Free Resume Builders Aren't Always Free

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Have you ever wanted to create the perfect, yet free, resume? However, when you finally get done putting together the resume, you find that there is a catch? I wanted to help you find what sites offer items that are truly “free” and those that aren’t.

There were 4 sites that I worked diligently to perfect my resume: GotResumeBuilder.com, MyPerfectResume.com, Career Services Resume Builder, and SIGI3. These sites allowed me to create a resume for free, but what frustrated me was when I went to download it, there was a fee.  As you may imagine, after spending 20-3?"0 minutes on a resume to only find it isn’t truly free, was very frustrating. 

I included positives and negatives about each one to help you better select the resume builder best for you.

1. Got Resume Builder

On the Got Resume Builder website. There weren’t a lot of templates, but it did give you a breakdown of how to write a resume and offered samples for you to review. While the design was lacking, being able to add information was easy. I was disappointed to find that there was a cost of $5.99 for wanting to download it in Microsoft Word format. You could print it in PDF, but there was no way to edit it after you downloaded it that way.

Pros: Very basic look and nature; good examples

Cons: Costs for basic download; variations of downloads aren’t editable

2. My Perfect Resume

On the My Perfect Resume website, there were a lot of things that would intrigue a student. It had thousands of samples and templates. There were suggested items to put into specific categories. Not to mention the fact that it was offered as free. The trick is that building the resume is free, but downloading it or saving it requires a subscription: $2.95 for 14-day access or $7.95 a month. It can be very frustrating when you’ve put a lot of time in a resume to have to pay for something you essentially thought was free.

Pros: Lots of editing and template choices; several recommendations for different scenarios; has multiple ways of saving the format of the resume.

Cons: Cost $2.95-7.95

3. CSO Resume Creator.

On your Career Services account through CSO there is an opportunity to build a resume. On the right hand column of the main screen, below “I want to” there is a “Create resume using Resume Builder.”  This resume builder was very easy to use. I clicked on resume templates, picked the one I wanted, and got to start entering my information right away. The builder was 100% free and I could either save or preview my resume at any time. 

Pros: easy to use, truly free, quick and efficient

Cons: plain templates, doesn’t have categories for special circumstances

4. SIGI3

Through your my.oit.edu, on the student resources tab on the left column “SIGI3” is available to all Oregon Tech students. This site can pack a punch. It has everything from personality surveys, skills surveys, as well as, several break down assessment type tools. This information was great for wanting to think about what I had to offer and what jobs worked best with what I had to offer. However, on the “Getting There,” “Resume Basics” link really didn’t provide exactly what I hoped for. If I clicked on the links provided I was forwarded to MyPerfectREsume.com and Resume Tutor, which both cost money. This site did have a lot of free references on what a resume is and basic knowledge on what to put in your resume.

compositecode.com

Pros: A lot of information; breaks down items for resume; gives an alternative way of approaching your resume

Cons: Hard to find what you are looking for; external resume builder sites cost money

Ultimately, there are both kinds of sites out there. Make sure you read reviews before utilizing them. You don’t want to be stuck where I was after 20-30 minutes of effort to find it costs in the end. Great resumes don’t have to cost money at all.

If you ever need help working on your resume or cover letters, please contact Oregon Tech’s Career Services at 541-885-1020 or career@oit.edu.

*All information was based on personal experience. The sites that I utilized were: 

GotResumeBuilder.com

MyPerfectResume.com

Career Services Resume Builder (https://www.myinterfase.com/oit/Account/LogOn?ReturnUrl=%2foit%2fstudent)

SIGI3 (http://www.sigi3.org/resume.asp?EQ=425484040&RX=MainAssess)

**Please see reference location for below images within the text above.

New Year's Resolution

It’s not too late to plan your New Year’s resolution.  As you probably have considered what your New Year’s resolution will be, you probably haven’t thought about what career related resolution you could make. The best part about making a career related resolution is that you are more likely to stick with it, as it will be a constant reminder as you enter your job every day.

A few ideas for career resolutions are:

Change your Attitude – Whether it’s towards your colleagues, your boss, or the customers, it is always important to evaluate your attitude and how it comes off to others. You may even want to consider making your resolution more specific: once a month on a “bad day,” focus on being nice to one person you’d normally get frustrated/annoyed with. This way you’re making a conscious effort and after enough times of repetition it will mentally be the way that you address others, even on an off day. 

Focus on Improvement – Whether it’s being more punctual to work, fulfilling tasks more quickly, utilizing more outside resources or even delegating work [1] more efficiently it is important to show improvement. Making an attempt to improve will make you feel better about your day and your day's work, and who knows, you might even impress your boss with your improvement (possibly leading to a raise or bonus).  

Work Towards a Goal [1] - Many places of employment have “employee of the week/month” or other honorable awards. Make this the year you either receive one or get more this year (in a single year) than you ever have gotten before. This way you have an incentive to perform better and work harder at work. It can completely change your focus at work if you feel like you have a goal to obtain.

Make a New Friend- As this may sound a little odd, as making friends should be easy and natural, this resolution can alter your way around the office. If you make friends with someone else in the office it can be beneficial to you later. For example, if you make friends with an intern or an office assistant, when you get an overload on a project, you won’t feel as bad asking a friend to rush an order at the copy machine than you would asking a complete stranger. 

Expand Your Social Media- In a social media driven world it can be hard to keep up if you not in the loop. Many people who utilize social media have created more business contacts, found new job postings, and even learned about alternative occupation options. As a resolution, challenge yourself to join one new social media group and utilize it “x” amount of times in a month. I would recommend any business related social media. Many companies utilize LinkedIn, but there are several out there. You could consider Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. but be conscious that these aren’t business related spaces and anything you put on the web can be analyzed by a potential boss or co-worker.

There are several other blogs and articles of business related resolutions. If an idea from above doesn’t work for you, then you might want to consider looking at one of the following articles:

http://managerlink.monster.com/training-leadership/articles/28-10-career-resolutions-for-the-new-year

http://www.boston.com/jobs/galleries/new_year_career_resolutions/

[1] http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/12/31/7-new-years-resolutions-for-a-stronger-career-in-2014/

Just remember that any career related resolution you choose will be beneficial to you in the long run. Make 2014 your year for improvement. If you are an Oregon Tech student or alumni please contact the Career Services department with all your career related questions and needs.
career@oit.edu or 541-885-1020

References:

 [1] Green, Alison. "7 New Year's Resolutions For a Stronger Career in 2014." AOL Jobs. U.S.News, 31 Dec. 2013. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. .