Would you pay someone to write your CV?

benmurray85

Ive been looking around for a small business idea I can do on top of my day job to raise a little cash and came across people doing this for a fee. I've always been reasonably good at "writing professionally" and always done OK with my own CV so I was wondering if it might be worth a try. 
I'm not sure how relevant it would be for people on here but for youngsters, older people who might be out of touch with modern expectations and anyone poorly educated I would like to think I could really help them out and I find that really appealing aside from the money.

So any thoughts guys? There seems to be quite a few people doing it, anyone used one? 

BigBearKris

No, I wouldn't. 
If you're thinking of opening a business and investing in yourself, invest some trust in your skills first.

axisus

Pretty poor show if someone can't even knock up a CV! Still, give it a whirl, there may be some people out there who want the service. I can't see there being much money in it. Those who need help are probably short on dosh. 

benmurray85

I'm 100% inclined to agree but I guess for some sitting down and organising their employment history into a succumb succinct CV is hard. At least harder than attending an interview and representing themselves face to face? I get that side of it. I just find it an interesting thing to do tbh!

benmurray85

BigBearKris said:

No, I wouldn't. 
If you're thinking of opening a business and investing in yourself, invest some trust in your skills first.

I think you've misunderstood, I was thinking of helping other people to write their CVs as a "business"

benmurray85

axisus said:

Those who need help are probably short on dosh. 

That was my first thought. Honestly I like the idea of helping others but it would have to pay at the end of the day!

strumjoughlamps

There are enough guides and help online to not have to pay someone to do it.

Phil_aka_Pip

IMO if you can't write a CV (even after you've been told how to), then you're probably not capable of doing the kind of job that requires application via CV. Last time I was looking for a job I saw loads of jobs where the only permitted application was via their form, they were the kind of job I didn't want to do anyway ...


btw, whats a "succumb CV" ?

benmurray85

Phil_aka_Pip said:

btw, whats a "succumb CV" ?

typing on a phone is balls, edited now!

Phil_aka_Pip

@benmurray85 that makes a lot more sense!

Dominic

Big Headhunters and City Rainmakers all use professional CV writers although we are talking about a whole different level
 -those people are applying for jobs with salaries in the Millions

BigMonka

benmurray85 said:

I'm 100% inclined to agree but I guess for some sitting down and organising their employment history into a succumb succinct CV is hard. At least harder than attending an interview and representing themselves face to face? I get that side of it. I just find it an interesting thing to do tbh!

The first line there begs the question of how you would write the CV for that person if they have to sit down and write out the information anyway. Unless the service included them telling you what job they were applying for and then a telephone discussion with you where you try and pull out of them all the skills which they might have for that job which they don't immediately realise. You'd need some good understanding of recruitment for that I guess.

The only time I've wanted people to play with my CV are at work where we're bidding for projects and there's a specific CV template which we have to rewrite our CVs to fit in to - that can be a right pain in bum, but it kinda all needs to be done within the company as it's related to commercially sensitive bids.

quarky

There are several companies that will do that, or will review them already. This company, www.cvandinterviewadvisors.co.uk, won't write it (I don't think) but will certainly help you review and re-write it, as well as your online profile (Linkedin for example).

"Go to www.cvandinterviewadvisors.co.uk/blackfridaynonpw and you can buy our Pro Level CV service and an overhaul of your LinkedIn profile for just £275 + Vat."

VimFuego

oddly enough, it was from writing my CV that I first thought I should go into fiction writing. 

randella

BigMonka said:

You'd need some good understanding of recruitment for that I guess.

Given that vast swathes of the IT recruitment industry are clogged full of people with absolutely no understanding of either recruitment or IT, I'm not sure that'd be a particular handicap.

Hoof

No. If I couldn't write a decent CV tailored for the job I was applying for, I wouldn't apply for the job in question because I wouldn't deserve it. 

lustycourtier

I get emails most days offering this service, so there’s already loads trying 

Phil_aka_Pip

lustycourtier said:

I get emails most days offering this service, so there’s already loads trying 

and what's more, each one has a different way of presenting a CV. After several rewrites 30 years ago, I decided on a format and have stuck to it since.

EricTheWeary

I went/ got sent  on a CV writing thing when I was made redundant. Ex Barclays HR guy, assuming he knew what he was talking about then a lot of the online information isn’t very good so I can see how you can end up with a poor CV despite good intentions. If you are unemployed there’s lots of free advice from the job centre. Already lots of relatively large organisations happy  to charge you to write a CV or to learn how to put one together so it’s a tough market place. 

Reality is for me that pretty much anything I apply for it’s an application form anyway and a CV is pointless, the only real use is for a CV is for agency work. So, no, I wouldn’t pay. Organisations working with young people, people with disabilities, long term unemployed ( ie hard to place people)would be looking to employ someone with those kind of skills ( employment advice type jobs). It would be useful work but wouldn’t make your fortune. 

gubble

A lot of recruitment agencies will also tweak any CV before sending it to prospective employers. I'm currently recruiting for a role. Had a CV come through directly and also via and agency for the same candidate - other than the facts the CV's themselves were presented very differently. The one from the agency was much more engaging and stood out.

chillidoggy

I once had a bloke wrote in to apply for a job. The job advert asked for applicants to send in a CV, and in his letter he said he didn’t have a CV but if he got the job, he’d get one done.