Enhance Your Career Through Impactful Writing


Vera O'Shea, offering resume (professional) services

Thank you for visiting my site. If you are here, you are likely looking to make a change in some aspect of your professional life. You may be unsure about what you want to do or where to turn, but you know you must start somewhere. I hope I can provide some direction. 

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Resumes

Developing an impactful resume is an absolute must for job seekers. However, as you may have discovered, completing this task is easier said than done. Even a seemingly innocent one-page resume can send the most articulate writer into a harrowing tailspin of linguistic despair.  

But take heart. "It's not you - it's The Resume!" Resume writing is a challenging endeavor that demands you effectively extract, communicate, and aesthetically package relevant career history in a concise and compelling marketing document.

That's a tall order! Resume writing requires time, creativity, determination, and intellectual sweat. Adding to the accompanying angst, completing a resume does not always produce the desired results of securing a job interview. In truth, most resumes submitted to jobs are never seen by hiring managers.  

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) screening processes can stop a resume before an employer even has the chance to see it. Appropriate formatting and the strategic use of keywords are the antidotes to these inflexible systems. The more significant challenge is impressing the human decision-maker reviewing your resume. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, I may be able to help you.  

Resume Statistics  

  • 24% of hiring managers spend fewer than 30 seconds looking at resumes (CareerBuilder, 2019)

  • Applicant tracking systems reject 75% of resumes, meaning only a quarter are seen by human eyes. (TopResume, 2021)

  • Candidates who hire professional resume writers have a 32% higher chance of getting a job. (Talent Inc., 2019)

  • 68% of job seekers with professionally crafted resumes found jobs within 90 days. (Talent Inc., 2019)

  • Around 77% of hiring professionals put resumes in the reject pile if they have typos or grammatical mistakes. (The Motley Fool)

LinkedIn logo and paragraph describing LinkedIn Profile & Resume services

LinkedIn

Whether you are looking to make a career change, attract new clients, maintain loyalty with existing customers, or become recognized as a thought leader in your industry, an impressive and intriguing LinkedIn profile is vital in today's business world.  

Industry experts acknowledge that despite the enormous reach of LinkedIn, most users are barely scratching the surface in terms of the impact it could have on their personal brand and networking efforts.  

There are infinite resources online and in print educating users on how to pursue and achieve their end goals on LinkedIn. Yet, these informative teaching materials will not produce the desired results without an engaging profile that commands the attention of its readers.  

A well-written, optimized LinkedIn profile attracts opportunities. A mediocre profile detracts from all you have accomplished and what you have to offer. Your investment in time to distinguish yourself on LinkedIn can yield significant returns.  

Keeping abreast of this ever-evolving platform requires continual learning. As a Certified Digital Career Strategist, I stay current on optimization techniques and can improve underperforming profiles.

LinkedIn Job Related Statistics

  • Job seekers with a comprehensive LinkedIn profile have a 71% higher chance of getting a job interview. (ResumeGo, 2019)

  • 87% of recruiters regularly use LinkedIn. (Jobvite, 2020)

  • 67% of recruiters say that LinkedIn is the top social media channel offering the highest quality candidates. (Jobvite, 2020)

  • 3 people are hired every minute on LinkedIn. (LinkedIn, 2021)

Cover Letters

A cover letter can make all the difference, for better or for worse. A persuasive cover letter can secure an interview when a decision-maker is "on the fence" about a candidate based solely on a resume. Conversely, a poorly written cover letter can close the door to an interview despite outstanding credentials. If you are struggling to write an effective cover letter, I can help you get it done.

Cover Letter Survey Results (ResumeLab, 2022)

  • "A great cover letter can help you get the interview even if your resume isn't good enough 83% of the time."

  • "For vacancies where a cover letter is optional, 77% of recruiters give preference to candidates who submit a cover letter."

  • "When the cover letter is required for a given job posting and you fail to attach one, only 13% of decision-makers will process your application."

Please see Services page for writing and consultation options. 

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