What is my "Career Level"?

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What is My "Career Level"?

We base our fees on a number of factors, including your career level. For example, a resume for an executive with over 20 years of experience is more complex and will take longer to prepare than a resume for a new graduate, therefore, the fees will be higher for the executive resume.

The information below represents general guidelines only.

Please contact us for a custom quote!

Entry Level:

Students, recent College Grads, or those with less than one year experience.
Target salaries ranging from $20,000-30,000 annually.
Examples: College Students, Graduate Students, entry-level clerical, service (for example, cashier or wait staff) and unskilled labor or production positions.
Entry Level resumes are one page in length.

See Fee Ranges for Entry Level

Administrative & Skilled Trades:

2-10 years of experience.
Some college. May have a two-year Associate Degree or Certification.
Target salaries ranging from $30,000 to $60,000 annually.
Examples: Administrative Assistants, Clerical, Customer Service Reps, Tellers, Skilled Trades, Foreman.
Administrative and skilled trades resumes are usually 1-2 pages in length.

See Fee Ranges for Administrative and Skilled Trades

Professional Level & First-Level Management

5-15 years of experience.
May have supervisory or team leader experience.
May have a two-year Associate or a four-year Bachelors degree. Teachers and educators may have an advanced degree or Masters.
Target salaries ranging from $40,000 to $80,000 annually.
Examples: Supervisors, Office Managers, Bookkeepers, Accountants, Sales Representatives, Retail Managers, Restaurant Managers, Medical Professionals, Nurses (RNs, LPNs), and K-12 Teachers with a 4 year degree. (Teachers with Masters degrees, University Professors or Doctorates may require a CV - see below. Education Administrators are Mid-Level Management.).
Professional-level resumes are usually 1-2 pages in length.

See Fee Ranges for Professional & First-Level Management

Mid-Level Management:

10-20 years of experience.
Directs people and/or departments.
Manages operations and/or projects.
May manage department budgets or project budgets.
Bachelor's Degree. May have Master's Degree.
Target salaries ranging from $80,000 to $150,000 annually.
Examples: Production Manager, Operations Manager, Sales & Marketing Manager, Account Manager, Human Resources Manager, District Sales Manager, Financial Manager, Purchasing Manager, Materials Manager, Accountant, Plant Manager, Bank Manager, and Education Administrators.
Mid-Level Management resumes are usually two pages long, but length may vary depending on the needs of the client.
Please see our Management Platinum Package, designed especially to meet all of the job search needs of the middle manager.

See Fee Ranges for Mid-Management

Technical & Engineering:

5-20 years of experience.
Target salaries ranging from $80,000 to $150,000 annually.
Bachelor's Degree and/or Technical Certifications
May manage projects and/or systems.
May manage project budgets.
May lead teams.
Technical, IT, or Engineering experience. Examples: Network Administrator, IT Manager, Systems Administrator, Database Administrator, Programmer/Analyst, Systems Technician, Industrial Engineer, Automotive Engineer, Civil Engineer, Design Engineer, Project Manager, Program Manager, CAD designer, etc.
Technical resumes are usually two pages long, but length may vary depending on the needs of the client. Some technical resumes include a one page addendum that provides greater detail on systems experience, training, patents, publications, etc. The client can send this detailed addendum to the employer upon request.
Please see our Technical & Engineering Platinum Package, especially designed to meet all of the job search needs of IT or Engineering folks.

See Fee Ranges for Technical & Engineering

Executive and Senior-Level Management:

15-30+ years of experience.
Target salaries ranging from $150,000 to $900,000+ annually.
Bachelor's or Master's Degree.
Oversees Mid-Level Management and multiple departments. May manage multiple facilities. May manage national or global operations.
Manages budgets and has P&L accountability.
Examples: All Senior Executives, from Director-Level to C-Level, including CEO, CFO, CIO, COO, Vice President, General Manager, Director of (Department), etc.
Executive Resumes are usually two to three pages long, but occasionally a client will require additional pages. Some Executive resumes include a separate addendum with additional details.
Executives may also require a one-page Biography or other career documents. Please see our Platinum Executive Package, which was designed especially to meet all of the needs of executives in career transition.

See Fee Ranges for Executives

Do I need a CV or a Resume?

CV's are very similar to resumes, but they are longer and much more detailed. The length of a CV can run three to five pages. You may need a CV in the following situations:

If you are applying for a position outside the U.S.
If you are a physician or scientist.
If you are in the academic field...a university Professor, for example.

If you are uncertain about which document you need, email us. Our CPRW will advise you as to whether a Resume or a CV would be more appropriate in your situation.

Federal or U.S. Government Resumes

Federal resumes require a special format to comply with the U.S. job application system. These resumes are longer and more detailed, and require additional information usually NOT found in a business resume. If you are applying for a position with Homeland Security, the FBI, or any other U.S. government department, you will need a Federal resume. If your resume does not contain all of the information in the OF-612 form, your application will not be considered. You may also need a KSA, ECQ, or other documents. Deborah is experienced in preparing all of these important documents. Please see our Special Platinum Package for Federal Applicants.

Contact Us:

The Lettersmith Resume Service
Deborah L. Schuster, CPRW

Phone Toll Free: 1-800-586-3335

Phone (in Southeast Michigan): 248-828-1699

Fax: 810-592-8431

Snail Mail:

55 E. Long Lake Rd., # 484, Troy, MI 48085

Located in the Detroit area of Southeast Michigan.

Serving Clients Nationwide in the U.S. and Canada.

We accept all major credit cards:

Code of Ethics:

The Lettersmith is a member in good standing of the Professional Association of Resume Writers, and we serve our clients according to the PARW Code of Business Ethics. We continually strive to provide the highest level of customer service, and we promise to protect your confidentiality and the privacy of your personal information.