how to pay a resume writer

What You Need to Know Before You Pay Someone to Help With Your Resume

Writing a strong resume is important, but it’s also hard. You might have heard that some people hire a resume writer, or maybe you’ve seen ads for resume writing services promising a free professional review of your resume. It’s tempting—especially if you’re desperate for a new job or your search has dragged on for a while.

Is it a good idea to have your resume written by a professional? The short answer is yes, it can definitely be beneficial to your job search.

Before you spend your money, however, there are a few things you should know—including what exactly a resume writer or reviewer does, how to decide if you should hire one, and, if you decide to go for it, how to do your homework and pick the right one for you.

What a Resume Writer and/or Reviewer Does

First, you need to make sure you understand what a resume writer or reviewer can—and can’t—do for you. If you don’t have the right expectations going into the process, you’re likely to be disappointed.

What’s the Difference Between Resume Writing and Resume Reviewing?

As you look to hire a professional to help with your resume, you’ll come across the terms “resume writing” and “resume reviewing” and it’s important to understand the range of things these terms can mean. They’re almost—but not quite—interchangeable.

Most services and individuals offering “resume writing” will not actually create an entirely new resume for you from nothing. Instead, resume writing means rewriting , says Muse career coach Jennifer Smith , founder of Flourish Careers , who in addition to writing resumes, read them for over 15 years as a recruiter and HR professional. “I require something that we can build from, to understand their experiences and key accomplishments,” Smith says.

Most resume writers will want to see your existing resume, and they’ll usually need you to fill out a questionnaire or worksheet or have a long conversation with them about your experience and goals—most commonly, you’ll need to do a combination of these things.

Some individuals and services, like The Muse’s own Coach Connect —a marketplace where you can book sessions with thoroughly vetted career coaches—call this same service a “ resume review .” At The Muse, the intention is to avoid the perception that you’ll be getting a resume written from scratch, says Eloise Eonnet , Coach Connect Manager and a coach herself who specializes in interviewing and communication.

However, in its lightest (and cheapest) form, resume reviewing can mean a professional looking over your resume and providing some actionable advice for you to make updates yourself, Smith says. This is often what you’re getting if you sign up for a free resume review. Tread lightly here since the advice may not be personalized to you: I, a content editor and writer, once submitted my resume to the same free resume review service as my mother, a nurse, and we got nearly identical feedback despite our extremely different goals and industries.

You might also choose to work with a coach who reviews the resume you’ve written, shares advice on how to improve it, and then gives you feedback on the changes you make, says Dana Hundley, a resume writer, former recruiter, and founder of Career Cooperative . This kind of service will probably do the most to help you learn how to write better resumes yourself in the future.

What Can a Resume Writer Do for my Resume?

Your resume is a story about why you’re the right person for a given job. Experienced resume writers are adept at asking the right questions to pull out the most relevant information about you and packaging it in a way that tells an engaging and persuasive story, Smith says.

There are also some common errors that (good) resume writers won’t make or will catch, including bullet points that list responsibilities rather than achievements and a lack of consistency throughout the resume (usually because people are just adding recent jobs onto old resumes without making sure everything tells a coherent story and is formatted the same way).

When she was a recruiter, Smith also noticed candidates who would try to stand out using flashy design—including a resume that used so much bright green that she literally jumped back from the screen (and then struggled to read the document). A good resume writer will help your resume stand out the right way.

You can definitely do all these things for yourself, but if you’re overwhelmed, stuck, or don’t have the time or energy to immerse yourself in the nuances of resume best practices, a professional might be the right choice.

Do I Still Need to Be Involved in the Resume Writing Process?

Hiring a resume writer doesn’t mean that you’ll magically receive a perfect resume without any thought or work on your part. “If you want to do it right, it should be a partnership,” Smith says. This means the writer is learning about you and your professional history, listening to what you want from your resume and your next job, and getting input from you throughout the drafting and revising process. This also means you’re putting the effort in to share all the relevant information needed to make your resume the best it can be.

Once It’s Done, Can I Submit the Same Resume for Every Job I Apply To?

Whether or not you work with a professional, it’s an absolute must to tailor your resume  for every position you apply to. This means making changes to emphasize the most relevant experience, skills, and achievements for each role as well as switching up language to make sure you’re including the right keywords from the job description.

A resume writer should gear their work toward the types of jobs you plan to apply to, so a professionally written base resume should already showcase most of your most relevant experience. But every job is a little different and you should expect to make tweaks. Perhaps a certain company is looking for someone with knowledge of uncommon software that you happen to have experience with, but it’s not on your base resume because most companies don’t use it. Adding the name of that software to your professionally written resume could be what lands you the interview.

If you’re applying to more than one type of job—let’s say, for instance, you’ve worked in both marketing and development and are applying to roles in both—you might have to make more changes for different applications, or you might consider working with a professional on two (or more) base versions of your resume.

Will a Resume Writer Design My Resume?

Resume writers often will format your resume, but if you’re looking for someone to make a heavily designed resume, it’s not a given. And that’s probably a good thing. Applicant tracking systems (ATSs)—the programs that many companies use to process and organize resumes—can’t always parse fancy formatting. So a good resume writer will make sure your resume has clean, simple formatting an ATS can read. Muse coaches, for example, typically focus “not on the fancy details, but what is going to help you get through [the ATS] and land that interview,” Eonnet says.

Resume formatting is also about appealing to the human reader. As former recruiters, both Smith and Hundley make sure the resumes they write are easily scanned and understood by someone who might have a lot of applications to go through in a short time.

If you re looking for a heavily designed resume, you should be up front about that expectation and prepared for the possibility that you’ll need to pay more or even hire someone separately.

Is Hiring a Resume Writer “Cheating”?

If you’re considering hiring a resume writer, but are concerned that it feels dishonest or is “cheating,” worry no more. Unless you’re applying to be a resume writer yourself, your resume isn’t meant to be a sample of your work, but rather an accurate reflection of your qualifications for a job. As long as what’s written on your resume is true, there’s nothing dishonest about it.

If a resume had the information she was looking for, Smith says, she didn’t really care if a resume was professionally written. In fact, neither Hundley nor Smith usually noticed if a candidate had hired someone else to write their resume.

How to Decide If You Should Hire Professional Help for Your Resume

Almost anyone can benefit from a resume writer, but working with one can be especially productive in some scenarios. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you decide whether to write your own resume , hire a professional, or even seek out an entirely different kind of  career coaching .

Do You Know What Your Job Search Goals Are?

Effective resumes are “a combination of your goals and your history. If you don’t have the goals piece, that makes the resume a lot less effective,” Smith says.

At its core, “your resume is a marketing tool” that’s selling you as the right person for the job, Smith says. If you were marketing a new product, you’d want to know who your customer is; if you’re writing a resume, you want to know who your target audience is. There is no single ideal resume for each person based only on their history. The best resume for a candidate looking to land a digital marketing coordinator job is different from the best resume for that same candidate to get a sales development role or even a social media coordinator role. Different experiences, achievements, and skills matter for different jobs—your resume needs to reflect the ones that matter for the jobs you’re applying to.

So if you’re not sure what type of positions you’re going to apply to, a resume writer can’t deliver a good product and it’s a waste of everyone’s time and your money to make them try.

“Sometimes people come to me and say that they need a resume, but that’s not really what they need,” Smith says. They don’t really know what they want next, but they think they need a resume to start. People tend to want to pay for tangible things like a resume even when what they actually is need someone to help them figure out their goals, Eonnet says.

If this is you, and you’re unsure of what job you want next, you might want to start with a different kind of coaching before you look for someone to write your resume. For a potential client in this position, for example, Eonnet would recommend checking out Coach Connect’s “ Stuck in a Rut ” package over its resume review service.

Does Your Job Search Situation Fall Into One of These Trickier Categories?

There are a few situations where hiring a resume writer might be particularly helpful. If you fall into one of these categories, your resume may be a bit more difficult (though not impossible) to write on your own:

• You’re making a career change
• You haven’t applied for a job or updated your resume in a long time
• Your career history is extensive and you need help narrowing it down
• You’re going back to work after a long employment gap
• You’ve had a bunch of jobs and/or side gigs that might look unrelated
• You’re a freelancer looking for a full-time job
• You’re in a niche market or transitioning out of one (such as government, the military, or academia)
• You don’t have the time needed to create a high-quality resume
• You’re not a strong writer and need help clearly stating your achievements
• Your job search has gone on for a while with little success

Do You Need Motivation or Help Overcoming a Mental Block?

I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people I know say, “I just need to update my resume, then I can start looking for a new job,” and stay stuck in that stage for weeks or even months. When your resume becomes a barrier preventing you from making progress in your job search, you should consider bringing in a professional, Hundley says. “If it feels too big, too daunting, too confusing, seeking support to create the best possible resume for yourself so you can...focus your energy on other aspects of a job search is a great option.”

Resume writers can also help motivate you, especially if you’re feeling deflated from a job hunt—with all its rejections and radio silences. Often “I look at a draft of someone’s resume and see how amazing they are and then get on the phone and they’re down on themselves,” Smith says. But she’s heard from clients that even the act of filling out her intake questionnaire helps them start to process their background in a new way, see what makes them qualified, get out of their own heads, and feel prepared to talk themselves up.

