Terms Of Service

Introduction

This Terms of Service was prepared in order to outline the expectations and guarantees that all clients must agree to follow when engaging with Em and a Pen. These terms will be effective immediately and in full capacity, and by engaging with Em and a Pen (known hereafter as “Em and a Pen” or “we”), you (hereby referred to as “Client”) agree to accept the Terms of Service as written here and on Em and a Pen’s website. Failure to read the Terms in their entirety does not authorize a waiver of these Terms or their application.

Em and a Pen provides an initial, free 15 to 20-minute consultation with all prospective clients to determine the Client’s current challenges, goals, and overall collaborative fit between Em and a Pen and the Client before any project can be initiated. All projects are quoted at the conclusion of the free 15 to 20-minute consultation session. Projects are quoted on a package basis as deemed appropriate to the client’s current stage, desired direction, services invested, and the overall scope and complexity of work involved.

Writing projects begin once payment is arranged in full and the electronic Terms of Service agreement has been signed and returned to Em and a Pen. The Terms of Service must be signed in order to hold the Client’s spot in our project cycle. All client payments are processed through PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle, and all major debit/credit cards are accepted.

Upon entering this agreement with Em and a Pen, the Client must understand and acknowledge that the team at Em and a Pen works on a creative and collaborative process that is dependent on the Client’s active participation in the process. Since writing and editing documents is very time-consuming and Em and a Pen is not able to regain time lost in preparing, writing, and editing the Client’s documents, no refunds will be given except as outlined in these Terms.

Project Scope

All packages will be prepared based on information provided by Client during the 45 to 60-minute Strategy Session Appointment via phone and comprehensive, targeted responses to questions via email. Client can also supply additional information to facilitate the writing and editing process, such as copies of an existing resume or cover letter, manuscript, or additional document, current and former performance reviews, personality assessments, academic transcripts, or other supporting documents that Client feels comfortable sharing to maximize positioning for desired career target(s). Anything that Client shares with Em and a Pen is kept confidential and is never shared.

Immediately following payment, Client will choose from available times for 45 to 60-minute Strategy Session Appointment via phone in order to clarify or expand on the details that Client has provided to initial questions and requests from Em and a Pen.

The 45 to 60-minute Career Walkthrough Appointment will take place via phone or Zoom. Client will receive email reminders 24 hours prior to the session. After the 45 to 60-minute Strategy Session Appointment, Client will receive the initial Resume Proof document via email within 3 to 5 business days.

Em and a Pen takes a “quality over quantity” approach to writing and editing career marketing documents. Unless a rush service has been purchased, all proof documents will be forwarded to Client by email at Em and a Pen’s standard turnaround time of 3-5 business days (excludes weekends and holidays) BEFORE the Strategy Session Walkthrough Appointment has taken place.

Once the final package documents have been delivered, the package is complete unless further services such as Mock Interview Coaching or LinkedIn Training has been purchased.

PROJECT INVESTMENT

Client acknowledges and understands that the project investment takes into account Em and a Pen’s expertise, skill, and time. Further, the project investment takes into account:

Client intake time, including any e-mails and phone calls back and forth between Em and a Pen and Client concerning the project.

Personal branding and document strategy/typesetting/design/layout.

Document proofreading and editing.

Interview session preparation time and delivery.

Any additional work requested outside of the original project scope will be billed at Em and a Pen’s hourly fee of $80 (1-hour minimum).

RUSH SERVICES

For Clients with more urgent needs, Em and a Pen offers both 1- and 2-business day RUSH delivery options at an additional investment, calculated based on the total resume cost of the Client project.

Please call ahead at (828) 719-5006 or email Em@emandapen.com if you require a RUSH project to ensure availability.

Note: Client sessions are often booked out 1-2 weeks in advance. Depending on Em and a Pen’s project workload, rush projects cannot always be accommodated.

Rush fees are calculated in the following manner:

1-business days: Adds an additional 50% to the original resume investment.

