I think there is a sweet spot for James' services. Unfortunately I was not one of them. I'd echo more of Mookie's comments about the language choices being bizarre and laughingly bad in most corporate settings. James and I worked it out on the backend, but I ended up wasting time and money on the promise of something that ultimately he couldn't deliver.

Buyer beware for sure - for a first or second job it may be ok, but anything somewhat technical or closer to executive level please look elsewhere. I went against my better judgement and followed the success stories on here rather than trusting my gut based on our first set of email exchanges.

If nothing else, go into it eyes wide open.

I also backed out based on the initial email response, which had a number of grammatical and syntactical errors. The price was worth the time it would have saved me, but I had no confidence in the quality of the product based on that email and his knowledge of the business environment. Figured I would end up spending more time doing markups than it would take to do it myself.

Edit: I have terms of art and higher level stuff that needs a good deal of knowledge to edit correctly. I'd have fewer concerns in some other professions.

Thank you for the constructive criticism. I know that there exist upon this forum minds far sharper than mine. I don't know more than engineers, accountants, Landmen (Landpersons) professors, judges, or other professionals. Aside from what I have learned, and learn every day, about the engineering, accounting, medicine, O&G, or legal professions, I wouldn't in the field last a minute in those shoes absent their education and experience. If I were to retain or commission their services I would do so knowing "This is what they do". For not being trained in their discipline, I wouldn't recognize correct from incorrect, or true from false. I'd have to trust that they know what they're doing. I exercise that philosophy when I visit my doctor, lawyer, mechanic. What they tell me 99% I believe certain (I reserve 1% as a self-professed doubter).

I confess my emails don't always appeal to a recipient's expectations. Individually I author every email, never cutting-and-pasting language that presents in a boiler-plate or auto-reply manner. The manner in which I communicate is very conversational and, in an effort to keep-it-simple, employ language that might run the opposite of a corporate presentation. Might it be long-winded sometimes. Might? I digress. My emails (and some posts) have been known to contain a spelling or grammatical error. Sometimes I catch them. Sometimes I miss them (Think: Dictated, but not read). Because personally I author every email, and it consumes a great deal of time, in haste I'm prone to error. I've been known to include a disclaimer that informs the reader that the concluding document for which I'm being considered, the resume, will arrive error free having received a comprehensive visual and electronic examination. My emails: Not so much. I'll be working on that, thank you.

When I present a resume I have authored to a client, I know that my client will receive a document with language employed in a manner in which they might be not entirely comfortable. They will read language that has been authored with an emphasis on clarity and conciseness. Further, I'll express to my client that they don't have to be comfortable with the language, for it necessarily wasn't authored for them. I'll explain that the language I employ is for the primary recipient... the person who will be on the receiving end of the document.. trying... wanting to qualify the candidate (my client). I'll tell my client that when they've 6 seconds to capture the attention of that recipient, and hold it, every single word must count. Every single word must have a purpose. Every single word that absolutely is unnecessary... every single punctuation mark that absolutely doesn't have to be employed... saves time. 6 seconds.

Is it going to pass an examination by an English professor? Likely not. However, it will capture the attention of the primary recipient. Further, a keyword scanner cares not so much about punctuation or syntax inasmuch as it's looking for keywords... word strings... and when it's "checking off" the candidate-requisite requirements and qualifications, you don't want to leave unchecked boxes. None. It's a huge challenge, not one I take lightly, and I'll go to great lengths to improve my client's position respective to other candidates vying for the same opportunity. Candidates like his or her friends, co-workers, and bosses. When I'm working on behalf of my client, his or her friends, coworkers, or bosses concern me not. They can hire their own writer. It's that matter of fact.

The clients that turn to my service haven't been attaining desired results with their existing resume. They've tried modifying their resumes... they've had friends and associates offer advice. They've turned to family for direction. And, oftentimes they arrive at the same result: No connections. When what someone has been trying to achieve isn't producing the results they desire... alternatives must be considered. Those alternatives might not align with what they've been seeing, or hearing about, forever.

I believe my clients turn to me for to commence and conclude a process for which entirely they can't be objective. There's no shortage of subjectivity, but that approach isn't always in their interests. Client-driven revisions are part and parcel of my business. Occasionally a client will proceed to request revisions and modifications that otherwise would conclude with a document that near mirrors the originating document (the original resume). I've had a few conversations asking why I was commissioned if they only wanted a document with which they felt comfortable. Would it be easier to tell the client what they want to hear? Would it be easier to employ only the language with which they felt most comfortable? Would it save me time to take the path most easily traveled? Would the client emerge from the exercise with a document they loved? The answer to those questions is a YES! This is when a "Yes Man" approach would be easy. However, I don't take the easy route... I try to leave my client better positioned than that in which they arrived when first consulting with me. I try to improve upon it. Am always I successful? No. Not always.

The number of views of the originating post illustrates that resumes are a topic that draws great interest. What is the best resume? Why so many opinions? What is the best resume format? There are a million questions... and because everyone's position, situation, and circumstances are different, a resume that might be correct and proper for one client/candidate might not resonate with another client/candidate.

In conclusion, thank you to all of the people who have posted in this thread. From every criticism and every accolade I learn something. Thank you.

I won't hijack this thread. Via email I do welcome inquiries and comments and to the best of my ability promptly will respond.

He spent more time on that post than my resume

He'd rather get on here and complain. More of an indictment on him than you, in my opinion.

I've heard a lot of good things about your service but damn that read like a Geoff Ketchum post.

As a recruiting professional, buyer beware.

Unthought Known said:

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As a recruiting professional, buyer beware.

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aren't you and mookie brothers? makes sense.

Yeah, not coming off as a personal vendetta at all.

People are free to use or not use Jim's service. I don't have a ton of disposable income, but I was more than happy to pay the reasonable fee for Jim's services and was happy with the resume he created for my wife, who ended up getting a great job because of it.

Not sure what all the experts are talking about above.

Contacted James as my resume needed some freshening up. His customer service/ communication throughout the process is refreshing. With so many modes of communication, people often forget to talk. The final product concisely highlighted my experience and, I am not an 'expert' in resume engineering; but I believe it made me more marketable and enhanced/broadened my opportunities. Landed a phenomenal opportunity in a great city with a great company. Cheers to Jim.

That doesn't read as a ringing endorsement like you seem to think it does.