Resume Critiques—Why You Need One

A resume is one of those weird documents where the way it’s written can make a difference, but not in the way most of us think. While creativity and figurative language count for a lot in English class, they don’t necessarily score points with recruiters. If you’re relying on your resume as your way to get someone to interview you, it’s crucial to ensure that your resume is the best and clearest representation of who you are as a professional.

I am a Certified Professional Resume Writer which means that I have actually passed a portfolio review proving that I can write a resume for someone else from scratch. However, I don’t believe that writing your resume for you is the best service. While it sounds like a great time-saver, realistically, it takes a lot of back and forth to develop a document that reflects you on the page and you need to be able to update it quickly and easily. I hate to break it to you because I don’t enjoy it either, but you need to update your resume at least once a year. That gets expensive if it’s in some wacky template that only your resume writer has access to.

Relying on parents, grandparents or mentors who haven’t searched for work in over a decade is not a reliable way to get feedback on what hiring managers and recruiters are looking for now. I once had a career counselor who specialized in training in assessment try to tell me that it was fine to wear jeans to an interview—-this was in 2008. No. Don’t do that. It’s not that this person wasn’t bright or even that they weren’t good at their job—assessment and interview coaching are different things. However, definitely ask whoever is helping you with your resume what their experience is with resumes in the current job market. Speaking for myself, I helped job seekers through “The Great Recession” and I’m confident that I know what works. Even though some things have changed since then (and I know because I keep my finger on the pulse of the job market) most of the crucial elements remain the same.

A recruiter or manager want to be able to look at the first page of your resume and know whether or not you’re worth the time to interview.

When I do a critique, I go through your resume and provide in-line comments as well as a written summary of what I see as strengths and ideas for improving formatting and wording. All of these suggestions are based on your experience and your goals. Also, I am mindful of your target audience: prospective employers. I also provide every client with coaching on how to format the resume so it works in text, PDF, and Word (.doc, .docx) so you can be prepared for any applicant tracking system (ATS.)

This is a great option for average job seekers because I will do a critique for $50-$200 depending on length. For a full resume package, most resume writers will charge at least $1,000. Do you have that cash on hand as a job seeker? I also hope to empower you to be able to continue through the rest of your career without ever having to call me again for this. I want to help you flourish and save money!

Do you have a resume that needs help? Send me an email today.