Considering a resume builder or resume building software? Catering to job seekers who don't mind rolling up their sleeves, a resume builder is an interactive tool that helps you craft your own resume. Some are bundled with cover letter builders, and offer additional features like activity tracking and faxing services.

Affordable yet powerful, a good resume builder can produce a resume that's competitive, even to those written by a professional resume writer. But... it will require significant input from a job seeker who has at least some writing skills and the ability to express job qualifications in a promotional--and unbiased--manner. If that's you, here's help. Former recruiter David Alan Carter trained a critical eye on the Web's most popular resume builders. Here are his picks and pans (and in-depth reviews)

Company...	Go To...	Rating...	Pricing...	In-Depth...
	Website		$14.95 per month	The only builder that earned a "3 Star" rating. Includes cover letters, faxing, activity tracking, live help. Subscription model keeps it affordable. Free to try.
	Website		Unknown	Clean, simple service that delivers somewhat professional results, though it lacks key features. Terms of Service are onerous and pricing not evident (a red flag).
	AVOID		$39.95	Company appears to be out of business.

Resume Builder Software Reviews - About Our Top Picks And Rankings

In developing this site, we evaluated dozens of online resume builders -- also known as a resume maker, resume developer, resume creator, or just plain resume software.

We found one gem, and learned a few lessons along the way. For example, if the resume builder (i.e. resume maker, resume developer, resume software) is...

• Free, it's usually worth exactly that.
• Pricey or complicated or both, you'll spend a lot of time wondering why you didn't just throw the project to a Professional Resume Writer and be done with it.
• A supplemental part of a larger service, guess what you're gonna be bombarded with day and night? That's right--email marketing pitches designed to upsell the premium services.

That said, here's what we looked for in a resume builder and the software behind the company.

Resume Builder Software - We looked for a stand-alone product.

We wanted the company behind the product to be fully dedicated to just one thing--the program or service they were selling and the customers who were buying.

Resume Builder Software - We looked for relevant bells and whistles.

The key word is relevant. Help with phrasing is relevant. Spell check is relevant. The ability to manipulate headings, layouts and templates is relevant. The ability to work up a companion cover letter is relevant. Our top choice was an easy call -- Pongo Resume. Besides the features you might expect, Pongo offers free faxing and emailing from their site, a complimentary web page with your own unique URL, and a new Job Search Tool that compiles targeted job listings from online job boards and company website... while you're working on your resume!

Resume Builder Software - We looked for proper resume formatting.

MS Word is the standard. But we gave extra points to the online resume builder (i.e. resume maker, resume developer, resume software) that also offered or facilitated formatting in PDF, ASCII text, HTML, and RTF.

Resume Builder - We looked for access to real live human beings.

You know, just in case one needed a bit of technical support. Or needed to insure that the company makes good on a guarantee. Speaking of guarantees...

Resume Builder - We looked for guarantees.

Of course, I'm not saying we found a bunch.

Resume Builder - We looked for value.

Fifty bucks is about as high as we would want to go. Much more than that, and a full-service professional resume writer begins to look like the better deal.

Finally, we looked for a company that was ease to work with.

Everything's a hassle. Ever notice that? And just when you really, really need things to go right--like when you're out of work or can't take another day under the oppressive thumb of Genghis Khan, the night shift supervisor at Pubescent Poultry Products--well, forget it. Hence, we put a good deal of stock in the online resume builder (i.e. resume maker, resume developer, resume software) whose website navigated smoothly. Where information was readily available. Where pricing was up front and clear. In short, we valued the online resume builder who was easy to work with.

You can do this.

Listen, If you're a halfway decent writer, you can do this. You have it within yourself to craft a resume that is competitive with those employing professional writing services. That said, you will need to know how to organize career information and produce an effective template. You will need to know how to phrase your job responsibilities and career accomplishments in a manner that opens doors. The beauty of a quality resume builder is that the software can help immensely with the organization, the templates, and the phrasing.

Look over our reviews. Consider our ratings and how we got to those ratings. And finally, choose a resume builder that feels comfortable, and get on with the task at hand--crafting a resume that will land the job that will set the stage for career happiness.

© David Alan Carter
All Rights Reserved

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