Considering a resume service? As a former resume writer (emphasis on 'former'), I frequently get approached by folks worried that they're about to pay too much for a professionally written resume, or conversely, not pay enough to expect a quality result. So, how much money is a reasonable amount to spend on a professionally prepared resume?

Consider first that you could spend as little as $25 and as much as $1000 or more, though neither extreme seems prudent. For starters, the lower end of the scale doesn't afford you much time with the writer. Keep in mind that the entire purpose of a professionally prepared resume is to have a pro writer - and hopefully a writer with employment credentials in your chosen field - evaluate your work history and job skills, and translate that background and talent into a one or two-page marketing pitch that secures a face-to-face job interview.

That's a tall order, and it practically mandates the following of the writer:

1) Begin by gleaning the basic details of your professional life from a previous resume or completed worksheet detailing the specifics of past jobs, education, and the like,

2) Conduct an actual interview with you, the client, either by phone or in person, in order to flesh out your experience and get a fuller understanding of your career goals and the contribution you are capable of making to an employer,

3) Devote two to three hours of writing time (more than that for executive clients and those with extensive technical experience or complex work histories); composing and editing and tweaking the resume,

4) Dedicate additional time to provide feedback to the client, answer any questions, and potentially perform additional edits as per the clients' instruction.

The company on the Web that is offering to write a resume for $25 or even $50 is simply not performing all of the above - they can't at that price. At best, the writer employed by the company will access a worksheet that you've completed, and put something together using pat phrases and a very standardized template. If you're an accountant, your finished resume will look OK, but it will also look like hundreds if not thousands of other resumes of accountants. To that end, you will have not distinguished yourself on paper, nor elevated the likelihood of securing that job interview above any of the others competing for the same position.

And that company charging $1000? Please. The only justification for that kind of money is if the resume package included multiple hours of legitimate career counseling, or access to a cubicle, phone and fax for a few months (like the offerings of some outplacement services), or the keys to the owner's Lamborghini for the weekend.

So, what is a fair price for a professionally-written resume?

Recent college graduates or those seeking an entry-level position should expect to pay somewhere from $90 to $150.

Those seeking a mid-level professional position, with 2-5 years of relevant experience under their belt, should expect to pay $150 to $200 for a well-crafted resume. And for that price, there are companies that will guarantee job interviews from that resume.

Executive-level experience or those with highly technical or complex backgrounds should expect to pay somewhere from $200 to $350 or more. Such resumes not only require more time on the part of the writer, but require a writer with an insight into management and business that many don't have, and a skill set to translate that complexity into a language that sells the client in the face of extremely stiff competition.

The good news is that there are resume services out there with well-qualified writers who can make you shine on paper - without taking out a second mortgage on the house. And because of the internet, those writers are available with a few clicks of your mouse.