Time for a resume critique? Use our checklist to review your resume!

A resume critique involves reviewing your resume thoroughly and objectively to look for areas of improvement in terms of content, design, and relevance. It’s a great way to make your resume more appealing to the hiring manager by focusing on your strengths and skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying to. In turn, this increases your chances of landing a job interview. 

In this blog post, we’ll discuss:

• The benefits of a resume critique

• How to perform a resume critique

Why is a resume critique important?

The above-mentioned statistics necessitate the need for a careful review of all job documents before they are submitted. Here are a few other reasons why resume critiques are important.

To get a fresh perspective on your resume

Whether you decide to review your resume on your own or let someone else do it for you, a resume critique provides you with some fresh perspective. Maybe there’s an important skill set you forgot to add to your resume or your resume did not contain the right keywords for the job. Before you apply for your dream job, it’s best to enlist another pair of eyes to review your resume.

To get an unbiased opinion

A resume critique can provide some insights into your current resume. Such critique is often unbiased, objective, and without prejudice. A professional resume expert can help you align your resume with current hiring trends and standards which, in turn, can increase your likelihood of getting a job interview call/email.

To identify the right format for your resume

Just like no two jobs are the same, no two resume formats are the same. From chronological to functional, there are countless resume formats to choose from. A professional resume critique service will not only look for grammatical errors, but they will also review your resume’s format and advice on the most suitable layout and design for the target industry and job role.

To test whether your resume is convincing

When you’re preparing for a job interview, a good practice is to do a mock interview with a friend or family member and try to convince them why you’re the ideal candidate for the job. Well, think of a resume critique as testing to make sure your resume makes a solid first impression before it is sent to the hiring manager.

Whether you critique your resume or have it critiqued, the objective is to look at it from the hiring manager’s perspective. Does the content align with the job description? Does your resume make a compelling case for your hiring? Is your resume convincing enough for the reader? 

How do you evaluate your resume?

If you’ve decided to review your resume on your own, here are 3 of the most common resume critique keys you may want to follow.

Keep the content relevant

When you’re reviewing your resume, you may want to remove any irrelevant information that is causing clutter. Hiring managers are likely to look for job-specific skills and achievements in your resume. Make sure your resume content includes the qualifications and preferences your potential employer is looking for. Avoid using jargon that would needlessly complicate your resume.

Resume critique: read everything out loud

As reiterated previously, your resume should be free of grammatical errors, incomplete ideas, and incoherent sentences. One of the best ways to look for these types of errors is to read your resume out loud.

Pay attention to the tone of voice

Read the job description carefully and observe the tone of voice. Your resume should match the style and tone preference laid out in the job description. If the description contains mention of an ‘ideal candidate’, that’s your cue on what your resume should include. 

Resume critique checklist

Now that you have a clear idea of what a resume critique looks like, here’s a small checklist to help you out analyze your resume. Answering these questions will help you determine whether your resume needs further work or you’re good to go.

Resume structure

• Is the resume carefully written or is it written in haste?

• Is the resume easy to parse at a glance?

• Is the resume formatted in accordance with the job role, industry, and locality?

• Is the resume visually appealing with sufficient spacing between each section?

• Is there a good balance between written text and blank space?

• Is the resume font appropriate for the job role you’re applying to?

• If the resume extends to more than one page, are there footers with page numbers?

• Are you tailoring your resume according to the job description?

Key accomplishments

• Does your resume include key accomplishments at each job role?

• Do the accomplishments begin with power verbs, such as conceptualized, or overhauled?

• Are your accomplishments easy to distinguish from your regular job duties?

• Are your accomplishments quantified with numbers and figures?

Relevance and writing style

• Does your resume include the right keywords for the job?

• Is there any information in your resume that is irrelevant, such as your marital status?

• Is your resume free from first-person words, such as I, me, my?

• Is your resume free from grammatical errors and awkward sentences?

• Is the content easy to understand?

• Have you followed the correct tone of voice for the job role?

Key takeaways

1. A resume critique allows you to scan for grammatical errors, formatting concerns, and other issues that may otherwise impede your chances of landing a job interview.

2. You can either review your resume on your own or ask a family member, friend, or coworker to help you out with the review. You also have the option to talk to a resume-writing expert.

3. Remember, the objective of a resume critique is to provide constructive feedback on your resume and what can be done to improve it. Don’t take the feedback personally!