Five Signals It&#8217;s Time to Leave Freelancing (Even If You Don&#8217;t Want To)

The Mediabistro editorial team draws on 25 years of media industry expertise to cover jobs, careers, and trends shaping the industry.

7 min read • Originally published March 18, 2026 / Updated April 7, 2026

The Mediabistro editorial team draws on 25 years of media industry expertise to cover jobs, careers, and trends shaping the industry.

7 min read • Originally published March 18, 2026 / Updated April 7, 2026

Nobody throws you a going-away party when you leave freelancing.

The launch gets celebrated. The first client win, the byline, is the day you go full-time independent. But the reverse transition happens quietly, in private Slack DMs and late-night spreadsheet sessions where you’re calculating health insurance premiums and wondering if wanting stability makes you weak.

It doesn’t. Freelancing is a business model, not a moral position. And like any business, the relevant question isn’t whether you’re committed enough to make it work forever. The question is whether the model still serves your financial, professional, and psychological needs.

“There is a false narrative that the people who persevere are the heroes of the story and the quitters are the losers. The result is that we stick to things that aren’t worthwhile because we think that it’s synonymous with character.” — Annie Duke

If you’re reading this, you may already suspect the answer. What you need is a framework for deciding without the emotional static that freelance culture generates around this topic. This is not meant to be a downer, btw, but a practical framework for consideration if you’re already questioning your career position.

The Five-Signal Freelance Exit Audit

1. Your Financial Runway Keeps Shrinking

Your freelance runway is the number of months you can sustain yourself without landing new client work. It’s the clearest single metric of whether your practice is structurally sound or slowly failing.

Calculate it: fixed monthly expenses divided by savings.

If that number has dropped below three months and stayed there for two consecutive quarters, you may not be in a temporary dip, and this is worth considering.

Compare your true freelance hourly rate to what you’d earn in a salaried role. A common rule of thumb: your freelance rate should run roughly 1.5 to 2 times what you’d make hourly as an employee to achieve equivalent total compensation once you account for benefits, unpaid admin time, and business expenses.

Quick Calculation: If your actual freelance rate falls below 1.5x your salaried equivalent and you can’t raise it without losing clients, the math has turned against you.

When you’re setting freelance rates, the comparison to full-time equivalent pay matters more than what your competitors charge.

2. Non-Billable Work Is Eating Your Practice Alive

Freelancers wear two hats: talent and business infrastructure.

Early on, that dual role feels like autonomy. Five years in, it can feel like a treadmill where half your energy goes to tasks that generate zero revenue.

The overhead that drains your time:

Invoicing and payment follow-up
Client prospecting and pitching
Contract negotiation and legal review
Expense tracking and tax preparation
Portfolio updates and marketing

Some freelancers lose a quarter of their working hours to this. Others lose closer to half.

Track your actual time for two weeks. If the non-billable ratio is climbing and you dread the business development side more each quarter, that’s the overhead inherent to the model outgrowing your tolerance for it.

In-house roles offload all of that. Someone else handles invoicing, sources the work, and negotiates the contract. If your highest value comes from the craft itself and the business mechanics feel like punishment, a full-time structure may suit you better.

3. You’re Falling Behind on Tools and Workflows

Creative teams inside agencies and media companies are integrating AI-augmented production pipelines into daily workflows. As Adweek has reported, creative leaders rely heavily on AI tools that have become standard in collaborative environments.

Solo freelancers often lack the training budget, the collaborative learning opportunities, and the institutional pressure to adopt these tools at the same pace. You learn what your clients demand. But if your clients are small or traditional, you may never encounter the AI-native workflows that larger in-house teams take for granted.

The diagnostic: if you’re Googling tools and techniques that job descriptions list as baseline expectations, the skills gap may be widening in the wrong direction.

You can self-educate, and should. But you’re doing it without mentorship, without a team to learn from, and often without budget for premium tools. If that gap feels like it’s compounding rather than closing, consider whether you’re better positioned to learn inside an organization than outside one.

