As absolutely baffling as it is to understand why anyone would need a certification to write a resume, it is equally as stunning as to why a resume writer worth their salt would use that certification as a main attraction to the quality of their service. Are certified resume writers required to mix dangerous chemicals or sign off on the structural integrity of a building? It would make sense that someone in either of those roles be certified to ensure everyone’s safety but the idea of needing a certification to write a resume has me confused.
The CPRW (Certified Professional Resume Writer) certification is provided by PARW (Professional Association of Resume Writers) which is an association created 19 years ago, aimed at “exchanging information, enhancing their skills, and demonstrating their commitment to providing professional services to the general public.”
- Exchanging information – Any well knit industry must come together to share ideas, inform each other on market changes they have seen, and/or develop a sense of camaraderie and pride in the work that is done.
- Enhancing their skills – An industry working collectively to improve the skills of members shows commitment to their perfection of the craft and also allows for a security them that other unregulated industries cannot offer.
- Demonstrating their commitment to providing professional services to the public – Translation: “By writers paying our $375.00 yearly membership/certification fee, they are demonstrating a commitment and focus to their skills as resume writers.”
As a professional resume writer myself, I find it offensive and tacky that certain resume writers trade on this certification as though it is the equivalent of having an M.D. or a P.E. Based on PARW’s tenets, the certification should be held up as an emblem for a resume writer’s commitment to their craft through the sharing of ideas, consistent training, and payment of fees but instead it is used by too many of today’s writers to falsely elevate themselves as the only ones qualified to dare write a resume as others might get hurt. If a resume writer is certified, shouldn’t the consumer then expect a definitive result that, in this case, they be assured interviews? If a Professional Engineer signs off on a building structure shouldn’t we feel secure that the building is not going to collapse? A certification in any other line of work has the inherent obligation that the results are guaranteed. So, if a certified resume writer fails to land their clients interviews, shouldn’t they be held to the same standard of other certifications? I realize many of the resume writers working today have been writing for a long time and from PARW’s inception have believed in the certification as a badge that signified their worth in a totally unregulated industry, but unfortunately when the entire town has been deputized because they paid a tribute to the sheriff, the badge no longer holds any power.
The goal of a resume is to land interviews. Make sure that when you are sifting through the thousands of resume writing services out there, that the company you choose stands behind their work in the form of guaranteed results. Don’t fall for the free online tips or the “we’ll be here to answer your questions” mumbo jumbo. You don’t need tips. You need a job and without interviews you won’t get one.