With the economy tanking and U.S. unemployment rising at almost unprecedented rates, resume writing services are popping up all over, trying to cash in on what looks like a great opportunity to make a few bucks. There's nothing wrong with entrepreneurial individuals knowing where their niche market it and going after it as they provide a solution to the needs at hand.

However, what we are really seeing is not a new group of talented individuals trying to fill a need in a niche market. We are seeing an influx of individuals who, for the most part, have no talent other than finding a way to make some quick money to pay their own bills.

Do you really need to pay to have your resume done? Frankly, in an economy like this, every job hunter out there needs an edge. They need as much professional help as they can afford to beat the competition. Much like an actor needs a good agent to land the coveted roles, a job seeker needs a great marketing tool - a resume - to land the coveted jobs.

Here are some easy tips on how to find the real experts out there and stay clear of anyone who can't provide you with the talent, expertise and experience you need to help you shine in an economy such as this.

· Do they have a website? Frequently the ones who advertise on boards such as Craigslist or Backpage, etc., don't have a site to be referred to.

· If they have a website, is it professionally done? Is there contact information, pricing, and a year they started in business?

· What are the qualifications of the person / service? Don't jump just because someone says they were an HR Manager, head hunter, or recruiter. Believe it or not, these people are not trained in the science of resume writing! Sure, they can spot a good resume, but they can probably spot a good book, too. Reading a good book doesn't mean they can write a good book. Same with a resume.

· What are the qualifications you should look for? The best qualified individuals are actually certified by the National Resume Writers Association. Certification entails a very lengthy study course and an equally lengthy and detailed testing procedure. Think SATs. It's costly, too. This is not some run of the mill association that just anyone can sign up for. Look for the NRWA blue logo on any site that claims to have extensive experience.

· What are they charging? This is an excellent example of "you get what you pay for". A great resume can easily reach the $500 range. Is it worth it? That's up to you! But when you are assessing what you get for your money, keep in mind that a real resume preparation service spends a considerable amount of time working with you one-on-one. It's much more detailed than submitting a current resume, filling out a form, selecting PayPal at checkout, and waiting a day or so for a completed resume. A professional, experienced service puts someone in charge of your account, understands your past, your goals, and knows how to translate all that into a language that will be targeted directly at the companies you are interested in working for.

What happens with a lower priced resume service? You get less of the personal attention, if you get any at all. Chances are you do everything online and have no idea who is doing your resume or what the resulting product will look like. They work with your present resume, make some changes, do some spell checking and editing, and in many instances your new resume doesn't look all that different from the one you had before. If you're looking in the under $100 price range, this is about what you can reasonably expect.

· What about guarantees? In all honesty, it's difficult to "guarantee" a resume simply because people will always blame the resume service if they are having trouble finding a job. A guarantee in this particular industry doesn't mean they guarantee you any type of job success. It usually means you'll be happy with the end product, and some even promise in writing that you will get at least phone calls and interviews. A good guarantee simply means that you should at least end up with a quality document that effectively portrays your experience, abilities and career goals.

Marie Duffo is past owner and President of: South FLA Staffing, National Affordable Staffing - employment agencies that specialized in sales and marketing executives' recruitment and placement. Sitters to Go, a leading US Nanny agency with offices in Boston, Miami, Chicago and San Francisco. Career Options, a Boston based consulting firm that specialized in outplacement and vocational testing and services. Professional Resumes, Inc., Boston and Miami based service for executive level marketing managers. Marie now owns Miami Writing Machine and is a full time writer and copy editor specializing in business topics that focus on employment, staffing and career advice. She can be found athttp://miamiwritingmachine.books.officelive.com Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MiamiWriting