4. Your Career Is Growing Horizontally, Not Vertically

Freelancing excels at breadth. Diverse clients, varied projects, a portfolio that demonstrates range. That horizontal growth has real value, particularly early in a career.

But freelancing sometimes stalls in depth. What you miss as a solo operator:

Leadership roles and team management experience
Strategic influence over multi-year initiatives
Resources that enable deep specialization
Institutional knowledge and continuity on complex projects

If your ambitions have shifted toward building something sustained, leading teams, or developing expertise that depends on continuity and collaboration, freelancing may no longer be the right vehicle.

Some career trajectories require being embedded in an organization long enough to accumulate context, trust, and authority. Freelancing has structural limits there.

5. The Benefits Math Has Changed

Freelancers in the U.S. self-fund health insurance, retirement contributions, quarterly tax payments, paid leave, and disability coverage.

The total cost of replicating what an employer provides typically adds 20 to 40 percent to salaried-equivalent compensation, depending on age, health status, family size, and geography.

Life stage matters here, too. Approaching a mortgage. Growing a family. Managing a chronic health condition. Or caring for aging parents.

Run the actual numbers. Your true freelance hourly rate after taxes, after benefits costs, after non-billable hours. Compare it honestly to a full-time offer’s total compensation package: employer-matched retirement, subsidized health premiums, paid time off, and the elimination of quarterly tax anxiety.

If the gap has closed or reversed, that’s a material signal.

How to Actually Make the Switch (Without Burning What You Built)

Translate Your Freelance Work Into Business Outcomes

Returning to full-time employment after years of freelancing requires translating what you’ve done into terms hiring managers understand. They don’t need your client list, but they do need a sense of impact, scale, collaboration, and results.

Revenue influenced. Audience growth. Cross-functional projects. Deadline performance under high-volume conditions.

The story isn’t “I worked for twelve clients.” The story is “I managed concurrent editorial calendars for three publications while increasing average engagement across two verticals.”

If your resume hasn’t been touched since you went freelance or you’re unsatisfied with ai-templates, consider hiring a professional resume writer. Translating freelance experience into staff-role language is a specific skill, and hiring someone who understands the nuances can significantly shorten your search.

Handle References Strategically

References work differently for freelancers. You’re pulling from clients, not managers.

Make it easy for them. Use a clear email template when requesting references and give former clients context about the role you’re pursuing so they can tailor their comments.

Negotiate Carefully (Especially the Fine Print)

Watch for non-compete and exclusivity clauses that could eliminate your ability to maintain side clients or passion projects. The legal landscape around non-competes is shifting, but restrictive covenants remain common. Read the fine print before you sign any employment agreement.

Consider hybrid arrangements before committing to a traditional full-time role. Four-day work weeks. Fractional creative director positions. The line between freelance and full-time is blurrier than it used to be, and you may be able to test the transition without an all-or-nothing identity shift.

Pro Tip: Salary negotiation for a staff role works differently from rate negotiation with a freelance client. Employers expect you to negotiate. They’ve budgeted for it. State your number, back it with your total compensation math, and let them respond.

Three Mistakes Freelancers Make When Going Full-Time

Mistake 1: Waiting Until You’re Desperate

Transitioning from a financial crisis means you negotiate from weakness and accept the first offer that clears your immediate problems. That rarely results in a role that fits.

Start evaluating when things are stable, not when your runway has hit zero. The best time to explore full-time opportunities is when you still have the leverage to be selective.

Mistake 2: Treating the Job Search Like Client Acquisition

Freelancers lead with portfolio and capabilities, the same way you’d pitch a prospective client. Staff hiring requires different preparation.

You need behavioral interview prep. You need to articulate how you work on teams, handle feedback, and navigate organizational politics. Don’t assume your freelance pitch skills translate directly.

Mistake 3: Going Silent About It

Freelancers often hide their job search out of shame or fear of awkwardness. But your freelance network is your single best source of full-time referrals.

