Scoring Guide:

If you scored...

45+ points: You could definitely benefit from the services of a Professional Resume Writer.
25 - 44 points: You may want to give serious consideration to engaging a Professional Resume Writer.
Under 25 points: You are not a red-hot candidate for resume-writing services, but don't rule out working with a Professional Resume Writer -- perhaps in the future.

Here's how a Professional Resume Writer can help with the situations described in this quiz:

1. My current resume does not seem to be working for me. I am being called for few or no interviews.

   A resume that's not getting you interviews is a sure sign that you need resume-writing help. A Professional Resume Writer knows how to create resumes that get interviews.

2. My resume is not updated and ready for distribution to employers. If someone I networked with asked me for my resume, I wouldn't have one that is good to go.

   Even if you're happy in your current job, you never know when a great opportunity will come up. A Professional Resume Writer can help you ensure that you always have a great resume ready.

3. I am in one of the following situations:

   A Professional Resume Writer knows special ways to present new graduates, career-changers, relocaters, and others in atypical job-search situations.

4. I feel my resume just doesn't stand out. It's rather plain-looking with ordinary verbiage and doesn't seem as though it will grab attention compared to resumes of other candidates.

   Professional Resume Writers excel at creating eye-catching, attention-grabbing resumes that the employer will want to keep at the top of the pile.

5. I don't know what formats are needed -- such as text, PDF, and Web-ready -- for online job-hunting, nor how to convert my resume to those formats.

   Professional Resume Writers are experts in all the formats you need for the crucial Internet aspect of your job search. A Professional Resume Writer can save you time and aggravation in converting your resume to the electronic formats you need for every situation and employer preference.

6. I've lost touch with my marketable skills and am not sure what my best selling points should be on a resume.

   A Professional Resume Writer will work with you to pinpoint your Unique Selling Proposition and create a resume that markets you with panache.

7. I don't have the time to create a truly dazzling resume, though I am willing to spend a little time providing input to a skilled writer.

   A Professional Resume Writer can save you lots of time by doing the hard work of wordsmithing sparkling writing and developing an attractive format and layout. Remember, though, that great resumes aren't created in a vacuum, and you do need to be willing spend some time providing input.

8. I am in one of the following situations:

   If you have employment gaps, are returning to the workforce, think you might look like a a "job-hopper," or have a diverse, unfocused background, a Professional Resume Writer can develop a special format and use problem-solving wording that addresses your sticky situation.

9. I have difficulty brainstorming my accomplishments.

   A Professional Resume Writer knows techniques that can transform your resume from a dry recitation of duties and responsibilities to a highly effective document in which your accomplishments jump off the page and show prospective employers that you can produce similar results for them.

10. I don't know what keywords to use on my resume so that it pops up in a search after being placed in the employer's keyword-searchable database.

    Professional Resume Writers are on top of the keywords in all major fields and professions and will ensure that these all-important elements are effectively integrated into your resume.

11. I don't think my resume conveys a sophisticated look and message that shows me worthy of the salary I seek.

    A Professional Resume Writer can create a highly professional document that demonstrates that your background is commensurate with your desired salary.

12. A reader taking a very quick glance at my resume would not really know what I want to do next nor the value I can contribute to my next employer.

    A Professional Resume Writer understands the importance of a sharply focused resume that conveys an immediate and positive message of your value to the employer.

13. I've been told my resume needs work.

    Whether it was a recruiter, friend, or family member who told you your resume was less than spectacular, you can have confidence when working with a Professional Resume Writer that you will gain the benefit of extensive experience and expertise. Resumes are extremely subjective documents, and everyone has a different opinion about any given resume, but a Professional Resume Writer offers objectivity based on experience and remaining on the cutting edge of the job market.

Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., is an author and instructor. Her books include Dynamic Cover Letters (more than 100,000 copies sold) and Write Your Way to a Higher GPA, written with Dr. Randall S. Hansen, as well as Dynamic Cover Letters for New Graduates (11,000+ copies sold) and most recently, A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market, all published by Ten Speed Press. Her latest book is Top Notch Executive Resumes: Creating Flawless Resumes for Managers, Executives, and CEOs, published by Career Press. Katharine holds the Career Masters Institute's Credentialed Career Master designation.