How to Pick the Right Resume Writer

If you’ve decided you want to hire someone, you’ll quickly realize that “there are thousands and thousands of coaches out in the world who say they can help you with a resume,” Eonnet says. While many of these coaches are legitimate, not all of them are going to be a fit for you. Here are some questions to ask yourself to make sure you find a resume writer or service who will give you the biggest leg up on your job search.

Is the Resume Writer or Service Reputable?

Before selecting a resume service or writer, you want to make sure that your choice is qualified and that you’ll get the product they’re promising. “There’s not a one-size-fits-all in terms of what makes a successful, impactful resume writer,” Hundley says. But there are a few ways to try to assess your options.

• Look at reviews —both on their own website and third-party sites. If the coach you’re considering is on Coach Connect, you can be sure that the reviews listed on their profile are all in order and the “featured testimonial” is always the most recent review. Negative reviews are not deleted or altered, and positive reviews aren’t promoted to the top, Eonnet says.
• Check for certifications. They’re a sign that a resume writer or coach is qualified—but not the only one. The Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches and the National Resume Writers’ Association are the two main sources of resume writing certifications in the U.S. and you can be sure that folks with these certs are qualified. But not having one of these doesn’t mean someone’s not qualified, so make sure to take all of their experience into account. A recruiting and/or HR background, especially in your desired industry, is one other thing to look for along with or in lieu of a certification.
• Understand the criteria. If you’re looking at resume services with a lot of writers, you might want to find out what standards and vetting processes they have in place. The service’s website might include this info or you could ask for it directly before agreeing to use them.
• Ask for referrals and recommendations from your network. That way you know that someone you trust was happy with the work the resume writer did.

Are There Red Flags?

Here are a few red flags to watch out for from resume writers or services. Most aren’t definite dealbreakers, but might be a signal to dig deeper or consider looking elsewhere:

• Job guarantees: Some resume services will guarantee that you’ll get a job in a certain number of days or your money back. Be wary—there’s likely fine print with some extreme qualifications you need to meet to be eligible. Plus, no one can realistically guarantee that you’ll get a job based on your resume alone, no matter how fantastic it is. Landing a job depends on so many factors—including the job market, the number of jobs you apply to, your experience, your performance in interviews, and the speed of the hiring process where you’re applying.
• Extreme prices: If a service is free or less than $100, make sure you know exactly what you’re getting for your money. At prices that low, you might not be getting personalized advice or your information could be sold to third parties for advertising purposes. On the flip side, if a resume writer is charging in the high triple digits or more for just a resume (and you’re not a C-suite executive), make sure they have the experience and results to justify it or skip straight to cheaper options.
• Lack of transparency: Before paying for anything, you want to know what you’re getting, right? A service or writer should be up front about their prices and process, including how many rounds of edits you get and what type of file your resume will be delivered in.
• A final result you can’t easily edit: You still need to tailor your professionally written resume for each job you apply to, so your resume should be “very nimble,” Hundley says. If a service is going to deliver an end product in a file format you can’t edit (such as an image file or a file you need special software to open) or is so heavily designed that changing up the text will mess up the formatting, look elsewhere. Note: It’s fairly common (and not a red flag) to receive a PDF and an editable document.
• Generic advice or lack of input needed from you: If you’ve already submitted your resume for a review, and it’s clear from the results that whoever wrote the feedback didn’t read your resume, tread very carefully before giving the service more money. Or if a resume service doesn’t ask for more information about what kinds of jobs you’re looking for or anything else about your experience, consider whether your money is better spent on something more personalized.

What’s Your Timeline?

You should have an idea of when you need your resume to make sure that the resume writer you choose is able to deliver on time. If you want to start your job search “soon,” spending a few weeks on your resume might be fine, but if you spotted a perfect job you want to apply right away before the posting comes down, you might need it in a few days—in which case you need to make sure the resume writer can meet your deadline (and you should be willing to pay extra for a rush job, Hundley says).

What’s Your Budget?

Resume review and writing services can range in price from free to thousands. Typically, you should expect to pay at least one hundred to a few hundred dollars for a professional to rewrite or revise your resume, Smith says. Folks far along in their careers, especially at the executive level, tend to have to pay more than early-career job seekers.

Different writers and services might have different resume packages that include more revisions, more time to talk with the writer about your job search goals and resume strategy, or even additional coaching products—and prices will range accordingly. So think about what you can afford. If you don’t have a lot to spend, it might make more sense to get a lighter resume review from an experienced resume writer who’s a good match for you rather than a full rewrite from a service where you’re not quite sure who’s writing your resume or what quality the end product will be.

What Is Your Ideal Process?

As mentioned earlier, every resume writer and reviewer needs some amount of input from you. But the amount and type of involvement you have in the process can vary. Do you want some tips on your resume that you can use to update it yourself? Do you want the writer to handle the writing and go back and forth with several rounds of revisions to make sure it’s exactly how you’d like it? Do you prefer to talk about yourself over the phone or will filling out questionnaires allow you to organize your thoughts better?

Think this through before you look for resume writers and be prepared to ask probing questions about their writing or review process to make sure it lines up with your expectations and needs, Hundley says. If one resume writer isn’t offering what you’d like, move on to another.

Do They Have Experience Helping People in Your Role, Industry, and Situation?

While looking for writers, see what industries, careers, and situations they have experience with to ensure they have a track record of helping people like you. A coach who has a background in the industry you’re looking for work in is especially helpful because they “can speak the language,” Smith says. If you have to choose, it’s typically better to find someone who’s familiar with where you’re going in your career, Smith says, than someone who’s familiar with where you’ve been. One exception is when you’re transitioning out of the military since translating that experience can be a unique skill.

Even if you’re using a larger resume service, you can see if it has a way for you to work with a writer who has the experience you need. For example, Coach Connect allows you to filter for careers, experience levels (both yours and the coach’s), and other areas of expertise—for instance, working with veterans, career changers, or international job seekers. And if you’re still struggling, some services, including Coach Connect, allow you to reach out for help finding a match.

Is Their Personality and Style a Good Match for You?

Before you make a final choice, try to get a sense of who the writer is beyond their experience. Read anything they’ve written on their website, LinkedIn, social media, and various professional profiles (on The Muse’s Coach Connect, at least, each coach writes their own bio). Pay attention to both tone and content. Are they warm and bubbly or no-nonsense and to-the-point? Neither is good or bad per se, but you might prefer one over the other.

Look at reviews and testimonials and watch for any common themes. Do multiple clients say that they’re a good listener? Or that they infused some humor into the process? You can also use a free initial phone consultation or any pre-hire conversations with the writer to get a sense of how they communicate and if they’re a good fit for you.

You likely work better with some colleagues than others because of their personalities and work styles. A resume writer is no different. You’ll get your best possible resume from someone you gel with.

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The Best Resume Writing Services Of 2024, Chosen By Our Editors

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A good resume can make a lasting impression on a potential employer, and the best resume writing services can help you get your foot in the door that much faster. Sure, you can tackle the task yourself, but between navigating computerized application tracking systems and adapting to their ever-changing standards, building a modern resume that stands out in the crowd is no easy feat. That’s why we researched dozens of resume writing services to help you land the role you deserve. Our overall favorite is TopResume , which lets you choose from four different packages, but we included seven more options below.

The best resume writing services can help you make a lasting impression on employers.

When selecting our favorite resume services, we considered how easy each was to use, customization options available and turnaround times. Whether you’re looking for a little polish or have no idea where to start, there’s a service on this list for you. After all, why wouldn’t you hire a professional to handle one of the most important documents standing between you and your dream job: a finely-tuned resume? Below, the best resume writing services that cover everything from editing to one-on-one career counseling. And once you get the job, make sure you’re set up for WFH success with our favorite office chairs , standing desks and business laptops .

• Best Overall Resume Writing Service: TopResume
• Best Resume Writing Service With Custom Bundles: Resumeble
• Best Resume Writing Service With Career Consulting: TopStack Resume
• Best Resume Writing Service For Executives: ZipJob
• Best Resume Writing Service Built By Recruiters: ResumeSpice
• Best Quick-Turnaround Resume Writing Service: Craft Resumes
• Best Value Resume Writing Service: ResumeCompanion
• Best Free Resume Building Service: Resume.com

Best Overall Resume Writing Service

A popular service for professionals.

I am an assistant editor for Forbes Vetted currently residing in Austin, Texas. I primarily cover deals and consumer shopping, and previously worked as a deals staff writer for Wirecutter. My byline has also appeared in the New York Times. I have over four years of experience writing in the e-commerce sphere, and spend most of my time scouring the web for the latest consumer news and best discounts. 

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Tiers: Starter, Premium, Ultimate and Executive Elite | Turnaround time: 4 to 7 days

Pros: 

• Free resume review
• Customizes your resume by writers certified in 65+ industries 
• 60-day guarantee; double the job interviews or they’ll rewrite it for free

Cons: 

• Limited to two revisions 

TopResume is a popular option for mid- to high-level professionals seeking resume advice. You can choose from four different packages (Starter, Premium, Ultimate and Elite) that range in price from $149 to $699 and offer a variety of services. No matter which package you choose, you’re guaranteed a professionally written resume from an expert in your chosen industry. If you already have a resume, you can also opt to get a free review on it, and receive feedback on its layout, language and how effectively it communicates your skills.