Editors you’ve worked with know your reliability. Former clients understand your work ethic. Collaborators can vouch for how you operate under pressure.

The stigma around leaving freelancing is mostly in your head. Most people understand that career paths aren’t linear and that business models change as circumstances do. Use your freelance network during the transition. Referrals carry weight that cold applications never will.

Run the Audit. Then Take the Next Step.

Knowing when to stop freelancing is a business calculation about whether the model still delivers what you need.

Some freelancers will run this audit and correctly conclude they should stay independent. Others will find multiple signals flashing red and recognize the rational move is a strategic pivot.

If the audit says it’s time, move before circumstances force it.

Explore full-time creative roles on Mediabistro from a position of clarity, not desperation.

And if you’re on the employer side, looking to hire creative professionals who built their skills in the freelance trenches, post your open roles on Mediabistro. The talent pool of experienced freelancers considering in-house work is deeper than it’s been in years.

Topics:

Go Freelance

Business Basics

Bookkeeping 101: A Freelancer’s Guide to Better Business Finances

Get organized on your own terms

By Amanda Layman Low

@AmandaLaymanLow

Amanda Layman is a B2B tech content writer and strategist with over 15 years of experience creating content for startups and enterprise brands. She founded Tigris, a content agency serving leading tech companies, and authored The New Freelance: A Book for Writers.

7 min read • Originally published June 30, 2015 / Updated April 7, 2026

By Amanda Layman Low

@AmandaLaymanLow

Amanda Layman is a B2B tech content writer and strategist with over 15 years of experience creating content for startups and enterprise brands. She founded Tigris, a content agency serving leading tech companies, and authored The New Freelance: A Book for Writers.

7 min read • Originally published June 30, 2015 / Updated April 7, 2026

So you’re a super-talented writer able to weave concepts into compelling narratives, interviews into stories of interest, and ideas into novels. But how are your bookkeeping skills?

We spoke with three freelance writers at various stages in their careers, all of whom have totally different approaches to bookkeeping. Below, check out their tips and glean some insights from their spreadsheet wisdom.

Use an organizational system that works for you.

When you’re thinking about your approach to bookkeeping, it’s good to look deep inside yourself and figure out how you stay organized in other areas of your life. For example, do you store all of your music and books on physical shelves? Is everything digital? Do you routinely alphabetize and rearrange, or are you more likely to have a major spring-cleaning session once a month or once a year?

Whatever you do in your ordinary life is likely to impact your professional approach, so keep that in mind when you’re developing a bookkeeping system and routine.

Freelance writer Carie Sherman speaks fondly of her “piles” system. “I’m not a naturally organized person, but I just kind of have to go with the way I work, and the way I work is that I put things in piles,” she says. That means she keeps her receipts, contracts, and tax information in different physical piles so she knows where to access them later. On the other hand, freelancer Davina van Buren keeps a folder for just about everything. “I have folders of receipts, folders for any equipment I buy or newsletters for my profession,” she says. She adds that she does this, in part, to make things easier on her certified public accountant (CPA). But the process also saves her time and money: “I want to maximize my time in there with him… so they don’t end up charging me for organizing my things!”

My approach to bookkeeping, like my approach to life, is sort of all-or-nothing. I’ll passively dump all of my stuff throughout the week into its general spot, whether on my computer’s desktop or directly into my Google Drive, then I’ll inevitably get a burst of motivation that carries me through the remainder of the organization process and delivers a clean series of numerically ordered electronic folders. I don’t keep much paper anymore because I’m somewhat of a minimalist (my physical office fits in a backpack).

So think about it. Are you more of a “files” person or a “piles” person? You may even be a little of both, like me. Either way, you’ll be the most successful if you do what feels natural to you.

Track items in these three basic categories.

Whether you’re a newbie freelancer or you’ve been grappling with this stuff for years, it’s better to keep things as simple as possible. Here are the basic things you’ll need to keep track of:

• Assignments
• Payments
• Tax stuff

Seem simple? It is. Of course, there are plenty of subcategories to each of these, and depending on the type and quantity of work you do, there are plenty of other things you may need to integrate into your system. But if you’re just getting started as a writer, these are the three most important things. Let’s dive into each.

