How Much ‘Should’ CV Writing Services Cost?

A stranger messaged me recently, asking if I’d review their CV.

Here’s how the rest of the conversation went.

Me: “Of course – send it over!”

Them: How much does it cost?

Me: For a quick review?  Nothing.

Them: “How much will u charge if I want a full rewrite?”

Me: “£195.  This covers the actual writing, plus an in-depth chat of up to an hour.  I do this so I can find out more about what’s important to you, what you’re looking for, and how you most want to come across, so I can reflect it all on the CV. Let me know if you have any other questions, and thanks for your interest.

Them: “what???  that’s wayyyy too much!  Ive already worked on my CV and its got everything I need on it already.  U should seriously think about how much u charge as Im not working at the mo.

Me: Great to hear your CV is already looking good.  Feel free to pop it over for a review if you’d still like one, otherwise good luck with the job applications!

And there the conversation ended.

You might be wondering why I didn’t defend my pricing – or perhaps even that I should have apologised for charging so much.

I didn’t defend my pricing mostly because that person found me through my LinkedIn profile, on which my credentials are listed in detail.  If they looked at those and still thought I was charging too much, it’s unlikely I’d have been able to convince them otherwise.

Plus, they genuinely may not have been able to afford my CV writing service, in which case I’d feel bad about even trying to convince them.

As for apologising, if you’ve been combing websites in search of CV-writing services, you’ll know that they range from the ridiculously cheap to the astronomically expensive.

And luckily for me, there are people who believe a CV that accurately reflects who they are, is worth the cost of a few hours of my time.

Are ‘expensive’ CV-writing services worth it?

I’m not (only) saying this because I am one, but from my experience it’s better to work with an individual CV writer, rather than a CV-writing agency.

That way, you can check your writer’s professional credentials and client reviews beforehand.  You will also have a direct contact – and can assign direct accountability – if the resulting CV needs amending.

(I once worked for a posh, prestigious CV-writing agency that charged upwards of £800 per CV.  You’d think this would guarantee a better class of service, but really it just guaranteed a slicker sales pitch.  Behind the scenes, the other writers and I worked our socks off writing top-level CVs for minimum-wage rates).

Do I really need to pay someone to write my CV?

I don’t think anyone “needs” to pay for CV-writing services.

Most people can put together a competent enough CV on their own.  And given that you’ll never satisfy every recruiter, hiring manager, or type of CV-sifting software, writing a CV is always something of a lottery.

In my experience and opinion, you’ll have a better chance of winning if your CV clearly explains not just what you’ve done, but how you did it.  Not just what “benefits” you’ll “bring to the organisation”, but what you’re actually like to work with.

That way, you’ll have a better chance of finding what you’re looking for, as well as satisfying the people who can offer it to you.

But if you don’t know or aren’t sure how best to describe yourself, that’s where a CV-writing service could help.

To find out more about mine, visit my CV and Career Writing page, or schedule a chat here.

(You already know the cost.  I’ll leave you to decide whether I’m worth it).