Resume Critique

Resume Critique The next time you are tempted to ask someone for a resume critique, reconsider.   What kind of feedback are you hoping for?   You know if your resume is working or not-   if your phone isnt ringing, your resume isnt working. Review Your Own Resume Learning how to evaluate our own work is truly difficult.   However, it is a really important skill to develop.   Try using this checklist to evaluate your own work objectively. Download this Resume Review checklist Getting Feedback On Your Resume Everyone has opinions, especially when it comes to resumes.  Be careful. If you ask for feedback, be prepared to ask good follow-up questions, especially What is your logic for making that recommendation? When a third-party recruiter (from an agency or firm) is evaluating your resume, their needs (and what they want to see) are different from the actual company they will be recruiting for.   The recruiter wants to know everything about you to feel safe in their decision to refer you on (after their conversation with you, of course). In many cases, these third-party recruiters will want to see all your work experience and detailed start and end dates.   If you do provide every job youve ever had and the starting month and ending month on your resume (which I dont recommend) what questions might this raise in their minds? Are you OK with answering those questions, if, given the chance?   Sometimes, you wont be given the chance. This may result in your resume (and candidacy) ending up on the cutting room floor. Everyone Has Personal Biases It is difficult to please everyone, perhaps impossible.   However, the only people you need to please in order to get a phone screen and interview are the screener and the hiring manager.   (Sometimes they are one in the same). Here are some basic rules of thumb: Dont use trite language (phrases like: work well independently or as a team player, excellent communication skills, professional) Have plenty of white space (at least .5 inch margins and avoid big paragraphs) Avoid underlining, italics and fancy bullets Font size no smaller than 11 and no larger than 12 Use accomplishments! Heres how to identify your accomplishments. List only relevant information (relevant to the specific job for which you are applying) Customize your resume for every job Limit how far back you show your work experience (10-15 yrs max) Focus on quality of the words you use Try  not to obsess over the resume.   Work on  it and move on.   Evaluate  it by the number of phone calls you are getting.