Assignments: First, you need some method for tracking the status of your assignments. This includes the pitch letters, queries and job applications you’ve sent out, in addition to important dates like assignment deadlines, project timelines and scheduled interviews.

I like using my Google Calendar to track all of my deadlines and interviews. I also use a spreadsheet to track my submissions, pitch letters, job applications and other “outreach” types of actions. I keep it very basic: just a description of the item, the date I submitted something and the current status of it. I recently added a “Follow up by” column to remind me to check back with editors or other professionals after a week has passed. Whether you track these things with an old-fashioned wall calendar or have a complex database in your computer, follow the golden rule of freelance bookkeeping—do what works for you!

Payments: Next, you have to have a solid system for tracking payments. This includes a place to keep all of your invoices, and a list or spreadsheet detailing the status of each invoice. Don’t even know how to create an invoice? Try downloading a template from MS Word, or using one of the many invoicing sites like Invoiced, Zoho or Freshbooks to generate them for you.

Sherman emphasizes the importance of sending an invoice as soon as the work is complete. “If I say I’m going to do it later, I won’t! I really will forget about it. Nobody can pay you if you’re not doing your invoicing,” she says. When Sherman was starting out, she forgot to send an invoice to a client and she didn’t have a solid bookkeeping process in place. “I didn’t enter [the invoice information] into my online system, and they said that they paid me—but in my heart of hearts, I believe I wasn’t paid, but I don’t have any way of proving it.”

Adds Betsy Farber, editor of an online trade mag who’s planning to return to freelancing soon: if you’re waiting for a payment, “it’s so easy to take it personally… [but] you just have to follow up with these people.” Although there are times when processes get delayed by the editor or by accounting, she suggests you do everything you can as a writer to keep things moving. “When a pub or editor sends you the paperwork, I would just get that back to them as soon as possible, so when it does come time to be paid you’re accounted for… they’re not waiting around for you to send your W9 or a contract,” she advises.

It may seem silly when you’re getting started and you have just one client or maybe all of your work is unpaid, but believe me, developing a system now will save you from serious migraines later.

Taxes: The third major requirement for solid bookkeeping is tax stuff. Just the word “tax” still gives me the heebie-jeebies, but if you’re a full-time freelancer, you’re far better off paying taxes quarterly or monthly than getting slammed with a massive bill at the end of the year. Van Buren doesn’t take any chances when it comes to Uncle Sam. She’s been working with a CPA for two years, and though she may venture out and begin doing them on her own, she says, “for now, I feel more comfortable having a professional do it so I don’t leave anything out, and so I can maximize my final deductions.”

However, if you prefer to handle it yourself, there are a variety of ways to do so. I use QuickBooks: I like how I can link my accounts to the app and categorize my income and expenses as business, personal, or both. Based on my entries, the platform automatically calculates about how much I’ll owe in taxes to date—and gives me the option to pay them now if I want.

However, you don’t have to use a computer program. Farber has her own system that works for her: “I have a folder for each publication on my desktop, and I’m really diligent about invoicing and naming them, and when I get paid, I always keep the paystubs so that come the end of the year, I’ll have all that in order,” she says. You don’t need anything fancy to track your freelance income and expenses. Many writers still use the old shoebox method, in which you toss all of your paystubs and business receipts into a box and sort them out at the end of the year.

Run a better business with better bookkeeping.

The bottom line is that the more reliable and functional your bookkeeping system is (files or piles), the easier it will be to run your business overall. It’s especially helpful to know where everything is in case you run into a client problem.

Sherman shares her recent story about handling a client who won’t pay: “I’m far more organized now, I have the estimate, I have the approval of work, all of those things; it’s just a matter of a client not paying.” She may wind up taking this situation to small claims court, and if she does, she has all of the supporting paperwork to prove she signed a contract and performed the work.