Best Resume Writing Service With Custom Bundles

A great combo service for your resume and cover letter.

Tiers: Standard, Professional and Premium | Turnaround time: 4 days

• Standard package includes resume and cover letter
• Customizable based on your industry
• 60-day guarantee; receive an interview or rewrite for free
• No refunds on Standard and Professional packages (however, Premium packages include a Money Back Guarantee)

Resumeble offers three package tiers: Standard, Professional and Premium. If you’re just starting your career, the Standard package offers bang for your buck, since it includes a resume and cover letter (most services require you to at least upgrade to the mid-level package for both). Next up, the Professional package is geared toward mid-level employees looking to promote or pivot and includes a LinkedIn profile refresh; and the Premium package, designed for seasoned executives, offers all that plus a back-up resume, cold emails to recruiters and more. While no refunds are offered on Standard and Professional packages, the Premium package comes with a Money Back Guarantee if clients don’t receive at least one job offer within 180 days.

Best Resume Writing Service With Career Consulting

A global platform that focuses on the full professional picture, topstack resume.

Tiers: Basic, Standard, Professional and Premium | Turnaround time: 1 to 2 weeks

Pros:  

• Can view final resume before paying 
• Provides advanced career consultations and interview prep
• Donates 5% of profits to the Fisher House Foundation
• 60-day guarantee limited to Professional and Premium packages
• Longer turnaround time; takes 1 to 2 weeks

TopStack offers four different packages that range from $139 for your basic professional resume to $649 for a more robust selection of services (including career consulting plus help with your resume,​ cover letter and LinkedIn profile). It also focuses on ensuring your resume is ATS-optimized, a must in the modern hiring world.

Best Resume Writing Service For Executives

A service built with leaders in mind.

Tiers: Launch, Fast Track, Premium, Executive | Turnaround time: 3 to 7 business days

• Comprehensive; includes resume, cover letter, thank-you note and LinkedIn profile
• Resumes are ATS-optimized
• 60-day interview guarantee
• On the pricier side

ZipJob is a great choice for professionals at all levels, but its comprehensive executive package makes it especially suited for those at the top of their game. Offerings include an executive-level resume and cover letter, LinkedIn profile optimization and a customizable thank-you letter. To ensure everything is up to standard, you also get a phone consultation with your writer and multiple revisions for all of your documents. And just like ZipJob’s other packages, the executive bundle checks that your resume is ATS-ready (Applicant Tracking Systems), so you can pass early screenings with flying colors.

Best Resume Writing Service Built By Recruiters

A highly rated platform developed by hr and hiring managers, resumespice.

Tiers: Entry Level, Professional and Executive | Turnaround time: 2 days

• Wide range of services offered including for resume, cover letter, Linkedin profile, interview prep and career coaching 
• Quick 2-day turnaround
• 60-day guarantee; rewrite if you don’t get an interview 

Cons:  

• Expensive; $479 for an entry-level resume

ResumeSpice is more expensive than other services. That said, it was developed by recruiters, aka people who’ve truly homed in on what prospective employers are seeking. It’s also one of the highest-rated services on Trustpilot . The company offers a quick two-day turnaround, pre-built packages depending on your experience and the option to tack on its highly rated career-building services. ResumeSpice also has free resume resources and a selection of sample templates, if you’re more interested in the DIY approach.

Best Quick-Turnaround Resume Writing Service

A platform that gets you the fastest first draft, craft resumes.

Tiers: Resume Writing, Basic, Optimal, All-In-One | Turnaround time: 1 day

• 24-hour turnaround time for first draft 
• Writers are PARWCC- or NRWA-certified
• International service; some users experience grammar issues due to language barrier

If you’re in a time crunch, this writing and editing service has a 24-hour turnaround for the first draft of your resume. Craft Resumes features an easy-to-navigate website and delivers resumes tailored to your experiences and desired career path. Like a few other services, Craft Resumes offers a series of à la carte options, such as LinkedIn profile writing, thank-you letters and follow-up letters.

Best Value Resume Writing Service

A subscription-based diy resume builder, resumecompanion.

Tiers: Monthly or 2-week access | Turnaround time: Self-paced

• Affordable; subscription costs $8 a month or 14-day access for $3
• Choose from dozens of professional resume templates
• Offers cover letter, job search and tracking tools
• Self-directed; no hands-on help from writers

This resume builder is a great budget option for a self-starter who wants to learn the ropes and take things into their own hands. You can select from a variety of templates, narrow down the type of job you’re seeking and follow a step-by-step process to perfect your own resume. However, because it’s subscription-based, you’ll have to renew the service if you want to edit your materials in the future.

Best Free Resume Building Service

A robust resume and cover letter resource—at no cost to you.

Tiers: Free | Turnaround time: Self-paced

• Free with dozens of templates to choose from
• Integrated with Indeed; easy to apply to jobs
• Some users say it’s difficult to cancel subscription

If your budget is tight and you don’t mind going the DIY route for your resume, Resume.com is a great resource. It has an intuitive user interface and offers over 20 different resume and cover letter templates to choose from. There’s also an open career advice portal where you can read about career development, interview tips and more.

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The Forbes Vetted team has published a large library of tech guides , including reviews on a variety of online tools and home office essentials like the best document scanners and all-in-one printers .

• Consumer tech editor Rebecca Isaacs and executive editor Dave Johnson oversee this guide and its iterations; they have over a decade of experience in the industry and both enjoy testing and reviewing the latest in tech.
• Assistant editor Jordan Thomas has over four years of experience covering deals and consumer shopping. For this guide, she scoured the web for the most reputable resume writing services and compared each option to find the best.
• We continue to monitor the best resume services and routinely update this guide to provide the most current information about pricing and offerings. It was last updated in May 2024 by tech updates writer Alexandra Garrett to expand our buyer’s guide.

How We Chose The Best Resume Writing Services

To compile this list, we sought out well-known resume writing services with overwhelmingly positive customer reviews and compared key offerings.

• We looked for reputable resume writing services with proven results; each service had to meet our standards in terms of overall value, turnaround time, professionalism and satisfaction guarantees.
• We evaluated each service side-by-side to determine which performs better at writing a robust resume in an accurate, timely manner.
• Everyone has unique needs when it comes to searching for a job, so we made sure to recommend options that span different career goals and budgets, whether that includes getting career consultation or polishing up an existing resume.

What To Look For When Choosing The Best Resume Writing Service

Resume writing services come in a wide range of prices, and the best options for you will largely depend on your needs and budget. Affordable services like ResumeCompanion offer a step-by-step process for building your own resume for $8 a month, while other services provide a more hands-on approach for around $150. Packages typically go up to $250-$300 when you add Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)-optimization, cover letter writing, interview prep and career coaching.

Turnaround Time

If your job application has a set deadline, take a look at the service’s turnaround time before committing. Most services take anywhere from two days to two weeks to provide a finalized resume. Some promise a draft in 24 hours, like Craft Resumes .

Ease Of Use

When deciding on a resume writing service, take a look at how easy the website is to navigate. Is it difficult to browse different templates, download your files or customize your resume? The job application process is often stressful, so a resume writing service should alleviate—not contribute to—some of that stress.

Customization Options

A resume needs to accurately reflect your unique qualifications, skills and industry standards. For this reason, consider which customization options the service provides. Many of our recommendations use writers, recruiters or HR professionals to tailor your application documents to your unique needs.

Writer Qualifications

With AI solutions like ChatGPT readily available, you’ll want to check whether or not your resume writer is qualified to provide the help you need. To do this, take a look at the service’s writer qualifications. Some services use writers certified by the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches (PARWCC) or National Resume Writers Association (NRWA), while others are run by recruiters or HR professionals.

Privacy Policies

Because some websites and apps collect your personal information, it’s important to check the privacy policies before signing up. Look for whether the site stores or shares that information with third parties, and whether you can adjust your privacy settings to opt out of this setting.

Is It Worth Paying For A Resume Writing Service?

Professionally-written resumes through a reputable service can help you stand out from the competition. They’re often designed to highlight your best qualities, and are keyword-optimized for most applicant tracking systems. If you’re struggling with employment gaps or career changes, a resume writing service can help give you a leg up. And some services will also provide reviews for custom cover letters, Linkedin profiles, interview prep and career coaching.

What’s The Best Resume Writing Company?

The best resume writing company is affordable, offers high-quality review and writing services and is easy to use. Our top pick overall— TopResume —provides the professionalism and quality most mid- to high-level job seekers need, from its free resume review to its customizable options.

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The Pros and Cons of Hiring a Resume Writer

Thinking about hiring a professional resume writer? In this guide, we dive into where to find one — and whether it’s really worth it.

2 years ago   •   7 min read

Okay, let’s be real: Nobody actually enjoys putting together a resume. It’s stressful, time-consuming, and there’s no guarantee of a payoff at the end.

Which is exactly what makes resume writing services so tempting. After all, if you could pay a few bucks to skip the whole process and get a professional-caliber resume at the end of it, why not?

That’s exactly the question we’re about to answer — along with where to find a legitimate resume writer and what to expect if you do hire one.

