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I am in need of updating my resume. I believe that I need to spruce it up a bit. I am thinking about getting a professional writing service to do this for me and I was wondering if any of you had experience with working with any companies that provide this service. Any advice or recommendations would be helpful.

Thanks

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2

depending on where you live, you could contact staffing agencies in your area. They usually review your resume and edit it for you, they might try to place you in a job but you can always decline and get your resume edited for free!

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@Cllocc hahaha I use to do this back in the days !!

But now i have a friend that actually do this for leaving so It a bit more convenient !

If you want I can post my Resume ( with out some of the crucial details lol) and you could use it has a template?

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i used this service in past and YES it made a tremendous difference. I just cant find who i used, but i googled it and found some english grad, paid $150 and she re-did my resume and a generic cover letter. Turn around time was like 3 days

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Cover letter template for I.T

Dear Management and H.R. team,

I am writing to you because I believe my training, experience, and proven ability as a Tier One\ Tier two, Technical Support and bilingual Help Desk Technician and 24hrs availability, will allow me to significantly contribute to your company’s IT division.

In reviewing the attached resume, you will note that I have acquired valuable experience in all facets of troubleshooting, installations, and maintenance for various desktop operations, hardware, and software. I possess a unique talent for delivering complex technical information into terms and concepts that the end users can readily grasp. Furthermore, I am multi-task oriented and always enjoy a challenge.

If you are seeking an IT professional who has excellent people and problem solving skills, then please consider what I have to offer.

I believe it would be mutually beneficial for us to discuss the goals of your company and how my technical abilities can help you achieve those goals.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Your name !

Resume Template.

Your name 666 somewhere,

My city, my postal code

1+ My phone number | Email:*************
***********************

E****xperienced and knowledgeable bilingual Information Technology Professional seeking to contribute training and acquired skills within a Help Desk or On-site support role. Works well independently, or in a group setting providing all facets of computer help desk or On-site support such as troubleshooting, installations, and maintenance.

In-depth knowledge and understanding of numerous software packages and operating systems. Skilled in providing Customer and End-User Help Desk Support. Easily identify and resolve technical issues and concerns.

N****etworking/Operating Systems:

MS Windows 9x, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, Windows 7, Server 2003-2008, MAC OS 10.4.

A____pplications:

MS Office Suite 03/07, Microsoft Exchange Servers 2000/03/07, Active Directory, Adobe Suite, Dame Ware, Gen Control, Remote Administrator, Logmein Rescue, QuickBooks, Bomgar, Active Directory, Citrix (XenApp – Metaframe), CRM, Connect-Wise, ChangePoint, ForceSale, Televantage, BlackBerry (Bes\Bis), Lotus Notes, BorderWare, DOS, Device drivers, Networking software, Networking security , Intranet, Internet, Applications - desktop, Symantec utility, Hirene 9.1, Ghost and imaging software, File management software, Security software, Multimedia Software, Word processing software, SKU’s, HTML, Spreadsheet software, Genie Backup (PC), Intego Backup (MAC), Blue Eyes Pro, Presentation software, Electronic mailing software.
and others…please inquire!

H____ardware:

Printers, Print Servers, Scanners, Fax, Projectors, Routers, Switches, BlackBerries, Richo, Canon, ACER, H.P, Dell, Logitechs, Epson, Linksys, LaCIe Network Space2, Wireless Space____, D2 Network 2, 2big Network 2____, 5Big Network 2, 12big Rack Network, D2 Quadra,LaCie Monitor 324, LaCIe Monitor 730, Blue eye Pro Colorimeter, Large Capacity USB Key, FireWire 800, FireWire 400, SATA, RAID, USB 2.0, USB 3.0.

C____ustomer Service:

Superior customer service skills and effective oral and written communication in both French and English.

Work Experience:

