I used BrightSide almost 18 years ago to improve my resume to get a job with a big tech company. Out of a pool of 2,000 candidates I was selected. BrightSide really helped me to understand back then how to showcase my accomplishments in my resume via interview and re-writes. I'm still building off that resume all these years later and have made quite a lot of money from that initial investment. I highly recommend them. read more

Excellent experience--my resume now clearly reflects meaningful metrics that were previously missing. Cliff took the time to help me clearly articulate a complex acquisition story within my work history, which made a big difference. The final product is polished, accurate, and significantly stronger thanks to Cliff's thoughtful guidance. read more

I applied for a job with the new resume Cliff made for me, and got an interview invite 2 hours later. This bodes well for my job search!

Cliff is a resume miracle-worker. I've tried all the others, he is simply the best! I've been laid off, I've been fired, I've worked in a bunch of different industries in a bunch of different roles, most didn't last long. My career has ended up being a compilation of temp jobs. I didn't believe anyone could fix me. I was at my breaking point when I got to Cliff. I literally had nothing left. I'd just spent $1000+ on a credit card with a competing resume service and after 8 months the resume they'd given me yielded me no results. And this actually wasn't the first resume service I'd used. I'd used two others over the years at different price points and none of them did much for me. I actually started with a career coaching session with Cliff because that was the cheaper option, I wasn't even sure I was in the right direction for my career, and I needed to know if he was going to say anything different than the other resume writers charging $1000+ dollars for a resume. Our coaching session was phenomenal. The first thing he pointed out was all the things that were wrong with my resume visually, next he pointed out better ways to say my bullet points that would stand out, and also showed me how I could take my resume and make it a better narrative. But the biggest insight was that I was in the wrong role, which was mind boggling. All his points were so great and fresh I realized I couldn't possibly do it the way he was saying it so we agreed he'd do my resume. I've heard all the great things everyone has said about him, but after so many experiences with resume services, I had my doubts. The steps: He has you do this deep diving document that really makes you reflect about yourself, your career, your passion, your strengths, what gives you joy and pain. And He guides you along the whole process. Next you jump on a call with him that's supposed to be an hour but ends up being like 90 minutes. He is so thorough! He asks a lot of questions and dives into things that you'd consider minute and unimportant. Then he disappears to his bat cave to do the work. And when he reappears, WOW!!! I get it now, I understand why everyone says he's the best. Its the best looking resume, it tellings the best story of the best version of you, its poetic, it doesn't even make sense something could be this good. My resume had me in a role I'd never even thought of but made total sense and aligned with everything I'd done to that point. It made me look better than even I thought I was. Take from a guy who's used numerous resume writers: Cliff is simply the best, and I mean by a long shot. He simply can do what I've never seen anyone else do. If you're struggling in your career, if you don't know if you're in the write industry, if your resume is too complex cause you've worked too many jobs or worked in different industries: Cliff is the one person who can fix this for you. The other $1000 resume services are good for formatting and matching keywords but not much else. Just getting past the ATS system isn't enough. You've gotta be visually appealing and exciting to the reader. Too many resumes use big fancy words to get through the algorithm but are a headache to read and have no style. That won't work! Cliff is the only resume writer you should consider. It'll save you thousands of dollars in the long run. There is hope! Get with Cliff, get your career on track and never look back. Cliff you gave me faith, hope, and confidence when I had none. Thank you for coming to my aid! read more

Cliff and his team at Brightside have been there right alongside me in my career travels for 13 years. Cliff delivered with his personal touch every time he wrote my resume. Having my Brightside Resume and Cliffs Career Coaching is such a confidence booster when I go into an interview! I'm a lifetime client and you should be also. Cliff and Julianne, you are true gems! read more

It was great to work with Cliff and his team on revamping my resume and cover letter. I really enjoyed the exercises and Cliff's perspective on my career. Over the past couple years, I've started to get tunnel-vision and haven't had a chance to work with too many mentors lately, so I've been in a bit of a silo about my career. (I think many people may be in the same boat lately) It was valuable to hear Cliff's take on my career and I was so excited when I got my new resume from Cliff and his team. I realized that I've done so many amazing things, but I was struggling to showcase my work in a way that put me in the best light. Best of all, I feel very confident sending out my resume and cover letter from BrightSide. I used to feel kind of embarrassed or bored about this, now, it is fun and exciting to do! I'd recommend BrightSide to anyone who could use a resume update, or if you're feeling like your resume doesn't do your career enough justice. read more

