Hi Peter

I am 18 years old and very innovative and really have the potential to be self employed and if you don't mind how much do you reckon I could make from CV writing business in a year?

I have contacts with the local college so advertising is not a big problem as I am 100% sure this can be a success.

Reply by Peter Fisher www.your-career-change.com

Hi Tinashe, this question about CV business start up is very interesting because it is a business that can be started easily and it can make you a full time income if you work hard and you are good at writing CVs.

I'm not sure how to answer your question about how much you can make because as you knew I would say it depends on a lot of different things.

First, you must have a good standard of written English and be good with words in order to make the CVs read well with the right amount of information, using the most appropriate words for the particular job and level of the person whose CV you are writing.

Secondly you must have access to people either through contacts or advertising who actually want you to write their CV - any CV business start up needs potential customers. You seem to have this covered with your local college contacts, so that is a positive for your business.

Next you must have the personal credibility to be able to ask a reasonable price for your work; this often only comes when you have written several that you can use to showcase your talents. In this instance your age will possibly hold you back as there may be a doubt about your personal experience, but that can soon be overcome by producing excellent work.


The main thing I find about writing CVs is not include everything on the basis that the more detail included is a good thing, When the initial sift is conducted by the hiring manager, your client's CV must pass to the next stage within less than 30 seconds and that means that only relevant detail can be included.

Writing a CV for a client is about knowing precisely what the employer is looking for and writing it in such a way that the information is immediately clear and demonstrates that your client, the job candidate, has the existing skills and future potential to be an outstanding employee.

So, now to try to answer your question about how much could you make.

You could make a lot if you are good and work hard, but I suggest you need to establish yourself first by doing some work at a reduced price to get some examples and recommendations under your belt. This would mean you first few months might not produce a great deal of money, but with experience you could establish an appropriate price for your work and earn a good income from your CV business start up.

Why not jump from this CV Business Start Up page to my CV Writing Business page for more details about how anybody can get going with a business like this.