Is a professional resume writer worth it?

Should I hire a resume writer? There’s no single “yes or no” answer. Like any service that costs money, whether it’s worthwhile to hire a professional resume writer comes down to what you want out of it — and what you’re willing to give up.

To help you make that decision, here are some of the benefits (and potential downsides) when considering if resume writers are worth it.

Hiring a resume writer: Pros vs Cons

The benefits of hiring a professional resume writer seem obvious on the surface — saving time and effort while getting a better-quality product at the end of it. But, as the saying goes, everything has a price … and we aren’t just talking about money.

Pro: It’s convenient

Con: It’ll cost you

Professional resume services can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars . Found a cheaper alternative? “You get what you pay for” is a cliché for a reason — and in this case, it’s very true.

Pro: It lets you skip most of resume writing process

Con: You’ll need to be more involved than you think

Resume writers can’t simply build a resume from scratch. You’ll still need to provide them with information, including your job history, educational background , and accomplishments . You may also end up needing more than one resume — at least, if you’re applying for more than one job, which you probably are. That means you’ll be tailoring your own resumes anyway, or you’ll be racking up additional fees for a resume writer to do it for you.

Then there’s the initial vetting process, ongoing collaboration, feedback, and revisions. By the time it’s finished, it’s unlikely you’ll have saved much time or effort; instead, you could have simply plugged the same information into a template and saved yourself several hundred dollars.

Pro: There’s less time and effort required

Con: It isn’t an overnight process

Don’t expect a brand new resume in a matter of hours — a week or two is more realistic. Also factor in 1-2 initial phone calls (yes, calls — writing a resume takes a lot of back and forth, including information that can’t easily be conveyed over email) as well as multiple revisions. Some resume writing services may offer a quicker turnaround if you’re in a hurry, but don’t expect the rush option to come cheap.

Pro: You can look for a certified professional

Con: Not all resume writers are qualified

How do most resume writers get started? By deciding to write resumes. There are no official qualifications needed to become a resume writer, and the truth is that most resume writers don’t have backgrounds as recruiters or hiring managers.

You can look for resume writers who are affiliated with the National Resume Writers Association or who possess Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) certification, but even then, there’s no way to know exactly what you’re paying for. CPRW doesn’t require any kind of industry background to qualify — it's just a couple of short online courses and a test. No one's actually a hiring manager with experience.

Pro: A professional resume writer may do a better job

Con: … And then again, maybe not

Nobody knows your background and accomplishments better than you. Even if you supply them with detailed information, resume writers still don’t know exactly what you’ve accomplished or what skills you possess. This could mean that genuine accomplishments are left off your resume or — more likely — that others are embellished or even made up entirely. This could get you in serious trouble at the interview stage, so you’ll still need to go over the final product with a fine-tooth comb.

Keep in mind that resume writers are rarely current practitioners , and they’re even less likely to be familiar with your particular industry. This means that, even if you’re not confident in your writing abilities, you probably still have a better chance of writing a good resume than someone who’s never worked in the field. This is especially true if you work in a niche industry with its own hiring standards (like academia) or in a field that’s newer or constantly changing (like marketing, social media, or anything tech-driven).

Pro: Experienced resume writers can help if you’re not confident in your writing abilities

Con: Some hiring managers might see it as cheating

It isn’t illegal to hire a resume writer, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best idea. If your resume is written very differently to your other written communication, hiring managers may figure out that you didn’t write it yourself. Some may not care … but others will.

As a general rule, you should avoid hiring a resume writer:

• If you’re applying for a job where communication skills are important. Recruiters will be looking at your resume as evidence of your writing skills, which means it’s probably not a good idea to outsource it.
• For your cover letter . Even more so than a resume, your cover letter needs to be a reflection of who you are and how you communicate, so never hire someone else to write it.

Pro: It’s a good way to get started

Con: There are easier (and cheaper) alternatives

Think professional resume writers must know something you don’t? Not necessarily. In fact, resume writers use Resume Worded to help their clients — we support recruiters, careers coaches , and resume writers as well as job seekers. Our suite of free tools is available to everyone, and our Pro plan offers unlimited templates, uploads, feedback, and reviews. The best part? You can access it directly as a job seeker, and for a fraction of the cost of hiring a resume writer.

Where to find a resume writer

If you’ve considered both sides and decided to hire a resume writer, here are some tips on where to start and how to make the process as smooth as possible.

• Decide what kind of resume writing service you actually need. Do you want someone to hold your hand through the entire job application process? Figure out how to turn your duties into accomplishments? Give your existing resume a quick once-over?
• Decide on your budget. Resume writing services aren’t cheap — but there are low-budget options available that won’t sacrifice quality.
• Be specific. If you’re serious about hiring a professional resume writer, don’t just Google “resume writing service” and call it a day. Instead, use keywords specific to the role or industry you’re applying for.
• Focus on finding a professional resume writer in your niche. Generalist resume writers are likely to know even less about what hiring managers are looking for than you do.
• Choose a resume writer who’s actually worth the money. Not sure how to tell? Look for a combination of industry background, recruitment experience, and proven results.
• Never hand over your money without knowing exactly what you’re getting in return. A good resume writer should offer to set up a call to make sure they understand your experience and professional goals — and you understand the process — before you put anything in writing.
• Check the terms and conditions. Look specifically for things like unlimited revisions, which will prevent you from paying for something you’re not 100% happy with.
• Don’t put too much stock in money-back guarantees. Most resume writing services will offer additional rewrites instead of an actual refund or insist on (often unreasonably) strict terms and conditions to qualify.
• Put together as much information as you can in advance. Professional resume writers aren’t wizards — they won’t know anything about your background, experience, or accomplishments unless you tell them.
• Consider the alternatives. There are ways of getting the same results for a fraction of the cost — or even for free!

Alternatives to hiring a resume writer

Before you go all in on hiring a resume writer, check out some of these free alternatives.

If you need help creating a resume from scratch: Download a resume template

If you’re considering splurging on a resume designer, know this: The best resume is a simple resume. Instead of paying for an expensive graphic-based resume that most hiring managers don’t want (and Applicant Tracking Systems can’t read) , download a free, ready to use ATS resume template . Simply paste in your information and start applying straight away!

If you don’t know what to write: Check out industry-specific resume examples

Once you’ve chosen your template, head over to our resume examples page, with 250+ full resume examples from dozens of industries. With just a little tweaking, you can have your resume done and ready to send off in less time than it would take to hire a resume writer.

If you’re struggling to create bullet points: Use a bullet point generator

Still stuck with a resume that reads more like a job description than a list of achievements? This bullet point builder tool can help you generate custom bullet points that focus on your actual accomplishments and give you access to suggested bullet points from similar roles.

If you want expert feedback: Use a resume checker

Not all professional advice costs money. If you already have a resume that just needs a bit of an update, upload it to Score My Resume . This AI-powered resume checker will scan your resume for the same things recruiters are looking for — relevant skills and keywords, concrete accomplishments, readability, and lack of filler. It can even analyze things like length, brevity, and word choice, giving you an easy-to-understand score along with easy ways to improve.

On the topic of relevant skills and keywords, use the skills search tool below to get a list of keywords and hard skills relevant to the job you’re applying for. It is a good way to tailor your resume to the job without needing to pay a resume writer.

If you want a professional service: Go pro

Resume Worded Pro gives you access to professional-level resume writing help, including targeted, resume-ready accomplishments and metrics, personalized additions, line-by-line analysis, and recruiter insights on your existing resume. The best part? It’s still way cheaper than hiring a one-off resume writer.

Spread the word

How to write a resume for a fast-paced environment, how to say you lead a team on your resume, keep reading, how to show bilingualism on your resume (with examples), oops what to do if there’s a mistake on your resume, getting the basics right: resume line spacing, subscribe to our newsletter.

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• Services & Software

Article updated on August 6, 2024 at 11:20 PM PDT

Best Resume Writing Services for 2024

Whether you're actively job hunting or just want to keep everything updated, a professional resume writing service can help you score that dream job.

Our Experts

• She received the Renau Writing Scholarship in 2016 from the University of Louisville's communication department.

• Apple software beta tester, "Helps make our computers and phones work!" - Zach's grandparents

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.

Just like the job market, resume writing is constantly changing. From new formats to key terms, it can be hard to keep up with the trends, let alone keep your resume up-to-date with your experience. Whether you want to put your best foot forward applying for your dream job or you just need some writing help, we found the best resume writing services to get you that interview ASAP.

Some of what you'll need to include in your resume will depend on the industry you want to work in. While it can vary, employers will likely look at your education, work history and skills. We've combed through dozens of resume services looking at the most helpful features across a variety of needs. We looked especially closely at the number of custom templates, the amount of guidance the service offered, the ease of navigation and the robustness of the service's privacy policy. Each of these templates and professional writing services will help you create a complete resume that best reflects your skills and experience at an affordable price.

What’s the best resume builder website?

The best resume template and builder should give you a variety of options to customize your resume. Resume.com has many options and customization features that make it a useful tool for almost any candidate applying to any job. You can upload and edit an existing resume, customize an available template from its collection or let the service guide you through creating one from scratch. Resume.com also offers helpful guidance throughout your resume creation process, making sure you include and optimize all your content. Once you're happy with your resume, you can download it for free in multiple formats.