A Company

Date 1 - Date 1 2010

  • Assembly, Support, Repair and customization of hardrive, Monitors, Calibrators, Mobile and Network Drive, USB accessories,
  • Providing bilingual help desk support to end-users and reseller via telephone, e-mail and ticketing system.
  • Performing diagnostics and troubleshoots of hardwares, controllers and interfaces issues, documenting help desk tickets and resolutions, and maintaining equipment inventory.
  • Networking configuration for end users such as shares creation, TCP\IP configuration, Failovers and Active Directory behaviors with LaCies equipment
  • New Hard drive configuration, Zeroed OUT, Bloc Scan, RAID 1 -RAID 5, Formatting, Partitionning, Fix Volume coruption, Repair.
  • Controllers and Interface Swap.
  • Controlling inventory In and Out.
  • A Company. - Bilingual Systems Analyst
  • Date 2008 – Date 2010
  • Assembly and customization of desktops and laptop. Full system configuration in accordance with standards and project/operational requirements.
  • Providing bilingual help desk support to end-users via telephone and e-mail.
  • Performing diagnostics and troubleshoots of system issues, documenting help desk tickets and resolutions, and maintaining equipment inventory.
  • Respond to outages in timely fashion in a fast-paced 24x7 environment.
  • Protect and maintain a high-level of security on the company’s networks
  • Removal of Malware, Spyware, Virus and other malicious items.
  • Creating and managing user accounts and policies in Active Directory and Exchange.
  • Providing first and second tier support to the environment.
  • Administering the backup software and scheduling off-site tape pickup.
  • Support and configuration of all Microsoft office issues.
  • Creating how-to manuals, installation manuals, troubleshooting guides.
  • Continuously researching upgrades and new applications for environment and providing recommendations.
  • Train new employees per company policy for each software application required.
  • Translation of documentations.
  • Configuration and troubleshooting for TCP/IP, Firewall, VPN, DHCP, DNS and other internet issues.
  • Support for network infrastructure 7 x 24 x 365
  • Support for new software and/or web interface utilities such as “@work donation” from United Way Greater Toronto.
  • Administration of “Challenge Question Form” as per company’s policy providing secure user password retrieval.
  • Blackberry support and initialization. BlackBerry Enterprise Server administration.
  • Support Citrix users via remote desktop or Citrix Console Management.
  • Troubleshooting of VOIP phone and other devices such as iPhone and Android.
  • Administration of multiple networks from 10 – 5,000 users.
  • A Company
  • Upgrade and/or deploy new hardware/software to end users.
  • Maintain software imaging and remote access solutions for hardware deployment.
  • Proactively maintain workstation hardware and keep current with new models and trends
  • Maintain toner supplies and contact vendors for repair and maintenance
  • Reset user passwords and maintain active directory profiles
  • Support And configuration of all Microsoft office issues.
  • Maintain computer accounts in active directory
  • Assist in server deployment, maintenance and backup
  • Other work experience and references available upon request.
  • Notable clients I have supported:
  • The Arthritis Society
  • Plan Canada
  • United Way of Greater Toronto
  • Sussex Strategies Group
  • Right To Play International
  • Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, Ontario, and Toronto
  • Guidy Mamman Law
  • Christian Funds of Canada
  • Doctors Without Borders
  • Uptown Wireless (Rogers)
  • Serco Drive Test
  • Ontario OSPCA
  • Mamman Sandaluk
  • Marcatus Qed
  • Girl Guides of Canada
  • St. Christopher House
  • Na-Me-Res
  • The Royal Agriculture Fair
  • Victory Records

ETC ETC

That should give you a rough Idea where to start… i hope lol

Please dont stalk me hahah joking

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6

That Computer Guy wrote:

I am in need of updating my resume. I believe that I need to spruce it up a bit. I am thinking about getting a professional writing service to do this for me and I was wondering if any of you had experience with working with any companies that provide this service. Any advice or recommendations would be helpful.

Thanks

Getting someone else to do something you can do is a waste of money. Writing a resume that someone would actually take the time to look at isn’t that difficult.

Here’s what helped my resumes to stand out in the pile:

  • Include an elevator pitch-line instead of an objective. For example, instead of “Looking for a full-time Project Management position.” you should say, “PMP with mulitple years of project management experience ready to be a valuable contributor to your team.” It should sum up your resume in 30 seconds or less. It’s like that poster outside of the movie theatre that has 15 seconds to let you know what the movie is about and why you should spend $12 to go see it.
  • No more than 1.5 pages of relevant information. No one cares if you worked at Burger King during college. What’s your technical experience?
  • Don’t list your responsibilities, list your accomplishments for every position you were in. For example, instead of saying, “Monitored network for performance issues”, say “Implemented network monitoring solution that improved SLAs”.
  • Numbers, numbers, numbers. This goes hand in hand with the above bullet point. Did you save the company money? Did you manage a budget? Did you improve efficiency? It’s all about the numbers. For example, “Managed and implemented $200,000 network consolidation project that reduced operating costs by 75% and doubled back office productivity.”
  • Secret weapon: Include a keyword line in 6pt white font at the end of your resume to get it past the HR keyword filters. This “invisible line” will get your resume to a real person.
  • Avoid gimmicky, gaudy templates and fonts. Pick the simplest resume template you can find and run with that. It’s the content that matters and it needs to be accessible and easy to read.
  • At the beginning of your resume, list all of your skills, certifications and the technologies you have experience with. The hiring manager cares about this first and foremost–can you do the job? No one gives a shit about your Political Science minor GPA from 10 years ago.
  • NEVER, EVER LIE or EXAGGERATE. You can market yourself without using hyperbole or flat-out making stuff up.
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As funny as it sounds, LinkedIn labs has a tool that will build a resume for you directly from your LinkedIn profile. There are several good looking formats that they can create the resume in, and it’s free: http://resume.linkedinlabs.com/

I guess it’s only useful if you have a LinkedIn account, but I had one, and thought it was pretty cool.