Strong bookkeeping skills will also make your day-to-day life easier. I’ve had countless instances where clients need me to conjure up an old draft, an invoice, something someone said in an email, or the exact date something occurred. It’s much easier on the brain and the nerves when everything’s in its place—and as you know, functioning brains and nerves are essential to survival as a freelance writer.

Topics:

Business Basics, Get a Media Job, Go Freelance

Should You Hire a Professional Resume Writer? Here’s How to Decide

If you fall into one of these groups, using a pro can be worth the investment

John Lombard is a content strategist and writer with over a decade of experience creating interactive and video content for brands like Apple, IBM, and Samsung. He previously worked at Mediabistro and now serves as a Client Strategist at Ceros.

3 min read • Originally published July 21, 2016 / Updated April 7, 2026

John Lombard is a content strategist and writer with over a decade of experience creating interactive and video content for brands like Apple, IBM, and Samsung. He previously worked at Mediabistro and now serves as a Client Strategist at Ceros.

3 min read • Originally published July 21, 2016 / Updated April 7, 2026

Wondering if you should hire a professional resume writer? Whether you’re already employed, searching for work, or looking to assess your skills, enlisting the help of a professional is always a smart move.

If you fall into one of the following groups, you could get a lot out of hiring a professional resume writer.

You’re Just Entering the Job Market

The job seekers most in need of a professionally written resume are entry-level candidates or recent grads, says career expert and professional resume writer Alex Twersky.

The main reason? University career services offices are too overloaded to provide the much-needed individualized attention, says Twersky.

And compared to the cost of a college education, what you’ll pay a professional resume writer is a relative bargain. “After investing over $100,000 in college,” says Twesky, “doesn’t it make sense to spend a few hundred dollars extra to ensure you are positioning yourself as best as possible for your first job?”

You’re Not Getting Any Interviews

If your job search isn’t yielding any interviews, it might be time to reconsider your resume. Through an eye-tracking study, The Ladders found most hiring managers spend four to six seconds looking at your resume—a lot less time than it took you to make it.

If you’re not skilled in understanding which information needs to be front and center on your resume, you might be getting passed over simply because hiring managers can’t find the relevant information in time.

A professional resume writer understands this constraint and ensures the right information is where it needs to be to get you noticed.

Want even more help on your resume? Get started with a FREE resume evaluation from Mediabistro’s Career Services. Our counselors and writers can help you update and upgrade your resume so you can confidently apply for the job you want.

You Want to Switch Jobs

If you’re currently employed and looking for work, there are considerably fewer hours in the day to get your job search game on. (But if you’re a risk taker, here’s how to apply for jobs at work while minimizing the risk of getting caught).

With less time to put into your search, it helps if every minute is focused on snagging the job, rather than on tweaking your resume to a point where you think it’ll reel in interviews. “It’s a specialized skill that you can either learn to do yourself with lots of practice,” says Twersky, “or hire a professional.”

You’re Perfectly Happy at Your Job

You love your job, so why would you need a professionally written resume?

If you’re up for a promotion, you can use your resume to remind your manager of your accomplishments, skills, and anything else they may have forgotten that would better leverage you for the new position. Here’s your chance to brag about the online class you took in project management, or the increase in site traffic for your marketing campaign.

There’s also the need to expect the unexpected. “Anything can happen,” says Twersky, “from your company experiencing losses that lead to downsizing, or you coming across a great new opportunity that you’d like to apply for.” In either case, why scramble to get your resume in shape when you could have kept it up to date all along?

Topics:

Reasons You Need a Professional Resume Writer

In this cutthroat job market, here’s how resume writers give job-seekers the upper hand

John Lombard is a content strategist and writer with over a decade of experience creating interactive and video content for brands like Apple, IBM, and Samsung. He previously worked at Mediabistro and now serves as a Client Strategist at Ceros.

2 min read • Originally published November 15, 2016 / Updated April 7, 2026

John Lombard is a content strategist and writer with over a decade of experience creating interactive and video content for brands like Apple, IBM, and Samsung. He previously worked at Mediabistro and now serves as a Client Strategist at Ceros.