Depending on where you're at in the job application process, you might need more guidance than a template. These professional writing services will pair you with experienced writers and coaches to help you craft and perfect resumes, LinkedIn profiles, cover letters and more. These services include more personalized coaching and features, but they tend to be more expensive. We’ve collected a range of options for your budget and needs. Because your resume likely includes your contact information and some personal information, we've also included information about each service's privacy policy.

Best resume templates and builders of 2024

A well-constructed resume can help you stand out during a job search.

• Can create new resume or customize templates
• Many free features, guidance while writing
• Integrated with Indeed job search site
• Difficulty unsubscribing from paid services

Best free resume builder

Resume.com is a free resume writer offering dozens of templates for creating your resume or cover letter, as well as job boards and career advice. You have the option to upload and edit an existing resume, create a new one, or customize one of the sample resumes offered on the site. It's intuitive and easy to use, and it creates a professional-looking final product.

When starting from scratch, you'll go section by section, entering your education, employment history, hobbies and interests, professional skills, languages and references. Resume.com provides question prompts and tips for guidance, as well as career-specific examples you can add if you're struggling to find the right words. You can also choose to forgo any of these sections, rearrange sections and add custom ones depending on what you need. As you update and save each section, you can see how it will appear on the page on your resume preview to the right. You can also change the template, font style and size, or spacing at any time and see it update in real-time in the preview.

Once you're done, you can download your new resume (in PDF, DocX, RTF or TXT format), create a custom URL or print it out. You also have the option to upload it to Indeed, a job search site that partners with Resume.com . The account you make will work with both Indeed and Resume.com . On the privacy side, the site does collect user information. If you want to delete your account, simply click your profile icon and then Account . Clicking Close My Account deletes your account and your data. If you didn't make an account, you can still choose Delete Guest Data . You can also request your data, and the company will send you an email with what it has collected.

On the review site Trustpilot , Resume.com only has 38 reviews, but of those, 53% of them awarded the site four or five stars. Some negative reviews speak of difficulty unsubscribing from paid services, so read carefully as you use the free aspects of this service.

• Guided help writing work experience descriptions
• Cover letter and CV help
• Easy to change layout and color styles
• Must pay to download resume

Best option for your first resume

Resume genius.

The website Resume Genius says you can "make a professional resume in 12 minutes." We tested it out and indeed had a solid first draft of an easy resume completed in about 10 minutes. Resume Genius takes you step-by-step through the process, prompting you with questions about your education and work experience to help you fill out the applicable sections. Resume Genius is particularly helpful because you can search for a job and see prewritten text for the description that you can add or edit. When finished, you can easily toggle between different templates to see what looks best for the final product. You also have the option to directly share your resume with Indeed or Resume Library.

The site can also help you build cover letters and curriculum vitae. After you input all your information, you can choose different layout styles and colors. It's easy to move through, but you have to do it in order and fill in all the information before continuing. Resume Genius also offers examples of resumes, CVs and cover letters for specific jobs, as well as recommended jobs near you. You can download the resume you create for $3 (which starts a 14-day trial for Resume Genius Pro), or $8 (which kicks off a monthly subscription plan).

On Trustpilot at the time of this publication, the site has 4.6 out of 5 stars based on more than 38,000 reviews. Note that if you register on the site, Resume Genius does collect personally identifiable information and may share it with third parties for advertising and other purposes, according to its privacy policy. The account deletion process is buried in the Terms of Service . According to Resume Genius, complete data erasure can take up to 30 days, but they may retain "certain information in accordance with privacy laws."

• Easy to customize
• Free downloads
• Optional paid extra assistance with Indeed professionals
• Unclear how to delete personal information

Easiest resume builder to use

Indeed resume builder.

It's free to create a resume or post your current resume on Indeed. If you're building a new one, you can choose between eight templates. The resume sections are highlighted and when you click, each section expands specific text fields. You can swap templates at any time without losing your work, as well. There are also options for toggling sections on and off, in addition to rearranging them. When you're finished, you can download a free PDF of your work history.

Indeed Resume Builder also offers optional professional advice for your new resume. After you download the resume you created, you'll get a prompt and can click Get Resume Help From a Real Person. For $35, you can upload your resume and get feedback from a professional to get you started, and for $55 you can chat with a professional in real-time via a 20-minute video call. If you're really stuck, you can opt for the full resume rewrite for $155.

Indeed's privacy policy says that it does collect and share user data with third-party providers to connect job seekers with employers and improve services. According to Indeed's privacy policy, you can request an account or personal data deletion and request that your data not be shared while your account is active. CNET reached out to Indeed for more information and we'll update when we hear back.

• Guides resume creation
• Free resume downloads
• Paid tier offers interview advice and cover letter builder
• Have to pay for additional downloads

Most affordable paid resume builder

Cv engineer.

CV Engineer is an easy-to-use smartphone app that creates a professional-looking resume. With 16 templates to choose from, you can tap to enter information into all of the usual sections and add custom ones. When you tap on each section, you can tap through the bottom toolbar to get advice on what type of information to add, as well as view resume examples to show you how the section could look.

CV Engineer lets you send or download your first completed resume for free, but upgrading to CV Engineer Pro for a one-time payment of $6 gives you access to unlimited downloads. A Scan My CV feature is also included, which can detect common mistakes and suggest improvements, such as places where you can add more information. The Pro version also offers interview advice and a cover letter builder.

You can download CV Engineer from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store . CV Engineer does collect personal information and can share it with Google Play Services and Firebase Analytics, according to its privacy policy. The app is free to download and ad-free.

• Strong privacy policy
• Example resumes available
• Only one layout available
• Little guidance during creation

Best free iOS resume builder

Resume star 2: pro cv designer.

Resume Star 2 isn't the most visually stunning resume design app for iOS, but it gets the job done. To use, tap each section of the resume, fill in your information and it will fill in a traditional template (you only get one layout). The app offers some example resumes you can start with and edit as needed, including job-specific ones for a: cashier, dental hygienist, receptionist, waitress, mechanic and senior manager.

You can add or delete any sections you like without needing to hit save every time you add information, and you can see your resume update as you go. The autosave feature makes it easy to toggle quickly between the different sections as well. At the end, you'll have a basic resume ready to go. The app's interface doesn't offer as much guidance about how to write your resume or what types of information to include. If you need extra help, tap the information icon in the bottom left and choose the Resume Writing Guide. This will open up a crash course on resume writing in your mobile browser. It also includes a job search feature.

The app collects payment via donations after you use the service. You don't have to pay if you don’t want to. The app connects to iCloud, and you can export your resume as a PDF to any location on your device(s). If you are happy with the service, you pay $25 for it. Resume Star 2 has a 4.8 out of 5 rating, and more than 1,800 ratings in the App Store . The first version, Resume Star: Pro CV Maker, which is the same except for the iCloud connection, had a 4.9-star rating and more than 16,000 reviews. The site does not collect personally identifiable information without user consent, which seems to make it one of the more secure options available.

• 42 templates to choose from
• Easily customizable
• Little to no guidance during creation

Best free Android resume writing service

Intelligent cv resume builder app.

Intelligent CV's Resume Builder App offers 42 resume templates and allows you to change font colors. Each resume section appears on a list, and you can move through sections in whichever order you choose, save and go on to another. You also have the option to add, delete or rearrange sections such as education, experience and skills. There’s a Help icon in each section for a little bit of extra guidance. Once you're finished, you can download your document for free as a PDF, which you can then save on your device or send via email or text.

On the downside, the app is ad-supported and ads for other resume creators do pop up, which can get confusing. The app also offers less guidance than some of the other services, which means it's not a great option if you're new to resumes. Resume Builder App has one of the strongest privacy policies of the bunch. The app does not collect personally identifiable information , though third-party services (including Google Play services and analytics firms) may collect information. The app has 4.6 out of 5 stars and more than 424,000 Google Play Store ratings and is free to download.

• Easy-to-use interface
• Inclusive premium package

Best range of professional tools

VisualCV has an easy-to-use interface that lets you build your resume in the way that works best for you. After signing up, you can upload an existing resume, begin with a prewritten sample or start entirely from scratch. You can use the basic editor to input information in a list form, the visual editor to edit directly on the resume and preview mode to see changes made on either version in real time. Revision history is also available. The free basic edition allows you to select from over a dozen professional templates to create, edit and download one resume as a PDF. You can also create one free cover letter and apply to jobs through its job search feature.

To download or share additional resumes, you’ll need to buy VisualCV Pro for $15 a month quarterly or $24 a month monthly. Upgrading unlocks more templates, unlimited creations, downloading, career tracking and the ability to build a personal resume website. The website URL goes through VisualCV but can be shared online. In terms of privacy, VisualCV's policy says that it does not sell, trade, rent or license personal information to third parties. As of publication, VisualCV has 4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot but only 131 reviews.

Best professional resume writing services of 2024

Depending on where you're at in the job application process, you might need more guidance than a template. These professional writing services will pair you with experienced writers and coaches to help you craft and perfect resumes, LinkedIn profiles, cover letters and more. As these services include more personalized coaching and features, they tend to be more expensive. We've collected a range of options depending on your budget and needs. Best professional resume writing services of 2024.

