In the last fortnight, I’ve had to rewrite two resumes from people who went to shonky writers, who ‘allegedly’ were trading out of Adelaide. I know they’re based in Melbourne and Sydney.

In the last month, there has been an influx of dodgy interstate resume writers, who produce unprofessional work and deliver sham products, leaving Adelaide clients out of pocket.

Here are some things to look out for:

• If they use a 1300 number, there’s a very high chance they’re not local. They trick Google into showing their business in Adelaide, when really, it’s in Sydney or Melbourne. Pick a local writer who knows the Adelaide and South Australian economy.
• If people don’t return your call or email within four or five hours, that often means they’re working two jobs. You want a dedicated, professional resume writer. Not a part timer.
• Beware if they offer packages. If you only want your resume written, they’ll try to sell you a generic cover letter, a LinkedIn site and a raft of interview training modules. You’re consigning your employment future to a ‘copy and paste’ franchise. Avoid.
• Professional resume writers use a drafting system. If the business you’ve contacted doesn’t show you drafts of the resume or cover letter within a 24-48 hour period, go elsewhere. You need to be kept updated and to see the standard of their work.
• Never pay the full sum up front. Some writers might want a deposit, which is fair but never, ever pay the full sum up front. Some businesses are online fronts for rip off merchants.

There are three Adelaide based resume businesses:

Republic Resumes (Malcolm King)

Successful Resume (Esther Daniell) – check she is still there as this is a national franchise.

Resume Results (Ann Hammond)

Better to be safe than sorry.