Sometimes it can be hard to critique your own resume. You’re intimately familiar with what it says and what you mean. To you, why you’re the best candidate is abundantly clear. However, to others, it may not be. Gathering feedback from others can be a great way to boost your resume’s effectiveness. You can go about doing so in a few different ways.
Ask family and friends.
Pass your resume around to a few family members or close friends and see what they think. It can be a good idea to choose people who don’t necessarily know much about what you do. After they’ve reviewed your resume, ask them to summarize what they’ve learned about you and your abilities. See if there were any sections that were unclear or where you could add more detail.
Also, have them look for spelling or grammar errors that you may have missed. They can provide insight on the layout as well. Just remember to take suggestions with a grain of salt because everyone has their own preferences for how it looks. Focus on the most glaring issues, or those that the majority of people point out. You could also ask them to explain the rationale behind their suggestions.
Ask (trusted) coworkers.
If there are a few coworkers who know you’re looking for new opportunities, or who you used to work with but who have since moved on, ask them to critique your resume for you. They’re likely to have some professional knowledge regarding what you do and your accomplishments. This can help when including technical skills or language, or figuring out how to explain things in layman’s terms. Plus, they may remember projects you’ve worked on or results you’ve achieved that you forgot about. Just make sure they know to keep the fact that you’re exploring your options confidential.
Get a professional resume review.
When it comes to critiquing your resume, who better to ask than the professionals who write resumes for a living? Companies such as Grammar Chic offer resume review services where you can submit your resume for a detailed review. You will receive feedback identifying your resumes areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. This includes everything from formatting and style to content and overall impression. This can help you to better understand what sections need work, as well as what hiring managers are typically looking for in today’s resumes.
Grammar Chic assists job seekers in optimizing their resumes so that they align with current standards as well as each person’s unique goals and objectives. Whether you are looking to advance in your current career or transition into a new field, Grammar Chic can help you ensure your resume presents you in a positive light and conveys the message you want to send. Contact us today at (803) 831-7444 or resumewriting@grammarchic.net to order a resume review, resume rewrite, or other services to support your job search.