• Resume writing and career coaching
• Builds your resume from the ground up
• Quick turnaround
• More expensive options

A premium option for a tailored resume

Resume spice.

Suppose you're totally lost and are willing to invest several hundred dollars into your job search. In that case, Resume Spice is a resume writing and career coach service created by recruiters that connects you with a "resume expert" to build your CV from scratch.

Once you choose, you'll fill out a short questionnaire and schedule a phone consultation with a resume expert to discuss your experience, job search and career goals. The expert will take that information and turn around a personalized resume draft within two business days. You can review the draft and request any changes, and you'll get the final version in PDF and Word formats. 

An entry-level resume costs $479, a professional resume costs $589 and an executive resume costs $699. In addition to these packages, you can also add a cover letter, LinkedIn profile, interview coaching or other services to help you be more competitive in the job market.

• 60 day interview guarantee
• Industry-specific advice
• Variety of packages
• Limited non-resume add-ons

A 60-day interview guarantee

Resumewriters.com.

ResumeWriters.com offers a guarantee: If you don't get a job interview with a potential employer within two months of getting your new resume, they'll rewrite it for free. The service claims that in the 20 years and tens of thousands of resumes completed under this guarantee, it averages fewer than five requests for rewrites per year. To use the resume writing service, submit your current resume or career information on the site, and an experienced resume writer will contact you to assess your materials and plan out what you need. You'll get a first draft back within 72 hours and can work with the writer on revisions until you're satisfied with the result.

ResumeWriters offers student, professional, executive and career-change resume services, as well as CV services for those conducting their job search in fields specific to the military, IT and research. The resume services cost $170 for students and $200 for the professional level, with a cover letter, one-on-one consultation and LinkedIn profile. The career change level ($250) is a comprehensive package that includes everything plus a post-interview follow-up letter, and the highest tier is the executive package that guarantees applicants its most experienced writers for $300.

• ATS screening
• Unlimited revisions
• Longer turnaround time (3-7 business days)

A fast pass through HR screening software

ZipJob’s professional resume writers optimize your resume to get through the applicant tracking system (ATS) software used by the majority of employers to automatically scan and sort resumes. An expert writes your resume and scans it through the ATS to ensure it will make it through to the hiring manager's desk. To use the service, upload your resume or fill out a form to start from scratch. You'll be matched with a professional resume writer who will work with you to improve it and will then scan the final product to make sure it passes through the screening algorithms. Depending on which package you choose, your resume will be ready in three to seven days.

You can choose from three packages: Launch (resume writing and unlimited revisions for $139), Fast Track (adds a cover letter and a 60-day interview guarantee for $189) or Premium (adds a top resume writer, LinkedIn profile optimization, future resume updates and expedited delivery for $299).

• Career coaching
• Industry-specific feedback
• Ability to customize packages
• Longer turnaround time (3-5 business days)

An executive resume solution

Find my profession.

Find My Profession offers professional resume writing services as well as career coaching. Every resume gets reviewed by two different consultants. You'll find packages that include entry-level, professional, C-level and executive resume writer services, as well as federal. In each, you can choose a base, premium or VIP package depending on your needs.

For example, the professional resume package starts at $595 for a resume compatible with automated systems. You can also add help with a cover letter for an additional $119 or a LinkedIn profile for $399. You'll get the first draft of your resume within three to five business days after you consult with a writer. Or, upgrade to a priority service for another $149 to get it within 48 hours.

How we tested resume sites and services

When we evaluated the different resume templates and builders, we looked at how each site or app allowed you to create new resumes, browse templates or upload and edit existing resumes. We also looked at how easy or hard it would be to customize different templates and sections, how much guidance was available, how user-friendly it was to navigate, plus reading and understanding each company's privacy policies.

Some of our picks are free, some enlist the help of professional writers and some require a subscription or one-time payment. When it comes to premium or paid services, we evaluated how inclusive its packages were compared to basic or free versions. In many cases for the professional writing services, these paid tiers included more guidance and additional job search support like a cover letter and LinkedIn editing, suggested jobs to apply to and interview coaching.

Factors to consider when choosing a resume writing service

This was a key factor when compiling this list. Whether you're looking for a free service to boost your current resume or interested in professional editing services, there’s something for everyone’s price range.

Ease of use

When looking at each website, we looked at how easy it was to navigate, browse templates and add, edit or remove different sections. We also considered whether you can download and share your resume for free and in what format.

Customization options

Customization options were essential, as everyone's resume is going to look different. Having easy user control over your resume helps you create a resume that meets your industry's standards and showcases your professional experiences.

Privacy policies

Privacy policies were the final important factor to consider, as many of these are websites and apps that can collect and store your personal information. All of the services and websites included on this list have decent privacy settings, and we noted which ones have exceptionally clear use cases and account deletion policies.

Resume writing FAQs

What is a resume builder.

A resume builder is a company that has a website or app that helps you create and customize your resume. You can use preexisting templates or create your own from scratch.

What is a resume writing service?

A resume writing service is a company that pairs you with a coach or writer to work with you to create, perfect and tailor your resume, cover letters and other job application materials. These tend to be more inclusive packages and therefore more expensive than simple resume template websites.

What is the best resume format to use?

The best format for your resume is going to depend on the job you are applying to, along with your work experience. Resume templates can help you format and include all the necessary information like your education, work experience, skills and contact information.

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Are Resume Writers Worth It?

By Biron Clark

Published: November 8, 2023

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

The opinions and assessments shared on Career Sidekick are our own. We may earn commissions from purchases made after visiting links on our site.

A lot of job seekers ask me, “Should I hire a resume writer ?” or, “Are resume writing services worth it?”

You want to know the pros and cons before you invest your hard-earned money, and I don’t blame you!

So in this article, I’ll explain:

• When it’s worth paying for a resume writing service (and when you might not need to)
• What a professional resume writer actually does, and how much they help
• How much you can expect to pay if you hire a good resume writer

I’ll also share the writing service that I recommend… and they also offer a free tool that you can use to measure the strength of your resume before paying anything. So make sure you read until the end. 

Let’s get started…

What Does a Resume Writer Do?

A resume writer gathers employment information from you (via phone call, online form, or email) and creates or updates your resume in preparation for your job search. The primary purpose of your resume is to get job interviews, and the professional writer designs your resume to do this. They may also offer additional services like cover letters and LinkedIn writing.

Benefits of Using a Professional Resume Writer

The main benefits of hiring a resume writer are saving time, saving frustration and hassle, removing the guesswork from the writing process, and likely completing the document faster and better, so you can get more interviews in less time.

However, it’s possible to write a stand-out resume on your own. There’s enough information available on the web for you to learn it, if you’re willing to dedicate the time.

If you’re interested in learning, our site has a lot of resources available on this page , written from my experience as a recruiter .

How Much Does it Cost to Have Someone Write Your Resume?

The average cost of resume writing is $527, with many services priced even higher. However there are a couple of budget-friendly services online that are still thorough and effective. Our top choice, if you’re not looking to spend too much, is TopResume. Their services begin at $149.

If you are a Senior Manager, Executive, or other more-experienced professional or have a higher budget, then you should review our full list of recommended resume writers.

Deciding: Should I Hire a Resume Writer?

The decision of whether you should use a professional writing service comes down to: Are you willing to spend the time and energy to learn this skill? And how quickly do you need everything completed? Because it is a unique skill that takes time to develop.

You’ll have to step into the hiring manager’s shoes and understand what they’re looking for, and why. This could be the hardest part to master without hiring a professional.

So to recap… if you have a lot of time and willingness to learn, then it’s possible to write a great resume on your own.

And it’s a good option if you have a very limited budget and don’t want to spend any money.

However, if you want to short-cut the process and use a bit of money to save a lot of time, then it’s worth it to get a professional writer to help you.

And if you already have a resume but aren’t sure if it’s good or not, you can use this free tool  by TopResume to measure how strong your resume is before deciding.

When You Should Hire a Resume Writer: Specific Scenarios

There are a few types of people who can benefit most from hiring a professional resume writer in their job search.

Here’s who this makes the MOST sense for:

• You’re busy and simply don’t have time to do all the research and learning necessary to create a winning resume on your own
• You’ve tried writing your own resume in the past but didn’t get interviews.
• You have a complicated background or are changing careers and you need someone who can organize a complex work history and “tailor” it for the job you want next.
• You can afford to pay for professional help, see it as a good investment, and would rather use a bit of money instead of your personal time

So that’s who I think can benefit most from paying for resume writing services.

Situations Where You Might Not Want to Pay for a Resume

If money is tight and/or you have plenty of time to learn this skill on your own, and want to give it a shot yourself, then you absolutely should.

I wrote my own resume throughout most of my career, and while I struggled at the start, I ended up getting a lot of interviews later in my career by packing the document with facts/metrics, and removing vague phrases like “hard-working” and “team-oriented”.

It was a learning process, though. This won’t work if you’re not going to study/learn what hiring managers look for and how they decide which people to interview.

If you can’t commit to that, then I’d just use an affordable resume service like TopResume to get your resume done professionally.

So, I don’t think anyone NEEDS to hire a professional writer if they don’t want to. However, it saves a lot of hassles, and it’s a fastlane to getting your resume done quickly and effectively to remove a lot of the guesswork from the process.