Cliff is amazing. For me, he was the combination of a career coach, therapist, job market knowledge base, and resume writer. After having been laid off for the first time, I was lost and confused. I doubted my abilities and had no direction. Cliff helped me rediscover my passion, my confidence, and my drive. After a few phone conversations and some helpful worksheets, I felt more excited than ever to jump back in and do what i do best. Heck, I didn't even know what i did best until talking to Cliff. He then made my resume better than I could have imagined. I could not have done this without him. It was both the process and the outcome that I benefited from. I know I'll keep the tools I learned for the future. Can't go wrong! read more

I have a long career with some amazing experiences and solid expertise. My resume is already decent from a content perspective. However, when Cliff and BrightSide were done with my resume, I was so delighted. The way they helped me quantify my accomplishments and helped me get out of my own way on some things will only serve to propel me to the next level in my career. Thank you Cliff, and team, I can't wait to come back and share the next step that you got me to. read more

If I could give Cliff and Brightside more stars, I would. Always a pleasure working with Cliff (I'm a repeat client!) When I worked with Brightside 10 years ago, Cliff re-vamped my resume (which I thought was pretty darn good already!) and turned it into gold. My salary increased by 25% and put my career into another echelon. I'm back again to re-vamp it into a more executive-level resume and again, he knocked it out of the park. Don't let the cost of the service deter you. It is more than worth it to get an expert like Cliff to help you. I've never regretted a penny I spent on Brightside Resumes. read more

In thinking of what to write for a review of the services I've received with the entire team at BrightSide, I'm at a bit at a loss. A loss in a good way. I do not know how to fully put into words how beyond pleased I am with the support, level of detail, care, attention and final products that have beed provided to me through this organization and it's amazing team. If you have any hesitations about jumping into work with Cliff and his team, please don't hesitate. I have an amazing resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile and connections to wide spread recruiting that I would never have had if I went through this journey on my own. I sincerely want to thank everyone at BrightSide for your support, it has made an overwhelming process feel seamless and helped to organized the chaos. More importantly, it has been truly meaningful. I'll keep you posted on the job search Cliff & Team! read more

A close friend gave me Cliff's info after discussing our career paths. I had been seeking some guidance after a year of soul-searching and reflection. He's a true professional and gave me some great direction and feedback. I would refer him to anyone seeking an experienced career coach and that has a wealth of industry knowledge and very thoughtful approach to career counseling. Bonus - he has a warm demeanor and all-time radio show voice that makes everything better :) read more

I found Cliff through Yelp and was confident he would be the best person to construct a solid resume, especially being recommended by NPR. The process was streamlined and as efficient as possible. Cliff is very personable and really has the patience to listen to your situation and is able to give great and honest feedback. He's casually candid and sincere-just truly great at what he does. Thank you so much, Cliff! read more

I came to Cliff after working with another resume writer who didn't quite meet my expectations. Cliff and the team at Brightside Resumes have developed a robust process that helped them get to know me better and made me feel proud of my career accomplishments. The resume that Cliff crafted for me exceeded all of my expectations and gave me a renewed sense of hope for my current job search. I appreciated Cliff's positive and reassuring manner when discussing my career history. He took the time to understand what I have done and what I am hoping to accomplish in the future. This personal time combined with his years of experience helped to craft a resume I am proud to share. If you are looking for help creating a resume that tells your story more effectively, I can't recommend Cliff and Brightside Resumes enough. read more

In today's job market, ensuring that you present yourself well from the outset can make a huge difference in both landing the right job and making sure that you get paid appropriately. Your resume needs to balance important details about yourself, your experience, and selling your brand while including keywords to get through recruiting algorithms. After including all of that information, you need to make sure that it is concise and looks stunning to get a hiring manager's attention. Cliff provided resume reformatting and career counselling services for me. My new resume pops and looks amazing while achieving that balance. The feedback that I received from my network was that my resume was the best looking, most informative modern resume they had seen. The counselling session provided excellent guidance and helped me to drill down to what I should be looking at for next steps. The services were well worth the cost and I'll certainly be coming back the next time my resume needs updating. read more

