Sounds good, doesn’t it.   So what happens when you apply for a free CV assessment.

Well, obviously it depends upon the individual firm, but there is no doubt about it the ‘free’ assessment is a very powerful marketing tool.    Beware of CV Writing firms that promise that one of their representatives will ring you with your free CV assessment.  What is actually happening is that they are sending the CV Writers on their books details of people asking for free CV assessments.  The CV Writer is then required to make a sales call, usually at their own expense, to try to ‘convert’ you or sell you the full blown CV Writing service.   It is obviously in the interests of the CV writer to do this - they don’t get work any other way.

So when you apply for a free assessment, nine times out of ten your name will be passed on as a sales lead.   OK if you are prepared for this but don’t get caught unawares by somebody who is simply trying to sell you something.

So are free assessments ever worth having?  The answer is yes, sometimes.   If a CV Writing firm is promising to reply to you via e-mail then you are in a much better position than if they are replying by ‘phone.   You are not being put on the spot and you can judge for yourself whether what they are telling you is worth while.   Indeed this can be a very good opportunity for you to assess the quality of a CV Writing firm.  If what they are saying makes sense and you can tell that they know what they are talking about, you can at least know that they will provide a genuine professional CV writing service that is worth paying for. 

 I am astonished when I see sites advertising ‘write your CV in minutes’.   I suppose the question is really ‘how many minutes?’

The time it takes to write a CV depends on a number of factors.   But if I were writing a CV for myself I would allow at least half a day and probably more time than that.   And why not!   

When you consider how much is at stake - that this CV represents the only contact you have with an employer - that if you have a bad CV you are simply not giving yourself a chance - that your job is pivotal to your life and your lifestyle - that a good CV can make all the difference between success and failure in your career - then I can truly say that you should spend as much time as it takes to produce the very best CV and that you need all the help you can get.  

Trawl the internet to find advice on CV writing before you start.  Some of the advice you will want to take on board and some you will not agree with - that’s fair enough - after all it’s your CV.   You may decide to invest in a template to give you some guidance on the structure of your CV.    Make a plan, get all your information together and only then should you start writing your CV.  

But remember - it will take a good number of minutes to create the very best possible CV.  

Peter