It can also be an investment that pays for itself. If you end up with a better resume, or one that’s done a few weeks sooner, then you can potentially find a job faster.

So that’s another good reason to invest in something like this. The final decision depends on your free time, financial situation, and willingness to learn a new skill, though.

If you want to know how strong your resume is right now before making a decision, I recommend this free resume review tool by TopResume.

Conclusion: Are Resume Writers Worth It? And Should You Hire a Resume Writer?

If you read everything above, you know how to decide whether you should hire a resume writer or learn to write everything on your own. Both options are valid, and both come with pros and cons depending on your situation (mainly the trade-off between time and money).

Resume writing services aren’t free, but assuming you choose a good resume writer, you could get job offers faster (since the document is being written immediately instead of you having to spend weeks learning and practicing first). This means you’ll find a new job faster in most cases.

However, if you learn this skill, then you won’t need to hire a professional resume writer in any future job searches, so it may be worth learning if you have the time.

Additional reading:

• Top 8 resume writers we recommend

DIY Resources:

• What to put on your resume
• Employment history examples
• Resource page with multiple resume templates

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

Read our Resume Essentials Guides

10 best free resume builders, what to put on a resume: 9 things to include, sample list of accomplishments for resume (35+ examples), top 14 resume skills to add on your resume + examples, does a resume need an objective, resume summary with no experience: examples for students and fresh graduates, resume keywords: 80+ verbs and power words to use, previous work experience examples for a resume, 24 resume summary examples that get interviews, 1 thought on “are resume writers worth it”.

Great advice! I changed countries and industries a couple of times and while I acquired a lot of marketing & management skills, I did not know how to write a CV and land myself a job In Australia.

I engaged the services of a pro (based in London) and the CV I got was too scary and pompous for Australia! I was not getting any interviews! I had it rewritten by a HR specialist a bit plain but I was at least able to get 2 interviews and a job. Back unemplyed after a medical condition, my CV was again re-written by a HR “specialist” (paid by the government) it was shockingly basic. I could never use that. I think the only one that can write that CV is still me.

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How Much Do Professional Resume Writers Charge?

We Explain How Much a Resume Writing Service Costs & Why

Resume writing services can vary widely in price. Top executive resume writers charge $750-$2,000+ for a resume. You can also find more affordable resume writing services that cost $150-$450. A service's fee structure tends to reflect the level of quality and client service you are likely to receive.

Given the hundreds of resume writing services available, we know that narrowing down the best option for you can be overwhelming – especially if you have never worked with a resume writer before.

In this article, we answer the following questions to help you understand how the resume writing industry operates and what you can typically expect from given pricing tiers:

How much does a resume writer cost?

• Should I pay someone to write my resume?

Why should I be skeptical of “affordable” resume writing services?

What qualities should i look for in a resume writer.

• What red flags should I watch out for?

You can expect to spend $750+ on a top executive resume writer or $150-$450 on an entry-level resume writing service. The fees a given writer charges are driven by their experience and education level, quality of deliverables, and amount of time spent on your document.

Experience and Education Level

In the resume writing industry, there is a close correlation between price and quality.

If you work with an experienced resume writer who graduated from a top university, you can expect their fees to be in the range that other professional service providers would charge.

To put it in perspective, accountants and lawyers charge between $75-300 an hour for their services. You can expect to pay a similar hourly rate for a highly-qualified resume writer.

Depending on where you are in your career and the quality of service you expect, you'll want to carefully consider who will be writing your resume.

Quality and Results They Deliver for Clients

Professional resume writers add value to their clients, and their documents can cut down the time it takes for you to secure a new role.

By choosing a reputable service, you won't end up with a low-quality document that leaves you frustrated and that you will ultimately have to fix yourself.

For best results, look for an in-depth, personalized writing process that includes a phone consultation and one-on-one communication with your writer.

As Jenny Foss  explained in a LinkedIn post, "there is (quite literally) no barrier to entry [in the resume writing industry]."

"I reviewed quite a few 'expert'  resumes in recent days -- resumes that people paid money they cannot afford to throw away right now…. [they were delivered with] typos, grammatical errors, filled with cliches," she said.

To avoid disappointment, be sure to thoroughly investigate the company you choose to work with.

Amount of Time Spent on Your Document

You know how much time goes into preparing a resume.

It's simply not a quick process – and we wouldn’t recommend working with a writer who turns it into one.

Below, we outline how much time we devote to crafting a single resume: the end-to-end writing process takes the equivalent of a full working day.

By nature, resume writing needs to be high-touch to be effective, which takes time.

Keep in mind that the value-add of working with a resume writer is not only their writing ability but also their ability to ask the right questions.

A service that relies on both written background materials and a phone consultation is more likely to result in a well-written, achievement-based document .

If you are only looking for copy editing or feedback on your resume (not an end-to-end rewrite), you can expect to pay less.

Should I pay someone to write my resume? How much should I spend?

Think of hiring a resume writer as an investment in your career. If you are having a hard time crafting your resume, are in a time crunch, or could use the help of a 3 rd party to help you identify what is most important to highlight, working with a resume writer can be a great option.

How much you spend on your resume will depend on how much you value quality and your budget.

We'll argue that it's worth spending about 1-2% of your annual salary on a quality resume.

To put this amount into perspective, consider that wealth managers charge (at least) a 1% fee to manage your investment portfolio, which typically provides an 8-10% annual return.

Would it be reasonable to invest 1% of your annual salary into getting a document that could very well open the door to a higher salary?

For either investment, results aren't guaranteed.

However, they are likely based on historical performance.

Simply put, if a writer charges under $200 for your resume, they would be making around minimum wage after taxes, business expenses, and marketing costs are factored into account.

It is just not a feasible pricing model.

If this business model works, it's probably because the company is either cutting corners or outsourcing its writing internationally:

Cutting corners

Some resume writers reuse significant portions of your existing content and/or do not provide a one-on-one consultation. Instead, all of your communication with your writer will be via email.

If you would like to work with a resume writer but don’t mind putting in additional legwork on your end, a lower-priced service could be an option.

However, if you are looking for a truly bespoke service that will add value by helping you brainstorm content and rewrite your entire document from the ground up, you may be left disappointed.

Outsourcing

Given their fee structure, many low-priced resume writing services outsource their writing to non-native English speakers abroad. While we don’t view this to be an ethical practice, it is an unfortunate reality in the industry.

If you come across a company that is quite inexpensive and does not allow a phone consultation, it could potentially be outsourcing its writing abroad.

When choosing a resume writer, consider whether they have relevant certifications, positive reviews, strong writing samples, and have worked with clients of your experience level.

Consider the following questions:

• Is the company or writer a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches ( PARWCC ) or National Résumé Writers' Association ( NRWA )?
• Do they have positive reviews from previous clients on third-party review sites such as Trustpilot and Google? Are there any “red flags” that clients consistently mention?
• Are their writing samples reflective of the type of work you would like to receive? Do their formatting and writing style align with recruiter expectations?
• Have they worked with clients of your experience level ? If you are a busy senior executive, for example, will the service have the ability to evaluate your accomplishments to best highlight how you drove results?
• Who will be writing your document? Do they have a strong academic and writing background?
• What does their writing process look like? Will you get to work with your writer one-on-one?

What are red flags I should be aware of?

We strongly advise steering clear of resume writers that charge rates that seem “too good to be true,” utilize tacky formatting , or do not have an established online presence with a proven track record.

Before you hire a resume writer, ask yourself the following questions:

• Does the amount you pay reflect a reasonable hourly rate given the caliber of writer you want to work with?
• Do the company's writing style and design appear natural so the resume doesn’t look like it was prepared by a resume writer? Do their resume templates utilize excessive colors and formatting features that may put off discerning executive recruiters?
• Does the service have a pattern of negative reviews?
• Are you comfortable only working with your writer over email, if they do not provide a phone consultation?
• Had the company been around for multiple years? Does the service have a consistent track record with a credible website and LinkedIn presence?
• If the service is not a member of a qualifying industry body, what other factors attest to their quality?

We hope that this article helped you understand how much resume writers cost and why.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our services, feel free to schedule an introductory call here or email [email protected] .

Additional Resources

• How to Choose a Top Executive Resume Writer
• What Do Recruiters Expect in an Executive Resume?
• Effective Executive Resume Templates Downloads

About Resume Pilots

Resume Pilots is an award-winning executive resume writing firm and a proud member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. Our previous clients include CEOs and senior executives at the world's leading companies.

As a professional services firm, we take your reputation seriously. We are committed to delivering writing excellence and superior service while operating with integrity and discretion. Recruitment firms we partner with also trust us to consistently deliver quality documents for their clients.

Our writers have studied in the Ivy League and other top-tier universities and have strong writing backgrounds coupled with industry experience.

Here's how we can help you:

Resume, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn Writing Services : If you are looking for end-to-end support, hire one of our professional resume writers to rewrite your documents from the ground up.

Executive Resume Template Downloads : If you plan to prepare your own resume, consider using one of our classic, ATS-friendly resume templates for Microsoft Word.

To learn more about our services, book an introductory call with our founder here or email [email protected] .

