Free Online Resume Builders - Tips and Recommendations

The Internet has simplified many aspects of the job hunting process, and that includes resume writing as well. These days, you can find a variety of resume builders online, and many of them are free to use.

But you should use them with caution. While a resume building website can give you a head start on the process, I haven't found one yet that created a good finished product. In other words, use the free online resume builders for what they are -- a helpful starting point for gathering ideas. You will still need to do some work to produce a finished product, even after you use the website.

With that disclaimer out of the way, here are a couple of the online resume sites I experimented with. If you're going to use one of the websites to help with your writing process, I recommend checking out the ones below.

www.howtowritearesume.net -- It seems to me that somebody spent a lot of time, energy and money developing this website. It has a really nice interface that's easy to use. You have to sign up for an account to use their online resume builder, but it's freee to sign up. It's also free to use the resume program. They have some "advanced features" that they charge for (I didn't find out what they were), but you can use the basic resume builder tool without paying for anything.

www.emurse.com -- This website is similar to the one above, in that it requires you to sign up for an account. But it's free to sign up. You create a resume through this site by choosing one of their templates and following the helpful pointers for adding your information. It gives a lot of tips along the way, which I liked.

Tips for Using Online Resume Builders

Here are some things to keep in mind when using these types of websites to create a resume (and when job hunting in general):

• I don't see any need to pay for extra features, especially with the abundance of free resume advice and templates you can find online today.
• Remember, these tools are just a way to save some time by getting a head start. You'll still have to work on your resume to get it just right, even after using one of these websites.
• Posting your resume online will not get you a job, especially in a highly competitive job market like the current one. Some of the builder websites offer you the option to post your resume for "exposure" to potential employers. But take it from me -- employers typically don't surf the Internet looking for resumes. They post jobs and then let the resumes come to them.
• Before you use one of these websites, you should spend some time reading up on general resume tips and advice. Most of the free online builders will offer you some tips as you go through the process, but it's not enough. If you're serious about finding a job in this economy, you should spend several hours researching how to write a great resume.

Learn More: This blog post is part of an ongoing series of lessons. Visit the table of contents page to get more tips on finding a job.