4 Questions to Ask Before Revising Your Resume

By now, most people know that they need to customize their resumes in order to stand out as an applicant. 

A lot of the time people report that they have in fact “tweaked” their resume but still feel like they are sending their applications into an internet black hole.

Today I want to share the questions I ask that help us customize resumes in a strategic way for your job search.

What is the hiring manager looking for in this role?

When you look at a job posting, you’re probably paying attention to the responsibilities so you can assess if you’d enjoy the job.

That makes sense!

But recruiters will be looking for your qualifications - so we want to make sure your resume makes these very easy to see.

When you think about what makes a good resume, we want to remember that our resume is not about us.

It’s about our qualifications for the job. It’s a marketing tool so you always want to prioritize the audience.

What relevant experience or stories can I share?

If you’ve ever worked with me or attended my workshops, you know I’m a big believer in taking some time to reflect and write BEFORE you touch your resume. This time allows us to really think through and own your experience before worrying about how we’ll position it for a specific opportunity. 

Take some time to think and write about these most relevant examples from your history and get clear on the potential value and framing to future employers.

Are your qualifications up to date? Are your bullet points sharing the most relevant outcomes, achievements and responsibilities?

Do I know anyone who works here?

Sometimes we can gain additional insight about a role, manager, or team if we happen to have folks in our network who are currently or have recently been employed there. It could be a long shot, but it’s worth using LinkedIn to take a look!

What is most exciting about this role for me?

If something jumps out for you as super exciting or really makes it feel like a perfect fit for you – find a way to address that, even briefly. 

Relevant experience almost always trumps enthusiasm – but genuine excitement paired with a strong positioning of your skills is a great way to put yourself forward AND land a role that’s a great fit.

Our resume revision process often includes structural changes to the format as well as content changes that help us highlight the most important experience, skills, and attributes that you have. And we often make those content changes, by spending plenty of time thinking about these five questions before we touch your resume.

Sometimes I help clients “tweak” their resume, but this is the final step in a strategic revision. It’s typically not the first and it is certainly not the only part of what it takes to stand out online – especially if you’re seeking to make a change or some sort of growth opportunity.

In your excitement about finding a role you can’t wait to apply for – please take the time to assess what’s most important, who is reading it, and put your best resume forward.