2 min read • Originally published November 15, 2016 / Updated April 7, 2026

You’ve heard it a million times, but only because it’s true: In order to compete in today’s incredibly competitive media job market, you need a strong resume that sells you as the high-achieving media pro you are.

Here’s how a professional resume writer brings industry knowledge to give you that much-needed interview-landing edge.

Knowledge of Hiring and Resume Best Practices

Think about it: The last thing you want to seem out of touch with today’s hiring trends is a resume packed with outdated features like a personal objective, a list of references, and an inappropriate font.

“A good resume writer is an informed resume writer,” says resume writer Alex Twersky, who notes that a major part of his job is to keep up with industry trends by engaging with human resources personnel and scouring the Internet. He and his colleagues know the conversations surrounding resume best practices and, ultimately, what grabs a hiring manager’s attention.

Want even more help on your resume? Get started with a FREE resume evaluation from Mediabistro’s Career Services. Our counselors and writers can help you update and upgrade your resume so you can confidently apply for the job you want.

Ability to Get Your Resume Past Applicant Tracking Systems

You’re probably all too familiar with the applicant tracking system, or ATS. If your resume doesn’t meet the right criteria based on your keywords, skills, and other relevant information, it can be filtered out before it ever reaches the hiring manager.

The seemingly quick fix? Peppering your resume with keywords and jargon to “curry favor with applicant tracking systems,” as Twersky puts it. “But then the resume comes off sounding like a ‘buzzword’ dictionary and not like a document written by a human,” says Twersky.

That’s where a resume writer comes in. “If a resume is written organically and succinctly,” says Twersky, “then it will not only sound professional and targeted, but it should pass muster with the digital gatekeeper at HR.”

An Eye for Your Top Selling Points

Many times, we write our resumes like a laundry list, cataloging our day-to-day tasks, and leaving out what hiring managers are actually looking for: achievements.

Because your resume is the first thing a hiring manager sees—and can either be a gateway to an interview, or the end of the line—resume writers work to make sure your skills, experience, and value to the company are clear as day.

To do this, Twersky says a professional resume writer works with the candidate to identify the best selling points in their career timeline, making career-related accomplishments more front of mind for both the candidate and their resume.

Topics:

Why You Need an Updated Resume — Even When You’re Not Job Hunting

A clean, concise, targeted CV is your key to being ready for any opportunity that comes along

John Lombard is a content strategist and writer with over a decade of experience creating interactive and video content for brands like Apple, IBM, and Samsung. He previously worked at Mediabistro and now serves as a Client Strategist at Ceros.

3 min read • Originally published October 6, 2016 / Updated April 7, 2026

Want even more help on your resume? Get started with a FREE resume evaluation from Mediabistro’s Career Services. Our counselors and writers with can help you update and upgrade your resume so you can confidently apply for the job you want.

John Lombard is a content strategist and writer with over a decade of experience creating interactive and video content for brands like Apple, IBM, and Samsung. He previously worked at Mediabistro and now serves as a Client Strategist at Ceros.

3 min read • Originally published October 6, 2016 / Updated April 7, 2026

If you’re settled and happy in your job, there seems little use for an updated resume. The whole point of a resume is to help you land a job, right?

Why would you need a resume that’s up to date if you’re all set?

Surprise: A resume can do a lot more than power your job search. A spit-and-polished CV can enhance your media career in a multitude of ways.

Here are just a few reasons why you should always keep your resume current—even if you’re not looking for a job.

To Kick Off Your Side Hustle

If you’re looking to moonlight in the field by picking up some freelance gigs, an up-to-date resume that effectively markets your skills is going to help you snag the work.

And when a client is looking for a freelancer, chances are they need this person yesterday. Don’t hold up the process or ruin your chances of landing the work by having to take extra time to update your resume. Instead, hand over your ready-to-go updated resume and get on with the project, creating the killer work your resume boasts about.

