There are many CV writing services out there (I own one) and it’s been a thorn in my side for a long time. I thought the idea of a free CV review was so someone understood what was wrong with their CV and had an opportunity to put it right? Maybe I’m just naïve but the reviews that I’ve seen when I’ve sent out dummy CVs to rival services are terrible.

In the main, the services that offer a free CV review are simply a cut and paste email response to answer common CV mistakes. For example, if the CV is in the wrong order, i.e. not in reverse chronological order then the standard text is trotted out using the cut and paste, cookie cutter method, followed up with a high pressure sales call offering the service that they are offering.

I have no issue at all with people looking to use the review as an appetiser or bait to sell a service, I do have a real issue; however with people rubbishing CVs that are clearly not that bad simply to sell a service. Of course, some people can’t write their own CV, that’s why our service exists; however don’t make people feel bad about themselves, help them out.

In my opinion, a free service really should have some value. We review every CV individually, record a specific video for each and every one and then allow people to make up their own mind as to whether they wish to use the service. Maybe we should be more sales orientated; perhaps we’d make more money? I don’t actually think so,  we’d probably hack off our potential customers and that simply isn’t worth it.

So, look out for those cut and paste merchants. I’m not saying that the advice isn’t useful, it could be, it’s just that the advice is so generic that it couldn’t possibly be specific to your situation and I’m guessing that’s what you’re interested in?