2-business days: Adds an additional 25% to the original resume investment.

Weekend consultations and any work required over the weekend will add $150 to the overall investment.

If Client requires a weekend Strategy Session Appointment and/or work to be done over the weekend, Client may incur both weekend AND 1- or 2-day rush fees.

INFORMATION GATHERING PROCESS

Client understands that the information gathering process, including completing an informational questionnaire and participating in the 45 to 60-minute discovery session, is a key element of the writing and editing process. Client agrees to provide all necessary and factual information to Em and a Pen. Client’s written documents will be prepared from the information provided by Client in the questionnaire and data from supplementary documentation provided by the Client. Clients who fail to complete the intake process will be subject to incomplete information in their new resume (and other documents) and additional fees for additional consulting time.

After the intake session has been completed and returned to Em and a Pen, a 45 to 60-minute Strategy Session Appointment will be scheduled to clarify and expand on the information provided by the Client in the questionnaire.

It is incumbent on the Client to be prepared for the 45 to 60-minute Strategy Session Appointment. Failure of Client to be available for this session and/or provide the required information (questionnaires, supporting documents, etc.) to Em and a Pen per the required timeline will result in the delay of the project.

STRATEGY SESSION APPOINTMENT CANCELLATION

Em and a Pen acknowledges that external factors can happen outside of the Client’s control. If a sudden emergency or unforeseen circumstance should arise and Client should need to reschedule the Career Strategy Session, the Client may do so at no extra charge for the first time.

If subsequent cancellations should follow, Client will be billed a cancellation fee of $25 for each cancellation that occurs within 5 hours of our scheduled meeting. No new appointments can be scheduled until the cancellation fee has been rendered. Examples of acceptable external circumstances include: sudden illness (Client, immediate family member, pet), natural disasters, or other health and family-related emergencies.

For any scheduled Strategy Session Appointments, interview preparation, or writing coaching sessions that do not fall under the sudden emergency category, please provide Em and a Pen with 5 hours of advanced notice if you cannot be available for scheduled sessions to avoid cancellation fees.

STRATEGY SESSION APPOINTMENT NO SHOW

It is incumbent upon the Client to show up on time and prepare for the scheduled 30-minute Strategy Session Appointment as Em and a Pen has a waiting list and often books sessions out 1-2 weeks in advance.

Should Client fail to show up for the scheduled Career Walkthrough Appointment without giving at least 5 hours of advanced notice, Client will be billed $75 to compensate Em and a Pen for their time and for taking away space that could have been reserved for another client.

No rescheduling will occur until Client compensates Em and a Pen the $75 no-show fee.

Strategy Session Appointment LATE ARRIVAL:

Arriving more than 15 minutes late to the scheduled 30-minute Strategy Session Appointment without notice will be treated as a no-show and Client will be charged $75.

Strategy Session Appointments will NOT be extended beyond the 45 TO 60-minute time frame due to lateness.

PROOFREADING

Documents are thoroughly proofread by Em and a Pen before being forwarded to the Client. Clients are asked to check all data for accuracy and completeness. If corrections are needed, clients are asked to forward specific instructions for changes by e-mail to Em@emandapen.com and/or schedule a 30-minute project revision session to discuss ANY AND ALL document revisions.

Em and a Pen is not responsible for errors or omissions that are “missed” during the client review process.

REVISION POLICY

All writing and editing projects include revisions with limitations as expressed in these Terms. Revisions and edits for ALL writing projects take approximately 10 business days. The majority of revisions are minor and can easily be handled by email. Em and a Pen reserves the right to extend the time for delivering project documents during high influx periods or unforeseen circumstances, such as illness, natural disasters, and health, family, or other personal emergencies.

After the initial resume and other documents are delivered, Client will have 10 business days to review the documents and arrange for a 30-minute project revision session to fully discuss ANY AND ALL the changes that Client is requesting.