To Be Prepared For Change

Even though your job is going well, you never know what can happen—especially in digital media, where turnover and layoffs are unfortunately still going strong. “The Boy Scout motto, ‘Be Prepared,’ applies perfectly here,” says Alex Twersky Mediabistro’s career counselor and resume coach.

Be ready for any sudden change in employment status a resume that’s set to reel in your next gig. This will save you a considerable amount of time when you re-up your networking efforts or apply to job listings, and will also act as a reminder of your skills and accomplishments when you’re singing the laid-off blues.

To Remain Attractive in the Eyes of Recruiters

Even if you really dig your job, there’s always the possibility of an even better opportunity—whether it’s more creative freedom, better perks, or a higher salary. And it never hurts to look, right?

It’s a good idea to continue marketing yourself to recruiters by always having your updated resume on LinkedIn. You’ll be seen as a highly attractive media professional, contributing your skills to the industry and growing in the field.

To Gain a Better Picture of Your Skill Set, Hire a Pro

By hiring a professional resume writer, you’ll not only get a new resume, but you’ll also get a fresh perspective on your abilities, achievements, and areas that could use some extra attention.

“When you dig into updating your resume, you’re actually taking a hard look at your skill set, and determining which of these are most relevant to your career growth,” says Twersky, “This is a vital task for every professional to undertake regularly in order to stay current and aware of what their strengths are and where they need work.”

Now’s the time to get your resume updated and ready to impress. Get started with your FREE Resume Evaluation from our career experts.

Topics:

3 Critical Things to Check Before Hiring a Resume Writer

Here’s how to tell if a resume writer is legit

John Lombard is a content strategist and writer with over a decade of experience creating interactive and video content for brands like Apple, IBM, and Samsung. He previously worked at Mediabistro and now serves as a Client Strategist at Ceros.

2 min read • Originally published April 17, 2017 / Updated April 7, 2026

John Lombard is a content strategist and writer with over a decade of experience creating interactive and video content for brands like Apple, IBM, and Samsung. He previously worked at Mediabistro and now serves as a Client Strategist at Ceros.

2 min read • Originally published April 17, 2017 / Updated April 7, 2026

You’ve finally decided it’s time to hire a professional resume writer to rev up your job search. Good thinking. Now, only one question remains: how do you choose the best person for the job?

To answer this, let’s take a look at the three main factors you should consider when searching for your professional resume writer. Match all three, and you know you’re going to have a killer resume that’ll get you noticed and land you more interviews.

1. Credentials

Because the Internet has paved the way for anybody to claim to be anything, the first thing you want to check for is a person’s credentials, said Alex Twersky, career expert and professional resume writer.

Twersky says to start by asking if they are affiliated with a reputable organization and how much experience they have.

“There is no reliable third-party certification in the resume writing business,” said Twersky. “So it all comes down to experience, affiliation and most importantly, track record.”

Let our career experts transform your resume, cover letter and social profiles into a professional package employers can’t resist. Start with a FREE resume evaluation.

2. Past Client Success

Next, so you know you’re hiring a resume writer who can actually get the job done, you want to make sure their work shows returns. Start by checking out their site to see if they’ve posted client testimonials, recommends Twersky.

“It’s also not inappropriate to ask them for references, or check out their professional LinkedIn or Facebook pages (if they are tech savvy enough to have these) to see what kinds of blurbs people are posting about them,” Twersky advised.

3. A Clear, Bottom-Line Price

Possibly the most important point to check: the pricing structure. When reviewing their site, make sure the writer establishes a price that is clear as day. After all, the last thing you want is to find out that the first draft was free, but the second comes at a hefty price.

Twersky says any reputable service will prominently display their pricing on their website as well as any additional costs you may incur, such as a resume longer than two pages.

If the pricing structure is too complicated, says “pricing may vary” or if there’s no price to be found, either keep on searching for your resume writer, or make sure you get—in writing—an established price before you begin working with this person.

Mediabistro’s team of professional career counselors, published authors and media industry specialists are experts at transforming your job search and networking efforts into powerful tools for success.