My experience with BrightSide Resumes was amazing. Not only does Cliff provide specific information on careers, he educates his clients about the endless opportunities within job searching. I went into the appointment with many questions regarding what field I would like to pursue and Cliff was able to reassure me that with just a bit more information I could feel more confident about my career choices. The reason I gave this review five stars is because it goes beyond my expectation. I would gladly recommend BrightSide Resumes to my college friends that may feel unsure of their career options. read more

"Your resume was, by far, the best resume we have received." This was said to me during an interview with the Executive Director of an agency. I wasn't surprised, I was a bit overqualified for the position and had expected that my experience stood out. But, then the interviewer continued and said that it wasn't my experience as much as the formatting and the flow of the words. He said that there was something about it that communicated my strengths in clear, concise and intriguing ways. I must have had the biggest smile on my face. Is there an opposite to buyer's remorse? My resume was certainly worth the money spent. If you are looking for resume help, Cliff is your man. read more

Cliff and his team have been great! With their help I was able to elevate my career which has helped in tripling my salary over the years. I have hired Bright Side on multiple occasions throughout the years, and will continue to go back as my career continues to evolve. Thank you for all the help and guidance. read more

As a recent graduate, I really needed a resume that reflected my skills/accomplishments and made me an attractive candidate for graduate school, fellowship, and job apps when I get back from Brazil. My experience with Cliff, Julianne, & Brightside was tremendous--from start to finish. They were highly polished, professional, patient, and friendly with every step. Cliff is extremely talented and skilled at what he does. The final product was better than anything I could've ever hoped for. One of my professors remarked, "this resume is f****** perfect!" Need I say more? Hire Cliff!!! I promise you won't regret it. read more

Cliff and his BrightSide team is the 3rd resume writer I have been working with, and I got immediate results. I am extremely satisfied with both the produced content and process. You get what you pay for. BrightSide packages were the most expensive by a long stretch, but it was so worth it. More than a resume, I felt that I got the opportunity to talk to a real career coach who understood who I was and what I tried to achieve. I'm in early conversations with several very prominent companies in technical executive roles. I immediately got more responses and more respect by the recruiting teams as an executive. It is a stark contrast from the other resume writers, where already the initial assessment interview was pure cookie-cutter, and the results looked like a template. With Cliff, you will have a real conversation and dialogue to produce a resume that really represents YOU. You will not regret hiring Cliff and the BrightSide team. read more

I had a 1 hour Career Counseling with Cliff and he was super accommodating and we went over the time by 15 minutes. Cliff really cares about finding the best situation for each person. If you're lost on your career path or need help tuning your resume, Cliff is a Jedi master. Thanks again Cliff! read more

Cliff and his team really are fantastic. I made a pretty major industry pivot moving from education into tech and had virtually no clue how to position myself. I was a resume coach in my grad program, but the world has changed. In the one hour interview Cliff brought out a clear picture of my accumulated skills and knowledge and the resume he delivered was better than I could have ever written. He understands not just the process of careers, he really gets people. With his help I got interviews at 2/3 of my submissions and recently accepted a position in tech that offers me a whole new set of great challenges. When my career is ready for the next step, I have no doubt I will be coming back to Cliff for that positioning too. The team at Brightside collectively are perfection. Use them. read more

My father has worked the same job since before I was born - almost 35 years! When his company closed a few weeks ago, he submitted the resume Cliff had crafted for him to a large aviation company. That's all it took - one resume submission and the company eagerly offered my dad a great job. Full disclosure: I've assisted Cliff with his admin for several years. Because of that, I've had a front row seat as Cliff has helped many people recreate their career paths, land dream jobs, and find fulfillment in their careers. So when my dad needed help with his resume, I knew he was in the best hands with Cliff. read more

