Writing your own resume sucks. Everyone hates doing it, which is exactly why they’ll pay you to handle this tedious but crucial task. Whether it’s a college grad who’s never written one or a laid-off worker struggling to rebrand themselves, there’s always demand for someone who can make their work history look sharp. Best part? You don’t need fancy credentials—just an eye for what hiring managers actually want to see.
1. Steal These Templates (Legally) and Start Today
Forget designing from scratch. These tools do 80% of the work for you:
- Canva: Grab a sleek template and just drop in the client’s info. The “Modern Blue” or “Minimalist” layouts always kill.
- Novoresume: Their “ATS-friendly” formats beat corporate resume filters automatically.
- ChatGPT: Stuck summarizing a bartending job sound professional? Prompt: “Rewrite this job description for a server to sound achievement-focused.”
Pro Moves:
→ Always convert to PDF—Word docs look amateur hour.
→ For older clients, nix the “References available upon request” line (that’s 1990s thinking).
→ Use bold sparingly—only for job titles and key metrics like “Increased sales by 30%.”
Real-world example: Diego used a free Google Docs template to revamp his cousin’s messy resume. When his cousin landed three interviews in a week, Diego started charging $40 per resume—and made $800 his first month just from their extended family network.
2. Target These Desperate (And Paying) Niches
The secret? Focus on people who really need help but aren’t being served by high-end career coaches:
- Immigrants: Help them reframe foreign experience for local employers. Example: *”Managed inventory for 5+ years”* → “Optimized supply chain logistics reducing waste by 20%.”
- Gig workers: Uber drivers have tons of transferable skills (customer service, logistics, conflict resolution).
- Moms returning to work: That “gap year” was actually “Freelance project management and multitasking in dynamic environments.”
- Tradespeople: Electricians and plumbers suck at writing—but their skills are gold.
Script to close clients:
“Look, your skills are solid—we just need to package them so hiring managers actually see it. I’ve helped [similar person] land roles at [local company]—let’s get yours done in 48 hours.”
Real-world example: After helping a Venezuelan mechanic reword his resume, Lisa got tipped $50 extra when he landed a dealership job. Now she specializes in immigrant resumes and charges $75+.
3. Upsell Like a Pro (Because They Need More Than a Resume)
The real money’s in bundling. Nobody just needs a resume—they’re drowning in the whole job search process.
Add-ons That Double Your Profit:
- LinkedIn Makeover (+$25): Rewrite their bio, add a Canva-designed banner, and optimize their job titles.
- Cover Letter Hack (+$15): Give them 3 templates (formal, creative, and casual) they can reuse forever.
- Interview Cheat Sheet (+$20): List the top 10 questions for their industry with bullet-point answers.
Package Deal Example:
“The Hired Kit” — $120 for:
- Resume
- LinkedIn refresh
- 30-minute Zoom call to practice “Tell me about yourself”
Real-world example: Mark started offering a “LinkedIn + Resume” bundle after realizing clients kept asking for help with both. His average order value jumped from $40 to $90 overnight.
The Ugly Truth About This Side Hustle
- People panic-write resumes when desperate (aka when they’ll pay anything).
- Recruiters skim for 6 seconds—your job is making key details unmissable.
- You’re not writing resumes—you’re selling confidence.
Charge $50–$150 depending on complexity, reuse templates to save time, and watch how fast word spreads when your clients start getting callbacks.
“A resume isn’t a history paper—it’s a marketing brochure. And everyone needs a better salesman.”