The first round of revisions must be submitted to Em and a Pen by email within the first 5 business days following initial document delivery.

It is incumbent upon the Client to be prepared and on time for the 30-minute project strategy call. Failure of Client to be available for the project strategy session call, participate in the editing/revision process, or authorize revisions or approval of career documents within the 10 business day revision timeline constitutes acceptance of the draft and finalization of the work package.

The edited document drafts (presented in 2-3 business days) will include Client’s recommended edits and feedback, barring edits that do not meet modern writing and editing practices. Em and a Pen reserves the right to challenge Client on any edits that do not meet modern writing and editing standards or those that are not in the Client’s best benefit.

Once the edited draft is presented to Client for review, it is for purposes of final proofreading to the edits made on the second draft. Client will send an email to Em and a Pen providing any minor edits to finalize the resume and other documents. No major re-writing or overhauling/adding of information will occur at the final revision stage.

Our engagement is intended for the point in time where Em and a Pen and Client collaborate on Client’s goals and career background. This engagement is NOT an evolving project over the course of several months and job changes.

Any additional edits or consulting time beyond the project scope and final revision stage will be billed at Em and a Pen’s hourly rate of $80 per hour (1-hour minimum) should Client request such edits.

100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE

All Em and a Pen projects come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and Em and a Pen strives to work with Client to ensure satisfaction with all written work, with the exception of the following:

If Client introduces new information AFTER initial document delivery, additional fees for consulting, writing, or revision may be incurred on an hourly basis (1-hour minimum).

If a Client should fail to submit the correct information or omit information required to produce accurate documents, Em and a Pen is under no obligation to include this information AFTER writing has begun.

If Client lands a new position within the project window timeframe and wishes to add in the new position to the new resume, hourly update fees ($80 minimum) will be incurred to compensate Em and a Pen for time required to discuss new role with Client and the additional writing, editing, and formatting required.

A significant departure from the original draft provided will also incur additional hourly fees as this constitutes a completely different document and is viewed as a different resume.

PROJECT STRATEGY SESSION CANCELLATION

Should Client schedule a project strategy session following initial document delivery and need to cancel due to a sudden emergency or unforeseen circumstance, Client may do at no additional charge for the first time.

Any subsequent cancellations must be done no less than 5 hours in advance of our session. Any subsequent sessions that are canceled within 5 hours of the scheduled meeting will be subject to a $25 cancellation fee, which must be rendered prior to scheduling any additional sessions.

PROJECT STRATEGY SESSION NO SHOW

Should Client fail to show for the scheduled project strategy session without providing advanced notice or rescheduling for a different day and time, Client will be billed $75 to compensate Em and a Pen for the loss of scheduled time that could have been reserved for another Client.

No further review sessions will take place until the $75 no-show fee is compensated.

PROJECT STRATEGY SESSION LATE ARRIVAL

Arriving more than 15 minutes late for the project strategy session without advanced notice will be treated as a no-show and Client will be billed $75 to compensate Em and a Pen for the loss of scheduled time that could have been reserved for another Client.

No further review sessions will take place until the $75 no-show fee is compensated.

PROJECT TIMELINE & FINALIZATION

If final project approval has not been received by the end of business hours and within the 10 business day revision timeline, Em and a Pen reserves the right to finalize Client project, prepare and forward the final document versions, and avail Em and a Pen of any further responsibility to the project.

Unless other arrangements are made, and mutually agreed to, Client agrees to finalize the resume package (or accept work as written) by the end of the 10-business day revision time frame. Client also agrees that he/she is solely responsible for meeting this deadline.

Em and a Pen is not liable for any changes requested by Client after the expiration of the 10-business day window.

Em and a Pen offers Clients the opportunity to upgrade their career packages within the 10-day project window. Should Client decide to upgrade his or her project (i.e. adding another service.), the delivery timeline for added services will be treated as a separate project with standard delivery of 3-5 business days.

If Client requests additional work outside of the original project scope, it will be billed at an hourly rate of $80 (1-hour minimum).