I window shopped a few resume writing services before making a decision to go with Brightside and I am glad I did my research. The service was top-notch. Whatever concerns I had with not having a face-to-face meeting with Cliff (they do it over the phone in order to save time for both parties) evaporated within the first 10 minutes of the phone session. Cliff is approachable, easy to talk to and in places where I had self-doubt, he helped me see the positive side. After the session I felt confident and more sure of myself, the resume that was delivered to me needed very teeny-tiny tweaks and I was all set. I have received great job offers and have been able to advance my career because of not only a great resume but because it helped me create my brand. read more

Cliff's ability to craft a thoughtful and engaging résumé is second to none. Anyone can highlight a person's past achievements and/or previous work experience, but Cliff and BrightSide Resumes go above and beyond -- they use this as an opportunity to genuinely tell YOUR story. It's not just about words on a paper for Cliff; it's personal. With that level of commitment, you can be sure you'll stand out among the rest. I can't recommend this service enough. Cliff and BrightSide are the best in the business! read more

After doing some research, I found Cliff--and I'm so happy I did! He created a fantastic resume on my behalf that was extremely helpful in helping me land my dream role. Cliff and his team are professional, talented, and great to work with. The whole process was seamless. I started receiving responses to my resume right away. I highly recommend Brightside Resumes. read more

It is with great joy that I get to revisit my review of Cliff that I wrote (gulp) almost 8 years ago. Can't believe we go back that far, but it's the perfect testament to how fantastic Cliff really is. I'm not embarrassed to admit that I've gone back for third and fourth Cliff helpings throughout the years as I've experienced quite a few switchbacks in my professional life. Throughout it all, Cliff has always been the my best support system. I've seen Cliff for both career coaching and resume writing. Cliff helped me see through the haze of my 20s when I was inexperienced and unsure which direction to go in. Two years ago, he was an integral guiding presence as I overcame an incredibly difficult professional situation. I had some tough decisions to make and Cliff provided sage advice, yet always encouraged me to follow my gut and make my own decisions. He is, and always has been, such an easy person to talk to because he listens without judgement and never fails to find the silver lining and see the big picture. When it comes to resume writing, you couldn't be in better hands. Cliff has a way of listening to your story and cherry picking the best moments to create the perfect professional highlight reel. He always knows how to personalize a resume so that it evokes an individual's personality, which I believe makes a huge difference in a great sea of resumes. I'm happy to say that thanks to my work with Cliff, I finally feel as though I am where I need to be professionally. I love love love my job. When I conducted my last job search 1.5 years ago, I took the time to make sure that I was checking all of the right boxes and learning from my previous mistakes. I landed the job of my dreams and couldn't be happier. Cliff, I cannot say enough good things about you and the work you do. I'm forever indebted to you! read more

Cliff is awesome! I've shown my résumé to many friends and colleagues and still get compliments on it. Top notch service and final product. read more

I have worked with Cliff multiple times throughout my career. His ability to translate my thoughts and needs into a resume and supporting documents is just so impressive. His writing capabilities are superb: strong, direct and to the point, while taking on the voice and personality of his clients. read more

I worked with Cliff a year ago when he crafted my amazing resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile. He also coached me on some interview techniques that greatly increased my confidence. I was feeling very confused and unfocused at the time, so our conversations helped me clarify and better understand my true value within my field and in the world in general. I never appreciated how much I'd accomplished before I'd read my BrightSide resume. After landing my dream job and loving every minute of it, I recently decided to reach out to Cliff again. He is going to add my current position and slightly revise my summary statement. I look forward to seeing what magic he's able to work with my resume this time. Cliff is fun to talk to and he really 'gets' what I'm trying to say...even if I'm not totally sure. I've received many compliments on my Brightside resume -- I've even heard this was one of the best they'd seen! It is well worth the time and effort. Please do yourself a favor and work with Cliff -- you will be happy that you did! read more

