Are you struggling to land a job as a resume writer? Or do you simply not have the confidence to apply for a dream job? Often times the answer to these questions is the lack of certification in resume writing.
A certificate shows your clients that you’ve worked hard for the certification and you’re qualified to do the job well. But how to get resume writing certification? Click here to read in detail!
Other than that, today we take a look at the 10 best professional resume writing certification programs. Let’s begin.
The Certified Advanced Resume Writer (CARW) is one of the best resume writing certification programs for beginners offered by Career Directors International (CDI). For entry-level resume writers, the CARW is a really good choice.
All resume writers will need to pass through 4 stages of testing.
The base price for getting this resume writing certification is $200. But writers also need to become a member and pay the membership fee of $97.
Every writer with a professional certification in resume writing from CARW will receive all free tools and resources from CDI.
The only downside of this certification is that if you fail at any one stage, you won’t get the certification.
CDI offers resume writer training, courses and programs on a bunch of other programs that we will be discussing soon. But if you can’t hold your horses, click here to learn more about it right now!
CDI offers a higher-level certification in resume writing courses to all writers. This is known as the Certified Master Resume Writer (CMRW). It is one of the oldest-known certifications in resume writing and will have others take you seriously as a writer.
Applicants need to go through an evaluation process that involves submitting some materials. The things that need to be submitted are:
The resume writing certification course itself costs $297, but there is also a membership fee of $97. An important thing to keep in mind here is that you will need to renew your CMRW credentials every 3 years for $75.
Being the oldest-known certification, this will present you as an expert with a professional resume writing certification. You will be landing the resume writing jobs that were slipping out of your hand before.
Everything about the CMRW is really good, save for the fact that it is only valid for 3 years. You need to get it renewed once the 3 years are over. Want more out of your next job application? Get resume writing training right away!
If you want to get a bit more advanced certification, then the Certified Executive Resume Master (CERM) is the perfect choice as a resume writing certification course. It’s a perfect choice for executive resume writers.
This certification in resume writing is held in high regard. There are less than 25 CERMs in the entire world.
Unlike the CARW, the CERM requires a bit more before someone can complete this resume writing certification course.
There are also two stages that a writer needs to pass.
Anyone can get a CERM without becoming a member of the CDI. But that will cost you a lot compared to what a member has to pay. For CDI members the fee is $297. For non-members, however, that fee is $564.
Like every other CDI certification, writers will enjoy the resume writing certification free resources. Aside from that, since there are so few CERMs in the world, a writer with one will have a higher demand than an average resume writer.
As for disadvantages, for non-members, the price is really steep. At that point, it’s better to just become a member of the CDI.
If you only need certification in resume writing for a particular niche, then the Certified Resume Specialist (CRS+X) is your best choice. CDI offers 20 different options to choose from for becoming a specialist, which you can find on the CDI website.
Since this is a specialist certification, CDI requires that you hold a previous certification in resume writing.
Applicants need to submit the following documents to get started on getting the CRS+X:
You can apply for multiple specializations. Each one will cost $197. You will also need to pay the membership fee. Seeing as how CDI offers some other resume writing certification free services, you should definitely get the membership.
The CRS+X is the best resume writing certification for those who’d like to stick to their preferred niches. It’s also one of the cheapest certifications in resume writing courses. For specialists, there is no better option.
Although the pricing is good for one specialization, when you take into account multiple specializations at once, the amount gets quite large, and there are no discounts.
The Certified Career Storyteller (CCST) is a certification program that comes with its own training. CDI trains writers to incorporate elements of storytelling into their resumes.
Writers are required to do the following to complete the course:
One thing is for certain, the CSST is not the cheapest resume writing certification. This course will cost you $2997, and you also have to be a member of the CDI.
CSST resume writers are always in high demand. They are also paid more than any other resume writers. You can take some really challenging yet rewarding jobs when you have the CSST certification.