PROJECT DELAYS & RESTART FEES

Due to substantial costs incurred by Em and a Pen to stop and restart a project once it is underway, should a project be halted at any time for more than 30 days by the Client, for any reason beyond extenuating circumstances or not mutually agreed to, a project restart fee of 15% of the project’s costs will be due and payable ahead of work re-commencing to compensate for the time Em and a Pen will need to review Client career history and documents.

Any projects that remain in Em and a Pen’s project queue for an extended period will be subject to:

>90 days, a 25% reactivation fee

>120 days, a 30% reactivation fee

>180 days, a 50% reactivation fee and potential cancellation

Should Em and a Pen raise their prices while the Client project is delayed, Client will be subject to the higher pricing point when Client returns to reinstate the project.

JOB SEARCH, INTERVIEW & NETWORKING COACHING & LINKEDIN TRAINING SERVICES

If a Client purchases a package that includes coaching services and/or training sessions, these sessions must be scheduled and completed no later than 5 business days after project finalization has taken place, unless separate arrangements have been made and mutually agreed to between Em and a Pen and Client. No refunds will be given for unused coaching and/or LinkedIn training sessions.

If a Client purchases coaching services that include more than 1 session, these sessions must be scheduled within 3-5 business days of one another to allow adequate preparation and ensure maximum effectiveness of coaching sessions. No refunds will be given for unused coaching sessions.

RIGHT TO SERVICE

All writing and editing projects officially begin once payment has been arranged and the electronic service agreement e-signed by Client. Projects that remain stagnant for more than 6 months or 185 days are subjected to a higher restart fee of 50% or potential cancellation. NO REFUNDS will be provided.

PAYMENT & REFUND POLICIES

Full payment is required before any Strategy Session Appointment or drafts are provided to a client to prevent any pirating of completed work to date. All payments are processed through Debit, Credit, and PayPal. Fees are NOT refundable once work on a Client project has begun.

Em and a Pen currently offers 1 payment option:

In full, upfront. Clients can render payment for services using any major debit/credit card, including AMEX.

Em and a Pen offers 2-pay options (50/50) by request only.

2 payments (50/50). Client must put down 50% upfront (non-refundable) to initiate the information gathering process. The second half of the investment must be rendered within the 7-10-business day delivery timeline after the 30-minute Strategy Session takes place and before new document delivery.

PROJECT CANCELLATION POLICY:

Client further acknowledges and understands that once payment is made, should Client wish to cancel a project, a penalty will be assessed as follows:

Cancellation after the project is paid for, but before work has begun: a full refund will be made minus any PayPal transaction fees AND a 10% cancellation fee.

Cancellation after work has begun, but before the first draft is provided to Client: 50% of total project price is retained by Em and a Pen minus any PayPal transaction fees.

Cancellation after the first draft is provided to Client: 100% of total project price is retained by Em and a Pen.

If Client is unhappy for any reason, Em and a Pen strives to work with clients and ensure 100% satisfaction with the content of their resume and other documents. If Client is still demanding money back and goes through their credit card company, Em and a Pen is well-prepared to show documentation and evidence of work rendered.

Traction Resume GUARANTEE

100% Satisfaction Guarantee – Once Client officially approves the project, this will signify Client’s 100% satisfaction. All projects must be approved within the 10-business day revision window unless additional arrangements have been made AND mutually agreed upon between Client and Traction Resume.

Highest Code of Ethics and Integrity – All discussions are confidential. Your personal information is never shared.

Renewed confidence in your value, credibility, and expertise, plus enhanced self-awareness and personal branding knowledge that you can leverage as your goals evolve.

Lifetime storage of your documents, unless you request otherwise. If you do not wish for Em and a Pen to store your documents, please submit your request in writing to Em@emandapen.com.

For resume project clients: Unlimited rounds of revisions within 10-business days following new document delivery. The first round must be submitted within the first 5 business days. Client must be prepared to discuss ALL revisions in full through email or on a brief 20-30 minute revision call if needed.