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About the Author Matt Glodz

Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of Resume Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer. After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked within Fortune 500 companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents. At Resume Pilots, Matt combines his business and writing background - which includes prior work for a Chicago Tribune publication - to craft resumes that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He works with clients ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing resumes for over 10 years. He has been quoted on numerous business and career-related topics in outlets including Business Insider, CNBC, Fortune, Glassdoor, The Ladders, and Thrive Global.

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Should I Pay To Have My Resume Written? (Pros vs Cons)

Read pros and cons of hiring someone to write your resume. If you are asking if resume services are worth it, the answer depends on your current situation.

You might be asking yourself, “Should I pay to have my resume written?”

It’s honestly a valid question.

Deciding whether or not you should pay for a professional resume is a decision that only you can make.

Ask yourself these questions when determining if you should pay someone to write your resume.

• Are you a professional resume writer?
• Are you applying to a job that pays minimum wage?
• Do you already have a resume that is getting good results?

If your answer is “No” to the above questions, chances are you will want to pay to have your resume written.

The question comes up quite often, “why should I pay someone to have my resume written?”

It’s very common for senior-level executives to feel too prideful to pay for a resume.

They think, well, I have gotten this far in my career. I can write my own darn resume.

You have gotten this far in your career because you are excellent at what you do. That is, more often than not, something other than writing resumes.

Should I Pay For A Professional Resume? (Cons)

In order to remain as unbiased as humanly possible, we are going to break down all of the cons we can possibly think of when it comes to hiring a professional resume writer. (See pros below)

Here are 5 reasons why you should not pay to have your resume written:

• If you hire a professional resume writer, you will have to spend money.
• It can be very difficult to know who the good vs bad writers are.
• You will usually have to fill out a worksheet and/or get on a phone call with your writer.
• You may lose the satisfaction of writing a resume yourself.
• The resume may be in a different tone of voice than yours.

Overall, there are definitely some cons when it comes to hiring a resume writer.

For the very meticulous do-it-yourselfers who are also confident in their writing abilities, paying for a resume service may not be worth it.

It doesn’t hurt to try writing your resume on your own and see what results you get. If you are getting interviews, why should you pay someone to write your resume?

However, if you notice that you aren’t getting the traction you’d like, it might be time to get your resume professionally written.

This review above from a company that will remain anonymous shows how terrible hiring the wrong resume writing service can be.

Should I Pay For A Professional Resume? (Pros)

In order to remain as unbiased as humanly possible, we are going to break down all of the pros we can possibly think of when it comes to hiring a professional resume writer. (See cons above)

Here are 5 reasons why you should pay to have your resume written:

• You save yourself a ton of time and stress trying to research resume writing best practices.
• If you hire a resume writer who is skilled, you’ll be up to 4x more likely to land an interview.
• Professional resume writers know how to keyword optimize resumes for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
• Your competition might have a professionally written resume.
• Sometimes, resume services are a tax write off (consult a tax professional).

As you can see, if professional resume services didn’t work, they probably wouldn’t still be around.

Hundreds of thousands of professionals choose to pay for a resume every year.

You wouldn’t bring a knife to a gun fight. So why apply to a job with a self-written resume when you know at least some of your competition will have paid to have their resume written.

This review above from Find My Profession  shows how much of a difference a professionally written resume can make.

Hire A Resume Writer (With Caution!)

There is nothing wrong with hiring a professional resume writer.

However, if you decide to pay someone to write your resume, make sure you hire a true professional.

If you type in “Resume Writer” on LinkedIn and filter to the United States only, you will find 474,212 results.

With this many options, it can be hard to feel confident in any buying decision.

Lucky for you, we have done all the heavy lifting for you to identify the very best resume writers across various major cities.

If you don’t see your city listed below, please select the nearest neighboring city.

How Much Should A Professional Resume Cost?

A professional resume writer can range pretty drastically in price depending on seniority level.

Entry-level professionals can expect to pay significantly less for a resume than senior-level professionals.

The logic here is that entry-level resumes require less work, having a shorter span of time to cover than more seasoned professionals resumes.

Find out how much a resume service should cost , specific to your career level.

In short, here’s what you can expect when it comes to hiring a professional resume writer.

Entry-Level Resume Cost:  $0 – $300

(0-2 years work experience)

Professional Resume Cost:  $300 – $700

(2+ years work experience)

Executive Resume Cost:  $700 – $1000

(Director or VP level roles)

C-Level Resume Cost:  $1000 – $1500

(C-level roles such as CEO, CFO, CIO, etc.)

Best Resume Writing Services For Hire By Major City

Below you will find a list crafted by Find My Profession including all of the top rated resume writing services we could find by city.

Whether you are looking for a local resume writer to meet in person or you just want to work with a resume writer in a particular location, this list should help you find what you are looking for.

• Atlanta, GA
• Baltimore, MD
• Buffalo, NY
• Charleston, SC
• Charlotte, NC
• Chicago, IL
• Colorado Springs, CO
• Columbus, OH
• Detroit, MI
• El Paso, TX
• Fort Worth, TX
• Grand Rapids, MI
• Houston, TX
• Indianapolis, IN
• Jacksonville, FL
• Kansas City, MO
• Las Vegas, NV
• Los Angeles, CA
• Louisville, KY
• Orange County, CA
• Orlando, FL
• Philadelphia, PA
• Phoenix, AZ
• Pittsburgh, PA
• Portland, OR
• Providence, RI
• Raleigh, NC
• Richmond, VA
• Sacramento, CA
• Salt Lake City, UT
• San Antonio, TX
• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• San Jose, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Silicon Valley, CA
• St. Louis, MO
• Virginia Beach, VA
• Washington, DC

If you are not concerned about finding a resume writer in a specific city, check out our list of 750+ best resume writing companies which includes services for different industries and professions.

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Professional Resume Writing Services

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As part of all our writing packages, we'll set you up with a professionally designed resume that is readable by all Application Tracking Systems, highlights your core achievements, and most importantly is familiar to hiring managers so you make a professional first impression. Plus, our expert writers craft resumes and cover letters that capture your unique story, ensuring it sounds authentic and not like it was generated by AI.

Hear from our customers

See how a resume writing service can help simplify, quicken, and improve the results of your job search.

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Results from our 2023 white paper, ‘The Dollars and Sense of a Professional Resume.’ Read the research

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After you purchase a package, you can add on any of the following services..

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Get the first draft of your resume within two business days.

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Click on the examples below to see how our team of professionals can take your resume to the next level.

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Learn more about our resume writing process

Tell us about yourself.

Meet your match

Review first draft, receive your resume, frequently asked questions, what are the benefits of a professionally written resume .

When you work with a resume writing service, you’re investing in a quicker job search and a more fruitful and satisfying career. To have job search success, your resume has to appeal to both the  resume scanning software and the hiring manager — or else you risk getting lost in the resume black hole where your job application is dismissed without consideration because of your resume .

How does the resume process work?

The resume process begins with us getting to know you and learning about your history and career goals. Once we’ve learned more about you, we’ll match you with a writer knowledgeable about your industry.

The resume process is simple! First, submit your existing resume or provide your career details. You’ll fill out an intake survey to provide your writer with accurate elements for your document. Then you’ll collaborate with a professional writer to craft a tailored resume . Finally, you’ll review and refine the draft to ensure it aligns with your career goals. Leaving you with a polished resume that showcases your strengths and maximizes your job search potential!

What qualifications do TopResume writers have?

We have a network of over 1,200 writers, including certified career coaches, former and current hiring managers, HR professionals, recruiters and professionals with specialized experience in over 65 industries. This ensures we can match each client with an expert who is a strong match for their needs. TopResume recruits and vets our writers based upon the value they can bring to our clients.

How do I collaborate with my resume writer?

Our resume process is completely confidential and collaborative between the writer and the client.

All communication with your writer is done via our secure dashboard. If you would prefer telephone communication with your writer, you can add it on to your resume package for an additional fee.

The resume process begins with us getting to know you and learning about your history and career goals. Once we've learned more about you, we'll match you with a writer knowledgeable about your industry.

Your writer collaborates with you on a first draft, which will be delivered to you in about a week. Then, you'll have another week to provide feedback to your writer, with up to two rounds of revisions.

Overall, the resume process typically takes one to two weeks. You can learn more about what to expect when working with a TopResume writer here.

What is TopResume ’s 60-day guarantee?

Professionally written resume get results. Our team of professional resume writers are trained to position you as an achiever, which will help you find a job faster.

If you are not receiving two times more job interviews within 60 days of receiving your professionally-written resume, we will write it again one time, free-of-charge. You must notify us in writing within 180 days of receiving your final copy. Only certain packages are eligible for our guarantee.

What if I’m applying for a government or an academic job?

Government and academic positions often have needs that go above and beyond the usual resume. If you need a  federal resume  or an  academic CV , we offer special services dedicated to fulfilling your needs.

What is Affirm?

TopResume has partnered with Affirm to offer our customers the option of paying over three, six, or 12-month periods with rates from 0% to 36% APR. For example, on a $349 purchase, you may pay $31.50 a month for 12 months with a 15% APR. Make sure to check and see if you qualify! Click on the following link if you want to know more about Affirm .

Have some more questions?

Ready to rewrite your resume .