Writer Credentials

While you don’t actually need qualifications to be a good CV writer, they are a significant indicator. Generally if the writer has good academic qualifications, at the very least it shows a degree of intelligence and the fact that he/she has significant academic writing experience. Of course academic writing isn’t the same as the first-class creative writing expertise that the best CV writers demonstrate. However, in general if you have a choice between a company which clearly states the academic qualifications of its staff and a company which does not, then you are better off choosing the former.

In America some companies advertise paid resume writing affiliation whereby they offer would-be writers use of their ‘certification’ tag if the appropriate fee is paid and the budding writer can reach what they consider to be a certain standard and/or follow a preferred format (regardless of how good or bad this format is). By their very nature paid affiliations tend not to carry the same weight as a genuine university qualification such as a degree. This is not lost on discerning consumers, and could be one reason why this form of paid certification has not taken off on this side of the Atlantic.

I have actually received numerous job applications from writers in America with certified status. I can only speak for myself, but whenever I receive such applications I assign the certified tag no value whatsoever; although if in addition, the applicant has real university qualifications then that does add some weight to the application.

Even so, as previously mentioned, qualifications alone don’t really mean anything without genuine creative writing talent. And the former is by no means a sure fire precursor for the latter.

More to follow…