Why DIY Resumes Fail? The Case for Professional Resume Formatting Services

Landing jobs is not a bed of roses and those seeking one know the pain very well. Moreover, the probability of a recession hitting the US looming large makes the situation even worse. In fact, the number of job openings fell from 7.9 million in June 2024 to 7.7 million in July 2024, hitting an all-time low since January 2021. On a positive note, the US job growth accelerated in August, after 2 straight months of decrease.

Sourced from JP Morgan’s latest economic outlook on jobs, these figures are self-explanatory, indicating that landing a job amid the global economic downturns isn’t easy. Though you may have the necessary skills and knowledge, the way you present them also matters. Think of yourself as a brand and resume as the marketing tool that tells the potential employer “Why should they hire you?”

Whether you’re a fresher entering the job market or an experienced professional taking your career graph to a new height, a well-crafted resume is the key to landing the interview round of your dream job. Why? The answer is simple. The resume is the first point of contact between an employer and a potential employee. It provides a summarized version of essential details about a candidate for recruiters. A resume is the direct answer to the most important question: why should we hire you? 

Several tools, free templates, and other resources available online make DIY or do-it-yourself resume appealing. But it isn’t the right approach. As you are using technology to create a resume, recruiters use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to shortlist applications and resumes. And DIY resumes often fail to deliver the intended results.

1- Lack of Understanding of ATS Systems

ATS, though friendly for recruiters, is a foe for job seekers, especially the ones lacking the knowledge of how these systems work. ATS systems have keywords, qualifications, and format-based criteria to filter out resumes. DIY resumes fail to pass the ATS screening test as they lack formatting that ATS systems can read. For instance, resumes with images, designs, tables, and complex fonts might get rejected by these systems. In such cases, DIY resumes are rejected before reaching a human assessor.

2- Obsolete Generic Resumes

Many candidates assume that simply listing skills, qualifications, and experience in a resume would get them their dream job. But this is not true. These simplistic resumes don’t highlight the relevant achievements and lack focus. Moreover, they are not aligned with the unique job requirements and the industry. Always remember, one-size-fits-all is no longer valid.

3- Poor Formatting Creates a Visually Non-Appealing Sight

First impression matters, and in the case of a job hunt, the resume is the only way to make your first impression impactful. That said, merely stating facts and figures in your resume won’t help. It should be formatted in a way that captures the recruiter’s attention. Unfortunately, DIY resumes have inconsistent formatting, lack of white space, misaligned text, and other aesthetic flaws, making them difficult to read. Besides, recruiters don’t usually take the pain of going through every application and discard the cluttered and messy ones as they have dozens of resumes to be reviewed in a short span.

4- Too Much Designing Spoils the Essence

The adage “too much of everything is bad” stands true for resumes. DIY resumes usually use highly designed templates that hide the core purpose of resumes. Though a visually appealing resume might grab attention, finding relevant information becomes difficult. Colorful images, unusual layouts, and complex designs may backfire, especially in traditional industries.

Given the challenges associated with DIY resumes, the case for professional resume formatting

services becomes clear. Here are the key benefits of investing in professional services:

I) Expertise in Industry-Specific Requirements

Different industries have unique requirements and vacancies. Your resume be tailored to meet the industry’s specifications and the job’s requirements. For instance, a resume designed for a technical position won’t work for a creative position. Professional resume writers understand this. They create resumes tailored to meet the industry standards. This ensures your resume meets the expectations of hiring managers. DIY resumes lack this perspective as they have pre-set templates and designs.

II) Equipped with ATS-Friendly Techniques

Professional resume writers are well-versed in various techniques to create resumes that pass the ATS screening test. They have different resume formats and templates that are ATS-friendly and preferred by recruiters. This helps in skipping the resume design and format experimenting part. 

III) A Tailored Approach to Highlight Achievements

Professional resume writers do more than just improve the look of a resume. They are well-versed with what a recruiter wants and highlight the qualifications and achievements accordingly. In other words, these professionals present and highlight your unique value proposition and help you land the job. This tailored approach demonstrates your previous roles through a strong narrative. Again, such a level of detail and focus may be difficult to achieve in a DIY resume, especially when you’re unsure which experiences and skills are most relevant to the job applying for.

IV) Save Time and Reduce Stress 

Hunting for a job is stressful and time-consuming. And if you’re too caught up in your current role, the thought of creating a resume from scratch, or even updating an existing one might be overwhelming. Through CV formatting services, you can hire professionals to take care of your resume’s creative and technical elements. This frees you to focus on other important job-searching tasks, including networking, researching, and interview preparation.

Though DIY resumes may look like an easy and cost-effective option, they fail to meet the market demand and competition. Many challenges, such as ATS screening issues and format inconsistencies, are a big hurdle in the success of a DIY resume. You can always rely on professional resume and CV formatting services to balance content with aesthetics. They craft your resume in a way that appeals to the recruiters and presents you as an ideal fit for the position. And, all you need to do here is find the right professional provider.