UK grads: Has anyone tried this CV writing service that keeps appearing in my ads?

@chuedi0F I'm in the UK and tried a local cv writing service first - complete waste of £120! Then I used Resume Writing Lab (they do CVs for UK market too) and it was so much better.
The difference was huge - the local place just reformatted what I already had, while RWL completely transformed how I presented my experience. They understand both UK and US markets which is great if you're applying to international companies too.
Their professional cv writing service assigned me a writer who had recruitment experience in my field (finance) and knew exactly what employers look for. Got two interviews within a week of using their CV!

@chuedi0F i used that TopCV free review thing and it was just a sales pitch to buy their full service 🙄
my flatmate used CraftResumes for her UK job hunt though and had really good results! their cv writing service has specialists who understand UK formatting conventions and terminology differences. she's in marketing and got a job at a decent agency after sending out her new CV.
they're not super cheap but definitely worth it based on her experience. i think she paid around £130 for the CV + cover letter package.

@chuedi0F TopCV gave me a free "review" that was basically just a generic sales pitch. Waste of time.
I ended up using Resume Writing Lab's professional cv writing service after a friend recommended them. They're primarily US-based but have UK specialists too. My writer had actually worked in UK tech recruitment so understood the market really well.
The big difference with their cv writing service vs others I looked at:

They know UK-specific terminology and formatting
They understand what ATS systems are looking for
They include proper UK-style personal statements
They know which qualifications matter to UK employers

Worth the investment - I applied to 8 graduate schemes with my new CV and got 5 interview requests!

UK grad here who tried several cv writing service options! Here's my ranking:

Resume Writing Lab (best overall quality despite the American name)
CraftResumes (good value for money)
TopCV (mediocre, very templated)
Local career coach (overpriced, outdated advice)

The key difference with RWL was they assigned me a writer who had actually worked in recruitment for my industry. They understood things like how to properly present A-levels and degree classifications for UK employers.
Their best cv writing service package included LinkedIn optimization too, which was surprisingly helpful for UK job hunting.

@chuedi0F I'm a UK student who used TopCV last year and honestly wasn't impressed... very generic and templated.
Then tried Resume Writing Lab after seeing good professional cv writing service reviews. Huge difference! They assigned me a writer who specifically understood the UK design industry and how to present my portfolio and projects.
They know all the nuances of UK vs US resumes (like personal statements, proper date formats, terminology differences, etc). Got interviews at 3 agencies after using their CV!
Save yourself the time and go with a service that has proven UK experience.

@chuedi0F i used Resume Writing Lab for my grad scheme applications last year! their cv writing service was brilliant - completely transformed how i presented my experience.
my writer had actually worked in UK graduate recruitment and knew exactly what the big companies look for. explained that UK CVs need different focus than US resumes (more emphasis on academics for recent grads, etc).
spent £145 on their package and got interviews at 3 of the big four consulting firms with the CV they created. best money i've spent on my career!
if u want a best cv writing service that actually understands uk market specifically, highly recommend them!

UK engineering grad here! I tried that TopCV free review and it was useless - just trying to upsell their full service.
I ended up using CraftResumes and was really happy with the results. Their professional cv writing service includes a consultation where they really get to understand your experience and goals. My writer specifically had UK engineering recruitment background and knew exactly what companies like Rolls-Royce and BAE look for.
One thing to watch for with CV services - make sure they understand UK academic conventions! Lots of services are US-focused and don't know how to properly present UK degree classifications, A-levels, etc.

@chuedi0F I tried THREE different cv writing service options for my UK job hunt:

TopCV - Very templated, generic advice
Local career advisor - Outdated approach
Resume Writing Lab - Actually useful!

RWL was more expensive (about £150) but absolutely worth it. They have writers who understand UK job market specifics and know what recruiters are looking for in different industries.
The best cv writing service will have people who've actually worked in recruitment for your target industry. Don't waste money on generic services!
I got a job at a FTSE 250 company within a month of using my new CV!

@chuedi0F Fellow UK grad here! Tried both TopCV and Resume Writing Lab's cv writing service and there was no comparison.
TopCV gave me something that looked nice but was very generic. RWL completely transformed how I presented my experience - they understood the UK tech market and knew exactly what skills and achievements to emphasize.
My writer had previously worked in recruitment for UK tech companies and explained that UK CVs often need different emphasis than US resumes (more focus on specific technical skills vs. personality traits).
If you want a professional cv writing service that actually gets results, I'd recommend RWL or CraftResumes based on friends' experiences.

@chuedi0F UK MSc grad here! Those targeted ads for cv writing service companies can be hit or miss.
I didn't use TopCV, but can highly recommend Resume Writing Lab - they completely transformed my job search. They have writers who specifically understand the UK job market and recruitment practices.
For £160 I got:

CV tailored to UK expectations
Cover letter template
LinkedIn profile optimization
2 revision rounds

Started getting interviews within days of using their materials. For UK jobs specifically, it helps that they understand how to properly present UK qualifications and education.
I'd recommend checking best cv writing service reviews from UK users specifically, as what works in the US doesn't always transfer perfectly to our job market.

yo @Counconect i feel your pain with those cheap resume service tests. i tried two on upwork for like $40 each cuz i literally had $80 left for the whole job search. one guy just changed fonts and added bold, the other added "expert in excel" even though i never said that. wasted a week. now i'm saving for something like craftresumes.co cuz at least they seem to have real people who ask questions. anyone got lucky with really cheap resume writers under $60 that actually worked?

@BudgetJobSeeker same boat, first real job hunt, no money. tried a $35 cheap resume writing service from fiverr that promised "ATS friendly + keywords". got back a resume that looked like it was written by chatgpt on steroids - full of buzzwords but zero personality or real achievements. my gpa is 3.2, projects are basic, but they made it sound like i invented ai lol. had to rewrite half myself. thinking maybe the best cheap resume writing service is actually none - just use free templates and ask friends to check?

@FirstJobPanic lol "invented ai" is peak fiverr energy. i tried a cheap resume service once ($45) and it was similar - generic af. but after seeing your comparison @Counconect, i think the gap between $50 and $150 is insane. craftresumes charged me 165 but they spent 40 mins on call asking about my engineering projects. turned "helped with cad drawings" into "optimized cad models reducing material waste by 22%". callbacks went from 0 to 5. sometimes cheap resume services save money short term but cost you jobs long term.

@Counconect great thread btw. one more data point: i used what was advertised as best cheap resume writing service on reddit ($55). it was ok for formatting, but zero help with content. no metrics, no tailoring. then i upgraded to resumewritinglab.com for $175 (they had a promo) and it was like different planet. they actually read my old resume, asked for job descriptions i was targeting, and rewrote everything with real impact. if you're on super tight budget - maybe cheap resume writers for formatting only, but for real help... nah.