Get in touch with our team today to jumpstart your job search.

Topics:

Job Search

Refresh Your Job Search and Get Hired This Spring

Snap out of hibernation and get applying with these tips

John Lombard is a content strategist and writer with over a decade of experience creating interactive and video content for brands like Apple, IBM, and Samsung. He previously worked at Mediabistro and now serves as a Client Strategist at Ceros.

4 min read • Originally published March 21, 2016 / Updated April 7, 2026

John Lombard is a content strategist and writer with over a decade of experience creating interactive and video content for brands like Apple, IBM, and Samsung. He previously worked at Mediabistro and now serves as a Client Strategist at Ceros.

4 min read • Originally published March 21, 2016 / Updated April 7, 2026

With spring finally here and the gloom of winter behind us, there’s a sense of new beginnings in the air. And with that comes the possibility of a new job to propel your career forward.

As Alex Twersky, career expert and Mediabistro’s own resume and cover letter writer, puts it, “When the weather starts to warm up, both employers and job seekers shake off the winter blues and the job market starts to come out of hibernation.”

So, to help you break out of the winter slump and into a productive job hunt, here are three steps to get you defrosted and back in the game.

1. Reflect on Your Process

Now’s a great time to look back at which resumes and cover letters hailed a reply from a hiring manager, and which ones disappeared into the great unknown. “Paraphrasing a wise philosopher,” says Twersky, “we should remember the past lest we repeat its mistakes.”

If you’ve been keeping a list of your job search—which, hey, you should do—mark all the jobs you didn’t hear back from. If you still have the resumes and covers for those positions, take a look and see if you can spot why a hiring manager may have passed.

Repeat this process with the companies that you did hear back from to see what you did there to grab their eye.

This is a great way to do a quick self-assessment, and you might actually glean some valuable information for moving forward in your search.

2. Purge and Update the Resumes

Now that you’ve assessed your old resumes and cover letters, it’s time to toss them.

Get rid of the outdated resumes that clutter your desktop, keeping only your most up-to-date ones. And if it’s been a while since you’ve updated your resume, remember it only needs to cover the past 10 to 15 years, Twersky says.

If you think your resume might be the thing that’s been holding back your job search, well, now’s the time to do something about it. Either take some serious time to really make your resume stand out, or hire a pro to get some expert help.

And if you’re not already using Google Docs to manage your resumes, consider giving it a shot. With all your application materials stored on the Cloud, you’ll still be able to access all your latest resumes and apply for a job even when you’re not at your home computer.

3. Get Interview Ready

If a company called you for an interview tomorrow, would you be ready? Many times, a job-seeker who hasn’t had a lot of bites might get a little too comfortable in their job search, and not actually be prepared for the most important part—the interview.

There is some truth to the cliché “clothes make the person,” Twersky says. “When we look the part, whether it’s a smart wardrobe that fits our perception of the corporate culture where we are interviewing, or a sharp haircut or suitably applied makeup,” he says, “having a positive self-image, which should be aided by your aesthetics though not entirely defined by them, is a proven confidence-booster.”

Of course, it’s also important to remember that, in an interview, “style will rarely trump substance,” says Twersky.

To make sure you’re interview ready, go over this checklist and make sure everything’s good to go, so in case you do get a call today, you’ll be ready to crush the interview tomorrow:

Check that your LinkedIn page and your personal site (if applicable) are updated and ready to be chatted up in an interview.
Make sure your printer is ready to kick out your resume at a moment’s notice. This means checking that your ink cartridge is good to go.
Iron your interview outfit and have it ready. Think of it like your superhero outfit, waiting to be thrown on at the last second.
Any personal primping, like getting a fresh haircut, should happen now.
Consider a mock interview with a friend or professional to mentally prepare your for the tough questions and to help you stand out.

Looking to add a little spring to your job search? Check out Mediabistro’s Career Services and Free Personalized Resume Evaluation.

Topics:

Get Hired, Job Search

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