FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
My fee for a typical resume runs ~$200. For other supporting documents--cover letters, LinkedIn bios, etc., I charge an additional $75. This fee is for revising an existing resume. If I am writing a resume from scratch, there is an additional fee for that. This is, honestly, a fraction of the price that most professional writing services charge, as they will often charge hundreds, even thousands of dollars. I don't come with all the bells and whistles most of those services have--just personalized service, and a dedication to telling your story accurately and compellingly. For tutoring services, I generally charge $40/hour. For other writing services, we can work out a per-hour fee (typically $40/hour) or a per-word fee (somewhere between 3 to 5 cents a word). This depends on how involved the writing is, and whether you just need simple proofreading or whether I am going to do a major overhaul and complete rewriting of your project.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
RESUME WRITING While many resume writing services work strictly online, I like to speak to my clients face-to-face. This is one reason I try to keep my travel preferences local. The first step of the process once you've decided to take the plunge is for you to email me your current resume--in whatever shape it's in. This gives me an idea of your background and the kinds of jobs you've had. I will go through it, marking it up with lots of questions about your achievements which we go over in greater detail when we meet. If you have any job descriptions of positions you are looking to apply to, that is extremely helpful as well. This lets me focus your resume to the kinds of jobs you want. It also helps me look for keywords which can get your resume past the company's applicant tracking systems. This is especially important if you are transitioning into a new industry or career. After I've had a chance to look at your resume, we will set up a time to meet. This session usually takes about an hour, and I am happy to meet you in a location convenient to you--coffee shops and libraries are excellent for this. At this meeting, we go over each bullet, and I will ask focused questions on your achievements and on your career goals. Once I get a good handle on your story, I take my notes home and draft a new resume. At this point, our communication can be just through email. You then review my draft and make any corrections or suggestions you have. It's important for you to review every item with a fine-tooth comb. I have just been interpreting your words, and you are the one ultimately who must approve the final product. I am happy to work with you until we have everything exactly right. TUTORING PRESCHOOL-GRADE SCHOOL: I normally meet students at their home, occasionally in a library. It's important that the child feel comfortable and free of distractions. I quickly determine the child's skill level and tailor activities to areas where the child needs support, be it phonics, reading comprehension, spelling, or math. Most clients schedule regular one-hour sessions, once or twice a week. I bring books, worksheets, games, and exercises that are appropriate for your child's needs. WRITING/EDITING/ACADEMIC PAPERS If you are looking for help with a term paper, capstone, research paper, or novel or memoir, we start with having you send a sample of your writing. We'll then set up a meeting--whether at a campus library, public library, or coffee shop. For the first meeting, we discuss what kind of help you're looking for. Do you just want someone to clean up your grammar? Do you need help understanding the assignment? Organizing an outline? For academic papers, I need not only anything you've written--whether it's rough notes or an outline or a completed draft, but I need to see the assignment instructions: I don't want to steer your paper in a different direction than what your professor is asking for! Whether we keep meeting in person will depend on your needs--if you need to talk through the assignment, in-person sessions help. If you just want feedback on what you've written, we can do most of it by email.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I stay on top of HR issues by reading the SHRM (Society of HR Managers) newsletters, and I am currently studying to be certified as a Professional Resume Writer by the PARWCC.