If you currently occupy the C-suite...or even if you are eyeballing a C-level position for the first time, one thing is for certain.
You need a killer resume.
Your resume is your ambassador, and everyone who lays eyes on it should be able to get a snapshot of your personal brand and value proposition within seconds.
A professional resume writer who tailors their work to C-level executives will know exactly how to summarize your accomplishments and leadership skills to position you in the best possible light. A pro will also know how to use keywords to get your resume through Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) systems, ensuring that you get noticed by the people you need to.
Best Resume Services for C-Level Execs
If you are in a hurry and don't want to read our detailed reviews below, here is a list of the Best Resume Writers for C-Level Professionals:
- Find My Profession (that's us!)
- Distinctive Career Services
- Resume Writers Ink
- Riklan Resources
- Career Management Resume Services
- Executive Resume Writers
- Wolfgang Career Coaching
- Total Career Advancement
- Executive Career Partners
- Class A Resume
And now for the detailed reviews...
1. Find My Profession
Find My Profession is not just a top-notch C-Level resume writing service. We are a global company headquartered in the US on a mission to master effective, ATS compatible resumes that convert into offers.
A major perk of Find My Profession is that we are not a one-person shop.
Collectively, our team of elite resume writers has experience in 85+ unique industries/professions. This allows us to assign you a professional writer (in the United States) based on your unique background and experience.
We are also not a resume factory. We will never use “ghostwriters”. You will have your resume writer’s name, email, and phone number for direct communication.
With 100+ 5-star reviews and a 60-day interview guarantee that speaks for itself, you can sleep easy knowing that your satisfaction is our #1 priority.
Pros: Find My Profession commits to working with each client until they are completely satisfied. Don’t worry about having a limited number of edits, or a set amount of time with your writer.
Cons: Find My Profession does not exclusively write C-Level resumes. Also, with a focus on more senior positions, our entry-level resume service may be a bit pricey for recent graduates.
Turnaround: 3-5 business days. Can expedite to 2 business days.
Cost: Packages range from $895-$1295
Phone: (831) 888-0967
Don't take our word for it, check out some of our 5-star reviews.
2. Distinctive Career Services
Distinctive Career Services is run by Michelle Dumas, a nationally certified resume writer and career coach. Michelle says that more than 60% of her clientele need C-level resumes and earn six-figure incomes. Her company has prepared resumes for executives at some of America’s biggest companies and even for people in high government offices, such as presidential staff members.
Pros: There are many pros to Michelle’s service, but one that jumped out is that she offers payment plans. At this price point, that’s a welcome perk.
Cons: The turnaround time is on the long side.
Turnaround: 10–15 business days.
Cost: $1875.
Phone: (800) 644-9694
3. Resume Writers Ink
Resume Writers Ink was voted one of Forbes Top 100 Best Career Sites, and seemingly for good reason. Founder and CEO Tina Nicolai began her career in journalism and then spent twenty years in human resources and recruiting. She is certified in C-level resume writing in just about every way a person can be and has won awards for her work. Her C-Level, Executive & VP Package is meant for people seeking salaries of $176k and up.
Pros: This package includes personal branding and a DISC behavioral assessment (a cool extra you might learn something useful from).
Cons: We wish that reviewers had said a few words in their reviews to let others know how this resume service has helped them. That said, top stars are given and the company has gained the respect of the media to boot.
Turnaround: Not stated.
Cost: $1000.
Phone: (407) 578-1697
4. Riklan Resources
Riklan Resources provides resumes, career services, and outplacement services to those in or targeting the C-suite. After leaving a successful career in corporate HR management, Michelle Riklan founded the company in 2004. She is often interviewed by the media on career topics and has even published two books with tips on giving your career a leg up.
Pros: You will be impressed by her C-level resume samples. There is a specific package for C-suite executives—a sign that she understands the echelon of care and time that is needed to create a resume for someone at this career stage.
Cons: There are no verified reviews on third-party sites for Michelle’s services. However, there are many recommendations on LinkedIn from C-level executives like the one below.
Turnaround: Not stated.
Cost: $1595 and up.
Phone: (800) 540-3609
5. Career Management Resume Services
Career Management Resume Services and its career-coaching parent company, Career Management Systems, has been in business for 44 years. They serve job seekers across a variety of industries and job levels, including people aiming for the C-suite. They have a large team of counselors and writers and they guarantee that your resume will get you interviews or they will go back to the drawing board for free.
