A friend of mine recently asked me why there was such variation in resume writing prices.  It was a good question and I decided to turn her question into a blog entry.

There are three categories of resume writing companies and corresponding pricing structures.

The first is the part-time resume writer.  These are often editors, writers, English majors who write resumes “on the side.”  They often work from home, advertise on craigslist and typically charge from about $50 to $150 for a resume package.  They are rarely members of a professional resume writing association so they may or may not produce a decent product at a low price point but they are not professionally trained.  Don’t expect much customization, or in-depth inquiries into your experience or skill set.  These part-timers might be acceptable for someone on a really tight budget, but better options for most may exist.

The second is the small business who is professionally trained and certified (like us).  These are often 1 to 2 person businesses, working from a small office, or a home office, and specialize in writing professional resumes.  They have a web presence, may advertise in their regional area and charge from $200 for entry level positions to $1000 for C- level executives.  Their services and price points are often categorized into entry level/new grad, experienced employee, manager, VP, and executive.  You will interview with the actual resume writer that will be writing your resume.  This category guarantees their resumes and will re-write and edit them for a time period.  Generally speaking, many feel this category offers a superior mix of value, with the one-on-one communication and full support.  Certified Professional Resume Writers (CPRW) write the bulk of resumes written each year in the United States.

The third is the large, resume “farm.”  These corporations, often market nationally, have tremendous web footprints, and employ dozens of resume writers, often from foreign countries.  They typically have a webpage that encourages a form to be filled out and emailed in.  It is then assigned to a resume writer, and a resume is emailed back to you within a week.  Often, there is no communication between you and the resume writer.  Some edits are allowed, but there is not the one-on-one direct communication.  These large resume corporations also “guarantee” their resumes will be effective, but there are many hoops you have to jump through to get a refund.  In all fairness, the refund requirements are listed in the fine print, but they are not acceptable to most clients and sadly they often don’t read them before buying.  Prices range from “come-on” $49 packages (that rarely end up at $49), all the way up to $1,000 and more.  These resume farms often produce a substandard resume.

All three types of resume writing companies have their pros and cons and it is up to you to decide which one is right for you.

Good luck, and if you want a free resume critique by a San Diego based, Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with 12 years of experience, please contact us at by emailing your resume to sdresumes@yahoo.com or calling 858-414-9603.