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Linkedin… Isn’t that facebook for grown up? hehe

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Thanks for all the help and the template as well.

i guess i am just looking to get it written by someone else. I am not good at tooting my own horn. Right now, my resume reads as a template for a Network Admin, but I am looking to move up the ladder to an executive position. I think a well written resume will get the interviews, then I can do the rest from there.

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Lifehacker.com just had a posting about RezScore.com a few days ago

It allows you to upload your resume to be “scored” and then they give you tips and tricks on how to fix it.

They also offer a review and rewrite service.

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All the times I had classes or such on resumes they said having somebody else do it for you is a no no. If they are doing this as a service you will end up with a resume that looks like everybody else that uses that services does. Therefore it maybe get looked over for not being unique enough. Besides only you know what you have accomplished in you career.

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JCals, your cover letter is top tier.

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Well thank you sir. !

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Thereal_Joe wrote:

As funny as it sounds, LinkedIn labs has a tool that will build a resume for you directly from your LinkedIn profile. There are several good looking formats that they can create the resume in, and it’s free: http://resume.linkedinlabs.com/

I guess it’s only useful if you have a LinkedIn account, but I had one, and thought it was pretty cool.

hey thats pretty useful!

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I am reviewing resumes for a technical support position I am hiring for. We don’t have an HR department so I have to reveiw all the resumes. So far I’ve received 200. Off the top of my head, here are a few suggestions I have:

  1. I love cover letters. They introduce you to me. If done well they compel me to look at your resume more carefully. Don’t rehash what is in your resume. Say things that indicate you’ve read my job description and why you should be the candidate I choose. That is, what in your past makes you viable for this job.

  2. Of the 200 to 300 resumes I will recieve, about 30 will get a questionnaire to complete. It probably will take an hour to complete. Two or three people will email me back and ask to be removed for consideration because they will realize they are either unqualified or overqualified for the position. About ten will respond back. Of those, I will probably select five to come in for an interview. I have always wondered about those who never replied? Did they realize the job wasn’t going to be what they thought? Are they just lazy? Who knows.

  3. We are a financial institution. I’ve given you our name. Look us up on the web. I can’t tell you how many people who have made it through the screening process and come in for an interview look like a deer in headlights when I ask “So tell me what you know about credit unions?”

  4. If you are using a program that creates a resume for you, be careful what you put into it. For example, I’m hiring a Technical Support Specialist. I get a lot of resumes where the “Objective” says something like “Web Designer” or “CCNA.” That tells me you haven’t taken the time to even read what my job is all about.

  5. For gods sake, use upper and lower case! I can’t tell you how many resumes and cover letters where everything is typed in lower case and many times without any punctuation. We are financial institution. That should tell you that we are probably going to be a little conservative and require a degree of professionalism. You will be writing business correspondance, emails, procedures and the like. Sorry, but all lower case in the first few lines of your document means it goes immediately to the “no” folder.

  6. Keep your resume to no more than two pages. If my job description is really compelling and something you really want to explore further then compare my needs and requirements with what you’ve put on your resume. As an example, the position I have open now will require you to assist employees with Word, Excel and Outlook 2007. We are on XP but moving to Windows 7. I don’t want to have to read through a list that says you have experience in Windows 3.1, Windows ME, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7. Save me some time and just list the most relevant programs. Maybe something like: “Expert on Windows XP; Some work with Windows 7; I have experience with almost all versions of the Microsoft operating systems.”

  7. Be realistic about your salary requirements. If you absolutely need $60,000 to live on and my job is only going to pay $45,000 don’t waste your or my time. The job description I posted lists the salary range. Depending on your skills and talent I may pay you close to the upper range but I’m not going to pay you the maximum.

  8. When you come in for an interview, have a list of questions to ask me! Bring them in on a sheet of paper if you like. Interviews are nerve wracking–even for me. Ask me me why I’m not hiring from within. Ask me how many people have had this position and why they left. Ask me what I think will be the most challenging aspects of the job. Ask me about my job, how long I’ve been with the company and what I like aobut my job. Ask me what training opportuntiies are available to expand your skills.

2 Spice ups
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Theresa7077 wrote:

Depending on your skills and talent I may pay you close to the upper range but I’m not going to pay you the maximum.

