How to Critique a Resume

By Khadija Dukes on October 20, 2014

Landing an interview may seem difficult, but sometimes it can be as simple as perfecting your resume. Here, you will learn the “Do’s and Don’ts” of structuring a resume, so you can land your dream job.

Know Your Audience

“When creating a resume, the most important thing to do is figure out who your audience is and who is going to read your resume,” says Emily Trotz, an intern at the University of Georgia’s Career Center. “People often forget that someone else who is reading your resume might not know the things that you’ve done so you have to be as specific as possible.”

Personalize

“People find a template online and copy it completely, without realizing that a resume is very personal,” says Trotz. “They think you have to have certain headings, but in reality it’s all up to personalization.” A lack of personalization, however, can lead to more serious problems such as falsified information on your resume. According to a 2012 study by the ADP and the Society for Human Resource Management, 53% of resumes and job applications contain falsifications and 78% of resumes are misleading.

Highlight Your Skills

Embellish your resume with details and skills that you have learned. Briefly describe your duties and what you have gained from those experiences. “I think focusing on skills is a good way to stand out,” says Trotz. “For instance, anyone can be a waiter in a restaurant, but how can you personalize it to showcase the things that you’ve learned and how you’ve grown as a person?”

Be Professional

Be sure your resume looks professional and organized. Keep the resume to one page and “fill the page with relevant, quality information,” says Trotz. The key to an attractive resume is “figuring out how you want to present yourself. If you can do that in a positive manner, you are more likely to get an interview,” says Trotz.

Simplify and Organize

Keep your resume in the simplest format possible and avoid using complicated language. The reader should be able to easily scan your resume and fully understand what you are trying to convey. Having an organized resume can also help you to improve it. Resumes are also written in reverse chronology, so start with your most recent experience and work your way down.

As long as you remember these tips you will be one step closer to landing your dream job.

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