Profile of Professional Resume Writers: The “Average” Resume Writer (Circa 2025)

Who are resume writers? 

For the past 20+ years, I’ve been surveying my professional resume writer colleagues to paint a portrait of the industry. This infographic gives a snapshot of the “average” resume writer:

She (most respondents identify as female), has been writing résumés for over 15 years, primarily as a self-employed, full-time professional. She holds certifications in résumé writing and/or career coaching and is a member of professional associations, such as Career Thought Leaders (CTL), the National Résumé Writers’ Association (NRWA), Career Directors International (CDI), BeAResumeWriter.com, and/or the Professional Association of Résumé Writers and Career Coaches (PARWCC). 
 
Her primary client sources are referrals from past clients, LinkedIn, and her website, reflecting her established reputation. (Newer writers may rely more on organic web searches, networking, and social media to build their client base.) She spends approximately 16 hours per week on résumé development, including consultations, research, and writing. She completes 1-3 résumés weekly, with each project taking 5-10 hours. She works 30-40 hours per week total, including administrative tasks, marketing, and networking.
 
Her standard package includes a résumé, cover letter, and often LinkedIn profile development, with an average sale price of $951. She typically speaks with prospects before closing sales and collects full payment upfront. She gathers client information using a combination of questionnaires and phone or virtual interviews.
 
Her challenges include inconsistent revenue, dealing with administrative tasks alone, client management, and the writing process itself. Emerging concerns involve adapting to artificial intelligence (AI) and competing with low-cost résumé mills. Mentally, she grapples with isolation, burnout, and occasional imposter syndrome, seeking stronger connections with peers to mitigate those feelings.

The Résumé Writers’ Digest Industry Survey is an opportunity for résumé writers to benchmark their progress compared to their peers. The survey was first conducted in 2001, and because it hasn’t been faithfully conducted each year, the word “annual” has been removed from the name of the survey. Also, due to the small sample size and voluntary participation, this is not a scientific survey. However, the results can be informative, giving you a peek into how other résumé writers work and offering ideas for increasing your income.

 

The 2025 Résumé Writers’ Digest Industry Survey was conducted in April 2025, asking respondents to look back at 2024. The results were compiled in July 2025. Sixty-five résumé writers took the anonymous survey, answering 28 questions.