But the price of the course is what makes many resume writers shy away from getting this certification in resume writing.
The Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) certification is provided by the Resume Writing Academy (RWA). This organization is known for training writers first instead of testing them.
As for the ACRW, it’s a 3-month-long course that gives you the resume writing certification after completion.
To get the ACRW course, there are two payment options. You can make a one-time payment of $1895. You can also divide this into 3 payments of $650 and pay it in instalments.
Since all writers receive 3-months of training, upon completion, they become ready to handle professional work from the industry.
For a one-time payment, the price is quite high. But as there is the option of paying it in instalments, it shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
Similar to the ACRW, the Academic Certified Federal Resume Writer course is designed to train writers to make them ready to write resumes for federal jobs. If you don’t know, the resumes for federal jobs are different from your traditional job resumes.
RWA has a diverse training program for writers pursuing the federal resume writing certification. This includes training from instructors as well as participating in quizzes and evaluations.
Just like the regular ACRW, there are two payment options. If you want to pay it all in one go, it will be an amount of $2195. You can also make 3 payments of $735 each.
The ability to write federal resumes has to be one of the key takeaways for the ACRW-Federal. Writers become capable of creating resumes that will land their clients a federal job with ease.
In terms of disadvantages, there really aren’t any. But for some writers, the workload of the training becomes a bit too much.
Similar to the CCST, this program from the RWA trains writers to incorporate story-telling elements in resumes. It’s an advanced-level certification from the RWA. Applicants must have an industry-recognized prior certification to qualify for the ACCS.
For members of the RWA, the ACCS certification course will only cost $669. For non-members, on the other hand, that will go up to $869.
Compared to the CCST, the ACCS is really cheap. And since this is based on training, resume writers are better prepared to deal with any type of client.
But as it’s an advanced level certification in resume writing, the difficulty is a bit higher than other certifications.
The Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) is a certificate from the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches (PARWCC). If you’re asking what the best resume writing certification authority is, the PARWCC is definitely out there.
Writers are required to take an exam for the CPRW in order to get the certificate. The questions are sent to the writers via email and must be completed within 3 days.
In order to get the certificate, writers need to be a member of the PARWCC, which costs $150, and the CPRW exam enrollment will set you back another $250.
You get to show off your CPRW certification everywhere. You will receive a certificate as well as use the CPRW logo on your website. You can also use CPRW credentials in your name.
For downsides, the requirement to be a member is an additional cost. Other than that, there are no issues.
The Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW) certification is provided by The National Resume Writers’ Association (NRWA). This is one of the most challenging certificates out there. Those who want the NCRW, need to offer proof of Continuing Education Units (CEU) that are gained from the association.
Writers also have to pass a sample quiz followed by the main NCRW exam itself. And collecting the CEUs is no easy task either.
The membership for the NRWA costs $175. For the sample quiz, it costs $75, and for the exam registration, it’s an additional $250.
Similar to the CPRW, you can use the NCRW credentials after your name. You also have the right to use the logo on your website.
There are too many additional costs involved for this certificate. On top of that, the examination process is the hardest one there is.
What certifications look best on a resume?
As long as the certification is recognized internationally, any certification will look good on a resume. Some people ask “Are Udemy certificates useful?”. Yes, they are useful as well, which you can learn about from us here.
How do I become a resume writer?
If you want to know how to become a resume writer, you will need to get a certificate from a renowned authority. We have guides on how to do that, which you can check out.
Which resume writing service is best?
There are a number of good resume writing services online. If you find one where the resume writers cost is affordable, and they are certified, then you can consider that. Check out our list of the best resume writing service that comes with certified writers and their detailed costs here.
How do you become a CPRW?
The CPRW is one of the oldest certifications for resume writers out there. If you want to become a CPRW, you will need to become a member of the PARWCC. After completing the certification exam, you can become a CPRW.
by Alina Burakova 
February 5, 2024
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