For editing project clients: 1 round of revisions per stage of the editing process based on which package the Client purchased. Client must be prepared to discuss ALL revisions in full through email or on a brief 20-30 minute revision call if needed.

Unlimited email support following project completion. This service is for questions related to the Client’s process NOT for requesting additional edits upon project completion. Em and a Pen typically respond within 1-2 business days depending on current project workload.

Forwarding of new documents between 7-10 business days AFTER the Strategy Session.

For resume project clients: Final keyword-optimized documents in 2 formats: MS Word and Adobe PDF.

PRIVACY POLICY

Em and a Pen is committed to honoring each Client’s personal privacy. Documents are never shared or publicized. However, if the Client clicks on a resource link from our website, Em and a Pen cannot guarantee or be responsible for their content or privacy policies.

LEGAL INFORMATION

Em and a Pen uses their professional ability, in good faith, to create compelling documents that adhere to the Client’s voice, brand, tone, and vision. Em and a Pen cannot guarantee interviews, jobs, or career outcomes as market conditions vary in terms of resume writing services, and we cannot control the effort a client will make in obtaining a job or how the client will behave during the interview process.

It is incumbent upon the Client to aggressively partake in the job search process, including applying for qualifying positions that Client meets the requirements for. Additionally, Em and a Pen is not responsible for Client’s use or non-use of the resume, editing, or writing project.

Em and a Pen is not liable for any inaccurate, incorrect, or misleading information in the prepared materials as Client is required to review the materials and approve the entire content prior to final delivery. Em and a Pen is not responsible for the accuracy or truthfulness of the information provided by Client, nor is Company responsible for consequential damages of any kind that Client may incur from inaccurate documents, edits to documents at Client’s request that coincide with Em and a Pen’s expert recommendations, or while utilizing Em and a Pen’s resume writing services.

Client agrees to hold Em and a Pen harmless from any such liability. Should Client wish to file suit against Em and a Pen, the jurisdiction/choice of law shall be in North Carolina and each party shall bear its own costs in filing suit.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Em and a Pen owns all content and information posted on the Company website. No one may copy, distribute, or use any of the content for financial gain, including our Terms and Conditions, without the express consent of the Company. Em and a Pen reserves the right to update these Terms and Conditions at any time, and the Client agrees to abide by the Terms and Conditions.

FORCE MAJEURE

No party shall be liable or responsible to the other party, nor be deemed to have defaulted under or breached this Contract, for any failure or delay in fulfilling or performing any term of this Contract (except for any obligations to make payments to the other party hereunder), when/if such failure or delay is caused by or results from acts beyond the impacted party’s (“Impacted Party”) control, including, but not limited to, the following force majeure events (“Force Majeure Events”): (a) acts of God; (b) a natural disaster (fires, explosions, earthquakes, hurricane, flooding, storms, explosions, infestations), epidemic, or pandemic; (c) war, invasion, hostilities (whether war is declared or not), terrorist threats or acts, riot or other civil unrest; (d) government order or law; (e) actions, embargoes or blockades in effect on or after the date of this Contract; (f) action by any governmental authority; (g) national or regional emergency; (h) strikes, labor stoppages or slowdowns or other industrial disturbances; and (i) shortage of adequate power or transportation facilities.

The Impacted Party shall give notice within 5 days of the Force Majeure Event to the other party, stating the period of time the occurrence is expected to continue. The Impacted Party shall use diligent efforts to end the failure or delay and ensure the effects of such Force Majeure Event are minimized. The Impacted Party shall resume the performance of its obligations as soon as reasonably practicable after the removal of the cause. In the event that the Impacted Party’s failure or delay remains uncured for a period of 10 days following Notice given by it, the other party may thereafter terminate this Contract upon Notice.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns or complaints about this terms of service, please contact us:

• email: Em@emandapen.com