A perfectly crafted CV can give you a huge head start in the race for your dream job. But when it comes to finding a professional CV writer, where do you begin? Even the most cursory internet search for CV writing services throws up vast numbers of results. Here we offer some pointers to help you track down the right company.

Pick up the phone

You can tell a lot by talking to someone on the phone. Call the CV writing services company and have a chat. Tell them what you’re looking for and see how they respond. How professional do they sound? Ask questions. Will your CV be outsourced or written in-house? Will you have the chance to talk directly to your CV writer or are they briefed by a go-between? What experience does your CV writer have? Do they have an HR background? These questions are all-important and a credible company will have no qualms answering them.

Get personal

You might not be writing the CV yourself but you need to play a major role in its creation. So it’s essential that the company you choose spends time getting to know you. Be wary of just a questionnaire – they’re not personal enough. The best companies will insist on conducting a fairly lengthy phone consultation, Skype or face-to-face interview to ask the questions needed to make your CV stand out. What’s more they’ll get to the nitty gritty, asking things you never even considered or thought were important.

Check the guarantee

Only the best services will stand by their work and offer a guarantee. The most popular is a rewrite guarantee, which means the company offers to rewrite your CV within a specified timeframe if you’re unhappy with it or not receiving the results you’re after. Ultimately, whichever firm you choose, ensure they will continue to work on your CV until you are completely satisfied.

Time is of the essence

Think abut your needs. Do you want something back tomorrow or in a fortnight’s time? Standard services tend to be around one week but some services offer a 48 hour turnaround. If you need your CV urgently, you need to make sure that the company you choose offers a fast-track service.

The price is right

Prices for CV writing services vary dramatically. Some companies cater solely for senior level roles, which can be reflected in their pricing. Other companies serve graduates right through to executives and offer tiered pricing for each level of service. You need to work out whether you’re after someone who specialises exclusively in your area of expertise or if a more generic offering will suffice. It’s a good idea to have a fixed budget in mind. That way you can find the services that match your needs and then make a decision based on getting the best CV possible.

Check out their credentials

Bear in mind that anyone can set up shop as a CV writer. There are, however, several bodies that offer certified membership. They are The Jay Block Group, Professional Association of Resume Writers, The National Resume Writers Association, Career Directors International and Career Management Alliance. If a company is certified by any of these names, you can be fairly sure they’ll offer a reliable, high quality service.

The customer knows best

Before doing business with a company check out their testimonial page. Or do a search for customer reviews. The results will speak for themselves.

Each CV writing company has its own unique style. It’s important that you not only choose the company that best meets your needs but that you also choose a company you’re comfortable working with. To kick start your search, get in touch with City CV, a highly respected, results-driven service based in London. Click here for their website CV Writing Company or call Victoria McLean on 020 7979 7718 or 07949 477975.

Victoria Mclean is a Certified Advanced Resume Writer and a Professional Employment Interview Coach, Victoria has an academic background in Industrial Economics and over fifteen years experience across the CV writing, interview coaching, recruitment and management arenas. This includes, working on-site as Recruiter and Recruitment Manager at two of the world’s largest Investment Banks; Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch. Having reviewed tens of thousands of CVs and conducted interviews on behalf of investment / retail banks, insurance giants, Big 4 accountancy firms, the Stock Exchange and Management Consultancies, Victoria has an understanding of what the employer is looking for in a CV and at interview.