Through family friends, I was referred to Cliff and BrightSide Resumes. I am currently jumping back into the job search, which in itself is an incredibly stressful process, as I'm sure everyone knows. I was unsure about a lot of things - which field to go into next, the mindset and day to day of my current position, applying while still working and not really knowing where to start or the best way to stay organized when finding a new job. After talking to Cliff, I can honestly say that I felt so relieved and much more clear headed going into my search. The part that impressed me the most was his very skilled and genuine way of actively listening to every single word that I said. Although this is what he does everyday, I didn't just feel like another phone call or another transaction. The hour career counseling session flew by as he asked me questions and then relayed my answers back to me to make sure that we were on the same page. It was so helpful to have a third party person give me honest feedback on different types of job titles, how I was going about the job search, and just general mindset of moving from one job to another. I was a tad skeptical before taking the call, I won't lie, but there is a reason that he does what he does and why people continue to go back. This is not just another call and business transaction for him - I genuinely felt like he took the time to understand me as best as he could, and then gave me the best possible advice setting me up to succeed. Thank you, Cliff! read more

It had been several years since I had taken a serious look at my resume. During those years my career and professional progression had hit several major milestones, which I could not seem to synthesize and succinctly put on paper. I'd known about Brightside Resumes for a number of years, and decided to finally make the investment in myself and my career for the new year, so I contacted Cliff and his team of professionals. Cliff is very busy (for good reason), but your patience will pay off. Once you are able to consult with Cliff and discuss your past achievements and future aspirations the results which end up on paper will simply amaze you. He is always one time, communicative and easy to work with. He is truly a master at his craft, and the team he assembled around him only help to further accelerate those results. Thank you Brightside! read more

I was researching 3 different resume writers, and Bright Side was on the top of my list based upon the reviews on Yelp. My first, and final, impression of Bright Side Resumes is taking money is a greater priority over customer service. I am VERY disappointed in how Cliff handled a simple requests to have a few questions answered. I do not feel it is unreasonable to have a 15 minute conversation to ask a few questions about their overall process, expected turn around time, and assistance in determining which package I should purchase. I had to ask via email 3 times, and in between each request Cliff insisted I go online and purchase a package before he would speak with me. After my third request, Cliff offered for me to speak with his assistant, but not him. Since my last attempt, his assistant emailed me 3 times asking if I received their quote, which I never received, and in only one of her emails she offered to answer my questions. I gave 2 stars for the number of times they contacted me, while their approach and intentions greatly missed the mark. The "bright side" to my interactions with this company is I have decided to go with another resume writer, someone I am very excited to build a relationship with, and someone who was more than happy to speak with me. It is disheartening that 15 minutes of Cliff's time is more important to him than gaining the $625 for the cost of the package I was considering buying. read more

I'm just not happy with the result. I spent so much money for a resume that just doesn't represent my skills and accomplishments. I am not sure if they just didn't have a feel for the industry I was going for, or what; but it just didn't work out for me. My suggestion is to call/email them and ask what experience they have with the specific industry you are interested in. I suspect that if I would have spent a little more time asking questions, I would have passed on their service and found someone who had a better grasp on what I was going for. read more

I just wanted to take some time to talk about Cliff and his crew at Brightside resumes. Throughout my career, if there was ever an issue around career path and resume building, Cliff is the man. He'll set up a call and walk you through your current situation, give you candid advice for how to go forward (including advice that says to stay put and candidly say you don't need any of his services - which is so amazing in this day and age that a company does that). And if you're ready to leap, he is an amazing resume craftsman. His work is solid, his reputation stellar. By all means if you're even thinking about your next step in your career you should check him out. And this is coming from someone who doesn't do testimonials that often. This guy is legit. read more

The amazing resume Cliff did for me got me one job offer and another interview within the first two weeks of looking. The company who offered the job 100% credited the resume for getting me in the door. They even emailed it around the office admiring it! Cliff, Thank You!! I'm telling everyone about you. Sarah read more

