dozens of applicants. Because it's much easier to screen pieces of paper (or characters within a scannable document) employers ask for resumes. So . . . you need one, and you need a good one. 

C O N S I D E R

• Employers want to eliminate you. In fact, resumes were invented to eliminate people. That's the hard truth. Our job in writing your resume is to avoid red flags and minefields so you get to the next stage in the process. Your job as candidate is to be as prepared as possible.
• Employers are very busy. If your resume isn't user friendly, you're gone. You might have two Nobel prizes and several world-altering patents; but you have just 8-12 seconds to be "accepted," and seemingly small factors can kick you to the curb before you get to do your "I'm amazing" dance.
• Cover letters are more important than resumes. A killer cover letter will generate an interview nearly every time, even if accompanied by a substandard resume. A "generic" letter, though, will create the same excitement as a "Dear Occupant" letter in your home mailbox. Don't neglect your cover letters.
• Your "brag book" matters. Whatever your profession, you need to say "I'm a critical thinker, and I'm thinking about YOU, the employer, and what your needs are." You need to be a solution to the employer's problems.

H O W    D O    Y O U    D E C I D E ?

• What avenue of approach to use?
• How many positions to list?
• What to do about short-term jobs, patchy education, poor references, jail time, stay-home parent time, layoff, dismissal?
• How many pages, what sequence? Where to start?

You don't. You leave it up to us.

F A S T

A typical meeting with us takes only 30-45 minutes. We will ascertain what you're looking for, how you plan to use the resume and who will be reading it; we will show you samples. With files dating back to 1988, we have an amazing library. Your situation is unique, however, and we are not in the business of baking "cookie cutter" resumes. Each delectable confection is custom designed.

O B J E C T I V E

You are not the expert on marketing yourself. It takes a second or third brain to lend perspective. We know what to include, what to leave out, what to highlight and what to minimize. During your consultation, you'll gain insight into your strengths as a job candidate. We view you as a prospective employer would, and we package you for the fastest sale. We will also tell you the hard truths. Remember, it's easy to promote your strengths; what counts is managing your deficits.

P R O V E N

Why waste time and resources on a campaign that goes nowhere? Because more than 60% of our business comes from return and referral clients, we know what's working out there. Our clients provide us with an up-to-the-minute barometer of hiring practices, company priorities, and industry trends. The recommendations we make to you are based on substantive and timely information.

There's no guesswork.