Kind of off topic but this really bugs me. If a job is posted to have a salary range of 40-45k and no matter how qualified the candidate is you will not pay above 43k then post 43k as the maximum salary. Why play these silly games?

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Josh_S wrote:

Agree

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Cover letters are usually a waste of time for electronic resume submissions where there may be hundreds of applicants.

I’d only take the time to whip up a cover letter if I’m hand delivering a resume.

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Theresa7077 wrote:

I am reviewing resumes for a technical support position I am hiring for. We don’t have an HR department so I have to reveiw all the resumes. So far I’ve received 200. Off the top of my head, here are a few suggestions I have:

  1. I love cover letters. They introduce you to me. If done well they compel me to look at your resume more carefully. Don’t rehash what is in your resume. Say things that indicate you’ve read my job description and why you should be the candidate I choose. That is, what in your past makes you viable for this job.

  2. Of the 200 to 300 resumes I will recieve, about 30 will get a questionnaire to complete. It probably will take an hour to complete. Two or three people will email me back and ask to be removed for consideration because they will realize they are either unqualified or overqualified for the position. About ten will respond back. Of those, I will probably select five to come in for an interview. I have always wondered about those who never replied? Did they realize the job wasn’t going to be what they thought? Are they just lazy? Who knows.

  3. We are a financial institution. I’ve given you our name. Look us up on the web. I can’t tell you how many people who have made it through the screening process and come in for an interview look like a deer in headlights when I ask “So tell me what you know about credit unions?”

  4. If you are using a program that creates a resume for you, be careful what you put into it. For example, I’m hiring a Technical Support Specialist. I get a lot of resumes where the “Objective” says something like “Web Designer” or “CCNA.” That tells me you haven’t taken the time to even read what my job is all about.

  5. For gods sake, use upper and lower case! I can’t tell you how many resumes and cover letters where everything is typed in lower case and many times without any punctuation. We are financial institution. That should tell you that we are probably going to be a little conservative and require a degree of professionalism. You will be writing business correspondance, emails, procedures and the like. Sorry, but all lower case in the first few lines of your document means it goes immediately to the “no” folder.

  6. Keep your resume to no more than two pages. If my job description is really compelling and something you really want to explore further then compare my needs and requirements with what you’ve put on your resume. As an example, the position I have open now will require you to assist employees with Word, Excel and Outlook 2007. We are on XP but moving to Windows 7. I don’t want to have to read through a list that says you have experience in Windows 3.1, Windows ME, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7. Save me some time and just list the most relevant programs. Maybe something like: “Expert on Windows XP; Some work with Windows 7; I have experience with almost all versions of the Microsoft operating systems.”

  7. Be realistic about your salary requirements. If you absolutely need $60,000 to live on and my job is only going to pay $45,000 don’t waste your or my time. The job description I posted lists the salary range. Depending on your skills and talent I may pay you close to the upper range but I’m not going to pay you the maximum.

  8. When you come in for an interview, have a list of questions to ask me! Bring them in on a sheet of paper if you like. Interviews are nerve wracking–even for me. Ask me me why I’m not hiring from within. Ask me how many people have had this position and why they left. Ask me what I think will be the most challenging aspects of the job. Ask me about my job, how long I’ve been with the company and what I like aobut my job. Ask me what training opportuntiies are available to expand your skills.

  1. If you’re not going to pay the maximum then why list it? That would save both parties a lot of time and frustration, wouldn’t it?

Edit: I see this was already asked…

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We have a salary range for each position. The reason for the range is to allow growth. For example a job for a Teller might have a salary range of $18,000 to $32,000 with a mid-range of $24,000 (and to be honest I have no idea what we pay tellers).

The $18,000 is the minimum we would pay someone who came in with virtually no experience but had basic skills to do the job (things like type, 10-key, be able to count, personable). We don’t pay them much because we have to put a lot of time and money into their training. However, at review time they could qualify for up to 10% increase in salary each year until they hit mid-range.

Once at mid-range their annual increase would be based on whatever the annual percentage is determined by management and our board of directors. Last year we had a wage freeze but the year before it was up to 4%. The increase is not automatic; its based on a performance review.

Once you hit your maximum then you don’t get any more increases. However, by that point we would be looking at your job and moving you up to a position with more responsibility.

The maximum is the “potential” for you in that one particular position. In the case of this current position I have open for Technical Support Specialist, which is 70% “help desk,” the maximum is $52,000. I get a lot of network administrators who apply. Based on their skills and experience they are worth that or much more. However, I have to be careful. If I hired that person, they are going to be bored within six months and move on. I’d be wasting a lot of time and effort. I’d rather hire someone at around $45,000 and be able to give them annual increase and hopefully keep them for at least two to four years before they move on.

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