The 10-Step Critique of Resumes

 The 10-Step Critique of Resumes

Typically, an employer will scan your resume for 15 to 30 seconds when it is first reviewed. In light of this, it is imperative that your resume—your "paper handshake"—makes a good impression and inspires the reader to add your resume to the "yes" pile and perhaps give you a call for an interview.

Make sure your resume has all the essential elements of a strong, interview-generating resume before distributing it. You can analyze your resume using the same general procedures as resume writers with experience. This will enhance the likelihood that it will be added to the "yes" pile and that it will climb to the top of the stack.

STEP 1: Ask yourself, "Is this the best format for my career history on my resume?"

Does your resume have the right structure, length, and level of formality for the job you want?

Length: A resume should be one to two pages if the applicant has five years or more of experience. Executive-level resumes frequently contain three or four pages of content. One page may be plenty if you are a recent college graduate, but don't be afraid to go longer if you have more experience, especially if you have worked, interned, or participated in volunteer work.

Format: Resumes can be classified into three main categories: combination, functional, and chronological. Your employment history is highlighted in reverse chronological order on a chronological resume. When your job ads are noteworthy (including position titles and/or business names) and closely related to the employment goal, they work best.

Functional resumes downplay job titles, job descriptions, and dates of employment. Qualifications are arranged based on similar experience or skills. Functional resumes are frequently used by job seekers who are changing careers or have gaps in their employment history. It's important to use caution while utilizing this style, as feedback from hiring managers indicates that they don't like it. They know that functional resumes can be used to conceal or reduce past mistakes and unpaid periods of unemployment.

Essentially, a combination resume combines elements of the other two styles. A strong Qualifications Summary or Professional Profile that effectively conveys your functional talents is the first step in the process. This gives you the opportunity to tailor your resume to certain roles and/or industries and gives you a chance to highlight your strongest attributes. The employment history (including responsibilities and, more importantly, notable accomplishments) is listed in reverse chronological order below. Professional resume writers frequently choose the combination format because it works especially well for pitching their clients to potential employers.

We won't go into great detail about the Curriculum Vita here, but there is a fourth kind of résumé. A conservatively worded and formatted document, a "CV" highlights publications, presentations, awards, and accolades along with academic research and projects, publications, and educational credentials. Usually, academic, medical, and scientific domains utilize this format.

Formality: It is generally a good idea to write in a language that is appropriate for the position you are applying for. Simple sentences can be included in an entry-level resume. In order to paint a full picture of your professional accomplishments and contributions, a manager or executive's resume will be more narrative in nature and will use language appropriate for your degree of responsibility.

Step 2: Ask yourself: "Is it easy to read and visually appealing on my resume?"

Have you used the right font style and size choices throughout your CV? The size should be anywhere between 9 and 11 point, with a maximum of 12 point, depending on the typeface used. Of course, section titles can be larger. In terms of font choice, you are more likely to pick a serif font (such Times New Roman, Garamond, or Palatino) the more responsible you are. Combining typefaces is permissible, but no more than two at a time (e.g., Times for section headings and Arial for content).

Does your resume have enough space between sentences? It is your task to call the reader's attention to essential details. Effective use of white space can assist you in achieving this. You may not often use some of the features in your word processor, such the paragraph, line-spacing, and tab settings, so you'll need to get acquainted with them.

Does your resume use the right kind of design elements? It can be rather powerful to utilize bullets, bolding, italics, and lines sparingly. When utilized often, they will clarify the structure of your resume and guide the reader through your thought process.

Check for one or more of the newly available resume resource books at your neighborhood bookshop for fantastic suggestions on modern formats. Resume Magic--Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer by Susan Britton Whitcomb (JIST Works) is among the best available. Donald Asher's Bible of Executive Resumes (Ten Speed Press) and Wendy Enelow's Best Resumes for $100,000+ Jobs (Impact Publications) are excellent resources for executive-level ideas.

Step 3: Ask yourself: "Is there an attention-grabbing opening section on my resume?"

Is the first third of your resume devoted to a strong Qualifications Summary or Professional Profile that highlights the most important facts you wish to convey? Include your total years of experience, your main competences, and any relevant hard and soft talents, at the very least. Remember that the rest of your resume needs to support the information you provide in this section.

Does your resume clearly state the job, sector, or career path you're aiming for? Companies don't have time to speculate about your career goals.

The fourth step is to inquire, "Does my resume effectively communicate my value to the prospective employer in one or more of the following ways?"

Does your CV show how you can increase an employer's revenue? Save time or money? resolve a particular issue? simplify the work? cultivate connections? Become more aggressive? Draw in new clients? Maintain current clientele?

Whatever your industry or degree of accountability, all organizations want their workers to assist them in achieving these goals. Employers will want to speak with you if you can demonstrate your ability to contribute in one or more of the areas listed.

Step 5: Consider the question, "Does my resume contain powerful, concise, accomplishment-oriented writing designed to increase the reader's interest and stimulate a request for a job interview?"

Is every word on your resume targeted? Does it further your professional or work goals? Does it use pertinent, industry-specific keywords and speak the reader's language? Did you make strong, impactful arguments that emphasized your advantages over other candidates? Are there particular achievements on your resume that showcase difficulties faced, steps taken, and outcomes (ideally measurable)?

Above all, do the successes align with your goal? Stated differently, do they embody observable habits linked to the top performers in your industry?

Sixth step: Consider the question, "Is irrelevant information excluded?"

Personal information (e.g., age and marital status), the complete address of employers (city and state suffice), personal pronouns (e.g., "I," "He," or "She"), the reasons for quitting a job, reference information, and irrelevant hobbies or interests are not required to be included.

Step 7: Consider whether your resume presents pertinent information in an orderly manner.

Generally speaking, you should only go into depth about the latest 10 or 15 years of employment. Anything that came before can be summed up, but make an effort to keep the details accomplishment-focused and pertinent.

Are the dates of your employment displayed correctly? In most circumstances, months and years suffice, so there's no need to be more precise.

Did you provide contact details from several sources? Provide your home phone number and email address, at the very least. By the way, get an email address right away if you don't already have one! Including it on your CV demonstrates to potential employers that you are tech-savvy.

Is everything you've done reversal chronologically? Are all the remaining sections of your resume relevant to the kinds of jobs you are looking for?

8. Ask yourself, "Is my resume free of spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammatical, and syntax errors?"

Hiring managers have all provided the same feedback: a resume containing errors is likely to be rejected right away. They anticipate that you won't pay attention to details and that you'll perform sloppily at work. Check your resume for errors. Have a friend or coworker proofread your CV for you. Have your mom review your résumé.

Step 9: Carry out Step 8 again.

Step 10: Carry out step 8 one more!

A material depiction of you is your CV. It is a marketing piece that explains to companies how you can help them succeed, not just your resume. Examine your self-written resume and ask yourself the above questions. If everything is addressed, you should have no trouble attracting the attention of potential employers.

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