Choosing a resume writer is one of the most critical career decisions you’ll make. A great resume writer positions you as a hireable, in-demand business asset, opening doors to exciting opportunities.
 
An average resume writer, on the other hand, can stall your career. They can make you look generic, downplay your experience, and leave you competing for leftover job openings.
 
When you hire a resume writing service, you’re not just paying for a neatly typed document. You’re investing in a strategic marketing tool that shifts the power dynamic between you and potential employers. A skilled resume writer gives you a competitive edge, helping you see — and present — yourself through a sharper, more commercially valuable lens.

This is tricky because reviews can be faked, and anyone can claim to be “#1.” On top of that, resume writer qualifications are often too outdated to matter (more on this below).
 
The best way to judge a resume writer’s ability to sell you is by how well they sell themselves. If they can't clearly communicate their own unique value, how can they do it for you? Look at their writing. Is it clear and confident, or vague and full of generic claims?
 
Check out their LinkedIn profiles. Would you want yours to look the same? Are their profiles dull and cliché-ridden, with phrases like “Jane has achieved significant success in various roles”? Or are they sharp, engaging, and to the point?

To compensate for their lack of commercial grit, ordinary CV writers inject your resume with hyperbole and hollow, generic facts.
 
For example, "Highly motivated and performance-driven accountant with 10 years of experience across various industries."
 
A sentence like this wastes precious real estate on your resume. Why? Being highly motivated and performance-driven is what we call "table stakes" - not a differentiator.
 
Instead of making recruiters' eyes glaze over, a CV writer must explain "why you", showcasing your unique points of difference.

Very important. Yet, sloppy, difficult-on-the-eye resume design is very common. It survives because of an often-cited myth that resumes with graphics are rejected by applicant tracking systems.
 
The truth is, modern applicant trackers can parse relevant text while ignoring graphics.

Broadly, Australian resume writing services operate at 3 price points.
 
1. Resume Mills ($150-$500). These high-volume operations focus on spicing up the language of your resume and cleaning up its layout. They pay minimal attention to positioning and branding. Work is usually offshored to employees who spend 15-45 mins on your resume.
 
2. Mid-tier resume writing service ($500-$2,000). You can expect your resume writer to have a stint in recruitment, admin, HR or communications under their belt. They will reshape your achievements and sharpen your profile (with varying degrees of success).
 
3. Top-tier resume writing services ($2,000 and above). Expect a small team of hand-picked professionals to build a custom marketing campaign that distills your value and aligns it with your desired career direction. Your resume will contain a commercial narrative that makes you more valuable in the eyes of recruiters.

Yes. If you're unsure whether the resume writing service is good enough, speak to a representative over the phone and probe for cracks.
 
Don't be afraid to ask difficult questions. Tell them about your current career challenge and see if they can offer intelligent, nuanced advice. Does the person sound "at your level"?
 
You'll be able to tell a difference between a salesperson or an admin rehashing platitudes and a career expert with an ability to act as an advisor on your corner.

The authenticity of testimonials on a resume writer's website is almost always impossible to verify. A more reliable sign of credibility is a substantial number of positive reviews on Google. This platform includes checks and balances to ensure that reviews are authentic.
 
However, Google reviews can also be fabricated. Thankfully, they’re often easy to spot.
 
Fake resume writer reviews will often be written by the same person and will inherit their preference for sentence structure, tone, punctuation and rhythm. They will also tend to rehash the same talking points.
 
For example: "At first, I was concerned about the cost, but now I’m glad I’ve decided to spend the money on a good resume writer." We recommend reading 5-10 reviews and paying close attention to the language.

No, resume writer certifications don’t guarantee competence. Some certified writers produce poor resumes, while some great writers have no certifications at all. If you’re confused by the acronyms, here’s a quick breakdown:
 
Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), Certified Advanced Resume Writer (CARW), and Certified Master Resume Writer (CMRW): Australian certifications.
 
NCRW and NCOPA: Certifications from the USA-based National Resume Writers Association (NRWA).
 
No-one on our team holds these certifications, and we have no plans to pursue them. We’ve seen too many certified writers fail to deliver results. In fact, about 25% of our clients come to us after being let down by a certified resume writer. We believe proprietary internal training programs matter more than any certification.

No. A good resume writer will be able to work with you remotely, regardless of whether you live in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra or overseas.

No. Second-tier resume services often highlight “free rewrites until you’re happy,” but if their skills fall short of your expectations, endless rewrites won’t solve the problem. Instead, hire a resume writer who gets it right the first time — no rewrites needed.