Cliff from Brightside Resumes is a master of his craft, which is being able to effectively articulate a person's narrative, whether it be for a resume, a LinkedIn profile, recommendation letters, cover letters etc. At the beginning of 2014 I decided to update my resume after a couple years so I could cruise the market and see what was out there. After extensive research on Yelp and other websites, I settled on BrightSide Resumes. At first I thought spending hundreds of dollars on something you could do yourself might be excessive. Additionally, Cliff is really busy so the earliest appointment available was not for 6 or so weeks. However, I decided to go for it. Let's just say when I got my resume back my jaw dropped. Cliff had built a powerful concise resume for me that was getting me calls from potential employers left and right; it was incredible. Probably 90% of the places I applied for contacted me back.... and I applied to a lot of places. It was a super exciting time. The results ended up at a salary increase of about 33%. Now in 2015 I have decided to use Cliff at Brightside Resumes for my LinkedIn profile. The first draft was not what I had expected. After expressing my disappointment to Cliff, he was extremely responsive and accommodating to basically rewrite the entire thing to make it match exactly what I wanted. Once again I am beyond impressed with the results. I plan on using Cliff for all my future cover letters, resume updates, etc. etc. The pricing is on the higher end of the spectrum, but you are getting what you pay for; I rather pay a couple hundred bucks more on the front end, if that translates to potentially thousands of dollars more in salary and a more fulfilling opportunity! It's funny because by the time I get the final product I always feel like I underpaid cause it's so g$d d@amn good!!! I want to put it on the fridge and just read how awesome I am everyday! read more

Cliff and team did a great job. Everyone loved the resume. This is the second time using Brightside and won't be the last :)

Cliff did a technical resume for me. He spent a lot of time with me on the phone and I found him to be very personable and competent. He did an excellent job of re-focusing my old resume to my current career objectives and updating the style of my resume. However, I was a little disappointed in the final product and the value for the money. I had to do a lot of editing to the resume because of inaccurate technical references and formatting issues. I can understand the mistakes in my technical background because of it's complexity but the formatting issues were really amateurish. The .doc version didn't download properly or parse into text properly on several internet application databases. Both the resume and generic cover letter were executed from standard templates that can be found in many resume writing books. The generic cover letter template he provided is almost identical to one available on Career Builder and is basically worthless, not to mention, poorly written. Considering the cost, I would have liked to see a personalized cover letter. Sorry, the service just wasn't worth the money. read more

I have been actively job-searching for 6 months before deciding to upgrade my job-search skills, in particular, my interviewing skills. I was able to continuously book interviews but was unable to 'seal the deal' during those interviews. I literally spoke to 5 different career coaches before deciding on Cliff here. The first career coach I spoke to apparently seemed to have time for me, but after about 3 e-mail exchanges, did a 180 degree turn and said she was on a "tight deadline" and could no longer assist me. And so, she referred me to her personal friend who apparently have been coaching successfully for several years as a side hobby. I e-mailed her friend inquiring about his background and experience as a career coach via 3 e-mail exchanges, and on the fourth e-mail, he decided to backtrack and said he no longer had time available to coach me in my job search. I was shocked and frustrated - all this bait-and-switch showed clearly their lack of professionalism. It was a waste of time. After this incident, I spoke to TWO other career coaches, who were more professional. They called me on time, and expressed a genuine interest for my concerns and had good explanations on their way of doing things. They were good, but I felt what i needed most of all was NOT a holistic "find the right career path" which would take 6+ weeks, but to actually land the job that I want now through sheer willpower and interviewing chomps. I decided on Cliff because he seemed more competitive in spirit, which is the type of training you need when you want to land the job you want. Cliff was extremely professional, thoughtful, and considerate. He really walks you through unraveling your roadblocks and really told me how to present myself in the best light possible. I had a number of roadblocks which I had initially felt was negatively impacting my performance in job interviews, but Cliff really helped me address these "roadblocks" in such a way that actually made me look good while drastically renewing my confidence. One phone session with Cliff helped me land the job that I want with my dream company, and that speaks to the quality of Cliff's expertise. Before I consulted Cliff, I felt I had hit rock-bottom, unable to come up with any solutions to my roadblocks, and I felt that I really needed to "talk it out" with an expert. I don't think I could have landed the job that I have now (with my dream company) if not with Cliff's help. PS--After I landed the job with my dream company, the recruiter told me that the interviewers were "very impressed" by my background and were "very excited" that I had decided to join their company. This all speaks to the quality of Cliff as a career coach - I went from the low-end of the interviewing spectrum to getting praise on my interview, and from my dream company too! read more

Update: I quit my crappy job and landed an awesome one - all within a week! I really couldn't have done it without your help revising my resume! I always get lots of compliments on it! Thanks so much! :D read more