ResumeMaker Professional Deluxe 20 is much more than a resume builder – it’s also a job finder. The program comes with a built-in job search tool powered by multiple job sites. Its most recent update even lets you search job postings on Twitter. You pay a one-time fee to download ResumeMaker to your computer. Its interface isn’t as clean as those of the newer online resume creators we reviewed, like but it generally makes up for its out-of-date look with its full suite of useful features.
This software might also end up being a better value than other resume programs over time. While it’s nice to be able to create a resume for a dollar or two with an online service like LiveCareer, ResumeMaker allows you to make as many resumes as you like and saves them for you. Other accounts limit the number of resumes you can make, charge you extra to access premium features and require an active account for your links to continue working. As such, ResumeMaker is a lower-maintenance option.
Further, ResumeMaker helps you at every stage of your job search. In addition to having resume templates, the service comes with outlines for cover letters and other important documents, including letter of recommendation requests and forms that outline how to accept a job offer in writing. It also has a number of videos about interview performance and expectations as well as 500 practice questions. In case you’re looking to relocate, ResumeMaker partners with Payscale and can give you an idea of the cost of living elsewhere or the compensation you should receive based on your skill set.
Whether you create your resume using the program’s wizard or select from the hundreds of career-specific templates, you get access to at least 150,000 prewritten phrases to help fill-in the blanks. The wizard saves important details, such as your contact information and experience, to input into any template you want to use. You can also import an older resume into a new template.
With upward of 1,200 editable examples, the program has one of the largest template libraries out there, and its search tools allow you to browse through functional and chronological resumes in a specific industry. Reviewing so many career-specific resumes can boost your confidence as you create your own resume. However, building tools and wizards are generally more important than the number of templates a program has.
Although the program includes many editing tools to help you design your resume exactly the way you want it to look, ResumeMaker doesn’t have a comprehensive review or audit before you hit the publish button. We always recommend editing your resume more than once during your job search, and a comprehensive check can give you peace of mind. Other programs we reviewed, including Resume Companion, come with this feature.
That isn’t to say that ResumeMaker is missing the most basic auditing tools. For example, it has a spell-checker, and you can resize your resume to fit onto a single page without messing with the entire document’s formatting. You can also customize the font and text color in your document, create bulleted lists, and adjust margins and paragraphs to your specifications.
After publishing your resume to the ResumeMakerCloud and creating an account on the site, you can share your finished resume on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and FriendFeed. You need an account at each of these services as well as with ResumeMaker to post to them. Alternatively, the program creates a URL you can share with potential employers. Not every program we reviewed has multiple export options – some only create a link or a PDF. However, with ResumeMaker, you can also export to Word or plain text documents to make adjustments or get feedback from others.
While we initially found ResumeMaker Professional Deluxe 20’s interface and download delivery system to be outdated, we can’t deny its tool suite and online support are worth the price. It is an excellent choice if you want a downloadable program with lots of support and template options.
