Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Dismore.
Mary, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Approximately 10 year ago, I was working downtown Chicago for one of the top global executive search firms when I was laid off as a result of the recession. Hundreds of employees were being let go when I got the cut. As a single mother, with no additional support, I had to quickly come up with a plan to provide for my daughter and myself. I didn’t want to leave her again and find work downtown again. It as a 60 minute commute each way.
I had helped friends and family writer resumes for many years so thought it might be a good idea to do more of it while I sorted through what to do next. As I flirted with the idea of writing resumes for a living, I realized that, despite the fact that I had written dozens of resumes, I really didn’t understand the intricacies of designing resumes for applicant tracking systems, all industries and all titles across the board. I didn’t really understand what recruiters and hiring managers were really seeking. However, as a former teaching assistant at Arizona State University, a graduate with two master’s degrees and a life-time of writing experience, it seemed like a great idea to start researching and learning the art of resume writing. My goal wasn’t to create mediocre and even good resumes but to create exceptional ones that would stand out from the competition. And so I did.
After several months of analyzing research, reading cover-to-cover about 25 resume-writing books, practicing, and calling recruiters, I decided to open my doors for business. I created my first website, learned how to market my service and within less than three months, I was so busy that I had to hire my first writer. Within a very short time, my referral business became my bread and butter. The business has snowballed ever since. Within less than a year, I became the #1 resume writer nationally on Angie’s List with the highest customer review ranking. I was recruited to speak at numerous career search groups, I gave workshops, provided training and within eight years, our team of five had written over 4500 resumes for clients with a 99% client satisfaction. We are very proud of our work and take great pride in our level of customer service and integrity we provide. We pour ourselves into ever resume we write and I think that’s one of the things that makes us unique.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been many struggles, starting from the very beginning. I never creating a website before, didn’t know a think about SEO, didn’t really know how to write an effective resume, even though I was sure at the time that I did. As a writer, who always received A’s in ever writing class or written assignment, I thought my writing was superb. How could I not be a great resume writer? Well, being a good writer doesn’t cut it I soon found out, although it certainly helps. I didn’t realize that ever little aspect of my job was starting from ground zero.
We also struggled for a long while with finding new writers. Training new writers takes months and it’s a difficult to find the best, which is probably why we stay relatively small. Our turnaround isn’t always the fastest but our demand is high so we struggle with that sometimes. We have to send people away, which is always hard for us to do because we want to help everyone.
Please tell us about Your Signature Resume.
We generally write anything related to a career search: resume writing, LinkedIn, cover letters, follow-up letters, bios, handbills, and we provide resume distribution. Because our team of writers no less than 20 years of total lifetime writing experience, we also take on other projects such as bid proposal writing, ghost writing, blogging, web content and much more. However, we are primarily resume writers.
As a company, we are most proud of our positive feedback and referral base. It’s not possible to have a referral base as large as ours unless ever client walks away feeling more confident and finds success with their resumes. What sets us apart is the unique combination of our extensive writing experience and passion for what we do. We believe that every person deserves the best work we’ve ever done. We take that attitude with ever resume we create. We also work collaboratively with our clients, which means that the final resume reflects not only their greatest achievements and value but represents their strengths in a way that is meaningful to the client.
What also separates us from others is that we don’t just design resumes that present what someone did or what they were responsible for. We write resumes that are achievement based, accomplishment-driven and that are focused toward each individual’s current area of pursuit.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Playing with my friends outside is my favorite childhood memory. I lived in a small Italian neighborhood and there were about 25 kids on the block. After 30+ years we are all still friends. I stay in contact with people who have known me literally since the day I was born. It’s pretty special.
Pricing:
- Pricing varies from $125 to $425 for a resume. Most often the cost is $330 to $370
Contact Info:
- Website: YourSignatureResume.com
- Phone: 630-470-9663
- Email: YourSignatureResume@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Your-Signature-Resume-209356055776101/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/your-signature-resume-bolingbrook
- Other: https://www.yelp.com/biz/your-signature-resume-chicago?osq=professional+resume+writers
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
