WHAT TO EXPECT IN A RESUME CRITIQUE

Do you have doubts and second thoughts about the quality and effectiveness of your resume?

Is it a boring fact sheet or a superior marketing document?

Does it showcase you as a polished professional or as a middle of the pack back burner candidate?  

Are you at your wits end on how to improve your submit-to-interview ratio?

 
If the answer to any or all of these questions is yes, you need to seek out a Subject Matter Expert or two to see what a seasoned professional has to say about the way you are presenting yourself.

But let’s be honest, professional resume writers do not all agree on what constitutes a great resume. However most of us agree that there are no hard and fast rules in resume writing and there is no one set format on how to present yourself.

So just like wise job hunters network and seek answers from other professionals on how to improve their job search efforts, so too should you seek answers on the quality of your resume and Linked-In image in order to improve the relevance and quality of your presentation.

So when choosing someone to critique your resume what should you expect?

Most people expect an email response with the SME’s comments in writing. What you should expect is a phone call to discuss the document with you in real time and tell you where it is on and where it is off point.

You should expect the person has a broad based understanding of the nuances of resume writing and how a resume for an accountant or financial analyst differs from the resume of a Controller or CFO; the resume of a sales person differs from the resume of an engineer; and how a the resume of a marketing or merchandising professional must stand out in order to attract the proper attention.

You should expect honesty and not a sales pitch, but you should also be prepared to be told if you are qualified to write your own resume or if you would be better served having someone do it for you professionally.

You should expect the person to listen to your concerns and give you constructive criticism rather than offering a standard stock opinion that applies to all.

So before you continue your trial and error attempt at resume writing, I suggest you get some 1-to-1 resume advice to supplement what you think you know and what your have learned online about how to write an effective resume.