Critiquing and Making Final Revision of Resume

Here is something absolute about that word "final." Take the Latin finis, it literally means the end. You may have become anxious to finish your resume, to hurry it and have it typed and printed. But most likely rushing the final product, on which you have lavished so much attention, is at stake.

Before a company introduces a new product in "final" form the public, it generally invests quite a bit of money to test-market that product. Consumers in the test-market area frequently provide invaluable comments about how the product can be improved; their feedback can virtually make or break that very product. So it should be with your resume. The feedback you'll get from friends and from people in the field will provide you with the finishing touches, those important last-minute visions that may mean the difference between just another resume and one that really succeeds.

In this article you'll have the opportunity to sit at the critic's desk. First you'll rate a sample resume, and then you'll critique your own. Finally, you'll test market your resume by showing it other people who can give you valuable criticism.



By now you will have accomplished four objectives:

1. Made certain that your resume communicates your strengths so that they will relate to the needs of potential employers.
   
   
2. Eliminated all extraneous words, phrases, and information from your resume.
   
   
3. Settled on an attractive layout using margins, special headings, underlining, capitals, and white space, so as produce a clear, inviting, and professional resume.
   
   
4. Polished the writing so that it conveys the information you want.

The Process of Critiquing

Before you begin your job as a resume critic, put yourself the right frame of mind. You are a busy employer. It's 10:30 in the morning and you have already looked at 65 resumes. You have 25 more to screen before the 11 A.M. meeting with your department head. So you really have to be quick and critical with the pile in front of you.

Now get ready; we've provided a copy of the resume of Ms. Becky Conway for you to critique. The resume is real. Only the name has been changed to protect the innocent!) Read the resume and make your comments about how it could be improved.

You Need to Self Market

Becky Conway

1875 Riverside Drive

Macon, Georgia (404) 555-4003

Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Marital Status: Social Security Number: U.S. Citizen Health:

3-19-35

Atlanta, Georgia Divorced 652 46 5043

Excellent

EDUCATION

1966 Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, Georgia (Kindergarten method

1953-1954 Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (Pre-med)

1949-1953 Sandy Springs High School, Atlanta, Georgia

1941-1949 James L. Riley Elementary School, Atlanta, Georgia

In addition, I have attended library workshops at a number of George universities in General Adult Books, Story Hours, Teenage and Children Books, and Summer Programs. I have also attended many workshops for training programs in psychology and anthropology. I speak, read, and write Spanish fluently.

EMPLOYMENT

1967-Present Professional Assistant, Macon Public Library, Macon Georgia. Major duties: book selection, reference, book order, book reviews, checking books out to public and story-telling supervision.

1966-1967 Teacher, Help Line. In addition to teaching activities, I was involved in overall planning, organization, and counseling c parents of children in all classes in the local program.

1955-1961 Interpreter, U.S. Army C.I.C. Supervised troop education in Panama.

PERSONAL REFERENCES

Dr. Steven M. Grayson, Director, Head Start, 1211 Peachtree, Atlanta, Georgia, Mr. Warren Franklin, 409 Water Lane, Decatur, Georgia

Critiquing and Making Final Revisions

Sample Resume Critique Form

Resume of Ms. Becky Conway

Score -- How It Could Be Improved --- 1 2 3

1. Overall appearance. Do you want to read it? X
   
   
2. Layout. Does the resume look professional, well typed and printed, good margins, etc? Do key sales points stand out? X Could better highlight sales points.
   
   
3. Length. Could the resume tell the same story if it were shortened? X The part on education should be shortened, and Employment expanded to show accomplishments.
   
   
4. Relevance. Has extraneous material been eliminated? X Early education, personal statistics, and references should be deleted.
   
   
5. Writing Style. Is it easy to get a picture of the applicant's qualifications? X Increase the coverage of qualifications-convey more benefits. Eliminate "I have" phrases.
   
   
6. Action Orientation. Do sentences and paragraphs begin with action verbs? X Sentences could be more directed to achievement and action-eliminate wind-up phrases.
   
   
7. Specificity. Does resume avoid generalities and focus on specific information about experience, projects, products, etc.? X Could point out the "quantities"-number of parents counseled, number of books handled.
   
   
8. Accomplishments. Are applicant's accomplishments and problem-solving skills emphasized? X Applicant's accomplishments are not emphasized.
   
   
9. Completeness. Is all Important Information covered? What did she do from 1961-66? She forgot zip codes.
   
   
10. Bottom Line. How well does the resume accomplish its ultimate purpose of getting the employer to invite the applicant in for an Interview?

The applicant tells us very little about her skills, what she can do and what she has accomplished. She should expand the description of the work experience.

Rating Point Total 15 (Out of a maximum of 30)

What are some other ways that you would suggest to improve this resume?

The section on employment history should be expanded to twice its size, with a we written description of accomplishments. This could precede the education section l make it more prominent.

Now It's Your Turn

How did your rating compare with ours? Were you more lenient? Less? Did you suggest some specific areas of improvement? Before you read any more of this article, critique your own resume.

Test Marketing Your Resume

How did you do? Were you surprised by your rating? Were you strict with yourself? Did you discover any areas that could be improved?

Take some time now to make any necessary revisions. If you think you need a new draft, prepare one. Then you'll be ready to test market your resume, keeping in mind these few pointers that will help you obtain an objective resume critique:

• If possible, select someone to review your resume who has had some experience in the business or professional world. It could be a friend of a friend, a placement counselor, or a prior employer. Don't be afraid to ask for the kind of help you want and need.
  
  
• Phrase your questions to this individual so as to encourage ideas for improvement: "Would you mind looking over this resume and giving me some ideas about how I can make it better?" When you just ask people for an opinion, they are often afraid of being too critical and won't make concrete corrections or suggestions.
  
  
• Have the person read your resume once or twice and then put it down; ask that person to describe what he or she has learned about you. If you do this with someone who doesn't know you too well, the feedback you get will reflect the overall impression created by your resume.
  
  
• After you have elicited some general comments from the reader, you may wish to focus on specific questions. Ask:

Do you think my resume should be shortened?

How would you improve the layout?

Do I give enough information about my most recent position? Is the presentation clear? Compelling?

Final Touches

After you've had your resume critiqued, use all the information and advice you've gathered to make your final revisions. The next step is to have your completed resume typed and printed. Here are some tips:

• Use a top-quality typewriter with a clean ribbon. If you don't have access to a good typewriter, pay a commercial service to do the final typing. Have someone, in addition to yourself, proofread for typing errors.
  
  
• Take the typed and proofread version of your resume to an established offset printer. (Check your local Yellow Pages.] Have 100 copies printed on a good (but not extravagant] grade of paper. The cost is nominal when you consider the benefits of a well-done resume. Keep the typed original in sealed flat envelope for possible reprinting.

Now you've done it! It took a lot of time and effort, but what you have created is a document that sets you apart from the crowd and gives you the maximum chance for getting the interviews you want.