Pros: You can start off with a free resume evaluation.
Cons: We know the resumes are great based on their dozens of 5-star reviews, but we would have liked to see some samples with our own eyes.
Turnaround: Not stated.
Cost: $750.
Phone: (866) 484-3243
6. Executive Resume Writers
Executive Resume Writers is a service that caters to “six-figure professionals only.” Their team of certified professionals can cover resume writing, career coaching, and interview prep. Check out their detailed testimonials to get an idea of the return on investment executives received from these respected C-level resume writers.
Pros: They lay their samples out in a helpful before-and-after format. If you have been wondering what C-level resume examples should look like, check out these transformations.
Cons: It’s frustrating when services don’t offer information about their pricing and process. Their website is beautiful, but you will have to call for a free consultation for more information.
Turnaround: Not stated.
Cost: Not stated.
Phone: (929) 254-4311
7. Wolfgang Career Coaching
Wolfgang Career Coaching is a division of Coaching 4 Good and has a well-respected C-level resume writing service. There are two types of packages to choose from at this level: one for executives looking to make the C-suite leap and those already in head honcho positions who want to transition to other organizations.
Pros: You can kick off the process with a free half-hour consultation.
Cons: We wish there were some C-level resume examples to see on their website.
Turnaround: Less than 10 days.
Cost: About $1995. (This is not disclosed on the website, but is referred to on Texasexes.org, a University of Texas alumni organization.)
Phone: (877) 970-7767
8. Total Career Advancement
Total Career Advancement is another business on this list that has decades of experience writing some of the best C-suite resumes around. This company has been in business since 1979. The one thing Total Career Advancement had to say that was music to our ears was, “Put your pen down because you won’t need to fill out any forms here. We do all the work.” At this level of service, that is exactly the kind of one-on-one consultation you need to get a stellar result.
Pros: A 24-hour rush service is available if you find yourself needing a new resume in a hurry. They also offer a 90-day interview guarantee.
Cons: Some C-level resume examples would have been nice.
Turnaround: Not stated.
Cost: $1599.
Phone: (844) 243-3166
9. Executive Career Partners
Executive Career Partners offers a wide range of services for C-level executives, including resume services. If all you need is a resume, they can do that for you. If you need more career guidance, they will assign you a personal marketing director to see you through every aspect of promoting yourself. Most of their staff are based in the Denver area.
Pros: If you think you may need a personal marketing website, you can leverage the time you’ve spent with their writers and add one on.
Cons: Some of the lower-rated reviews have to do with feeling the service is too highly priced for services rendered, and others mention problems with scheduling appointments. The majority of customers, however, were very happy.
Turnaround: Not stated.
Cost: Not stated, but according to reviewers it is a four-figure sum.
Phone: (877) 345-5297
10. Class A Resume
Class A Resume, based in eastern Pennsylvania, has been in business since 1978. Granted, their resume samples have a bit of an old-school appearance. But all of their writers and coaches are highly qualified and according to reviewers, these resumes work. All the writing is 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
Pros: You can add on an executive bio at a reasonable price.
Cons: This company doesn’t do LinkedIn profiles, so if you want one you should look for a service that can bundle that in.
Turnaround: 4–5 days.
Cost: $439–799 for resume only.
Phone: (610) 834-1071
C-Level Resume Examples
We’ve included some C-level resume examples available from the writing services on our list so you can get a better idea of what it takes to make a C-level executive resume great. Take a look at these two examples (first page only). As you can see, C-level resumes need a combination of a sharp appearance that grabs your attention and focused language that is easy for hiring authorities to digest at a glance.
This eye-catching CEO resume sample comes from Find My Profession (ranked #1 on this list):
Here is another eye-catching and strategically formatted example from Riklan Resources (ranked #4 on this list):
While eye-catching graphics can look great on a resume, they typically are not Applicant Tracking System (ATS) compatible, meaning your resume will never make it to the hands of the hiring manager. Make sure to ask your writer if their resumes are ATS compatible.
As you seek out the best C-suite resume writer for you, be sure to have a thorough look at all the samples available so you can get an idea of the marketing value your prospective resume writer has to offer you. If you don’t find samples on a company’s website, ask them to send you some by email. A good writer never minds providing samples.
