Resume Critiquing

1
Resume Critiquing

• Florida State University
• Career Center

2
Heading

• Complete information (i.e., name, address, phone
  number)
• Placed at the top of the page
• E-mail address (optional)
• Name on subsequent pages

3
Objective

• Place immediately after identification info
• Targets area of employment
• Clearly stated
• Focused
• See the Career Objective Guide for additional
  assistance

4
Overall Appearance

• Resume looks professional
• Do you want to read it?
• Easy to follow?
• Correct spelling, grammar, punctuation

5
Layout

• Key sales points stand out
• Uncluttered
• Uses formatting appropriately (e.g., boldface,
  underlining, bullets)
• Adequate margins and white space

6
Organization

• Key information accents skills, accomplishments,
  abilities
• Appropriate categories emphasized
• Specifics stand out
• Strongest to weakest order
• Consistent format

7
Action-oriented

• Uses positive-action verbs
• Avoids introductory phrases
• Results-oriented
• Avoids exaggerations or lush adjectives

8
Concise

• Uses short, clearly written phrases and
  paragraphs
• Avoids complete and run on sentences
• Use of summary statements to condense information

9
Relevance

• Extraneous material omitted
• Provides facts
• Avoids generalities
• Clear to the reader exactly what you did and why
  it relates to objective

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Controversial Info

• Avoids mentioning controversial activities
• Doesnt raise more questions in the employers
  mind than it answers

11
Appearance

• Avoid extreme colors and formats unless
  appropriate to your career goals
• Use a high quality printer
• Make copies on high quality paper
• Get extra sheets of paper for cover letters

12
Bottom Line

• How well does the resume present a positive
  picture of ones qualifications?
• Will it get you an interview?