Supercharge Your Resume Reviews: A Comprehensive Guide for Career Advisors
Helping students perfect their resumes is a critical task for career advisors. A strong resume opens doors to job interviews, while a weak one can close them. This guide will walk you through a step-by-step process to elevate resume reviews, using our proven checklist. Along the way, we’ll provide practical examples, actionable advice, and additional resources to ensure your students' resumes shine.
Contact and Personal Information: Make a Lasting First Impression
The contact information at the top of the resume is often overlooked, but it’s the first piece of information employers see. This section should immediately convey professionalism. Encourage students to use simple, clean formatting with accurate contact details and no gimmicky email addresses. It’s also a good idea to include links to professional profiles such as LinkedIn or a personal portfolio website.
Practical example
Instead of: [email protected]
Use: [email protected]
Instead of listing the full URL:?
www.johndoedesigns.weebly.com/portfolio-projects/graphic-design
Use a clean, custom domain:
www.johndoedesigns.com
Actionable advice
Ensure that the student’s name is presented consistently across all platforms. For example, if their LinkedIn profile lists them as “Amanda J. Jones,” their resume should not list them as “Amanda Jones.” Consistency helps employers connect the dots between the resume and online presence.
Encourage students to update their LinkedIn profile picture with a professional headshot. A clear, high-quality image helps reinforce a polished online presence, especially if they are applying for client-facing roles.
If location is relevant to the job (e.g., the company is hiring locally), ensure the student includes their city and state, but omits a full mailing address for privacy reasons. This could look like: Amanda Jones | San Francisco, CA
Remind students to triple-check their phone number and email for accuracy. It’s surprisingly common for typos to slip into critical contact fields, which can lead to missed interview opportunities.
Professional Branding: Showcasing Their Unique Value
A resume isn’t just a list of jobs; it’s a personal marketing document. The student’s personal brand—their unique set of skills, personality, and career goals—should come across clearly. Ensure there’s alignment between their resume, LinkedIn profile, and professional portfolios.
Practical examples
Instead of: “Hardworking individual looking for a challenging role in marketing.”
Use: “Data-driven marketing graduate with experience leading campaigns that boosted engagement by 25%.”
Instead of: “Check out my work here: www.exampleportfolio.com”
Use: “Portfolio: www.janedoeportfolio.com — highlighting campaign strategies, content creation, and SEO improvements.”
Actionable advice
The messaging on the resume should match LinkedIn, portfolios, and other professional sites. If the resume emphasizes marketing, their LinkedIn should reflect marketing experiences and interests.
Help students write a one-line value proposition that defines what makes them unique. For example: “Social media specialist with a proven track record of driving engagement through innovative content.”
Ensure that the style, tone, and content of the resume reflect where the student is heading. A student aiming for leadership roles should emphasize strategic, leadership-driven contributions.
If applying for creative industries like design or advertising, resumes may allow for more personal flair. In contrast, for finance or legal sectors, the resume should remain more formal and structured.
Suggest students use taglines on their resumes and LinkedIn profiles, e.g., “Results-driven digital marketer with expertise in paid social campaigns.”
Summary Section: Capturing Employer Attention Quickly
The summary section should be concise and impactful, highlighting the student’s career goals and unique skills. It needs to show how their qualifications align with the job they’re targeting, while being specific and action-oriented.
Practical examples
Instead of: “Looking for a position where I can use my skills.”
Use: “Eager to contribute 2 years of data analytics expertise to drive decision-making at [Company Name].”
Instead of: “Experienced project manager seeking a new opportunity.”
Use: “Project manager with 5+ years of experience leading teams to successfully deliver complex projects on time and within budget.”
Actionable advice
The summary should include specific references to the job or industry the student is pursuing. For example, if applying for a tech position, emphasize coding, problem-solving, or innovation.
Help students choose 2-3 core strengths they want to be known for and highlight those in the summary (e.g., “Skilled in data analytics, team leadership, and business intelligence tools”).
Make sure the summary is no more than 2-3 sentences. Brevity ensures clarity, and hiring managers are likely to skim resumes quickly.
The tone should reflect the student’s career level. For example, early-career students should focus on skills and education, while mid-level professionals can focus on leadership or project outcomes.
Encourage students to weave relevant keywords into their summary to ensure it resonates with both hiring managers and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
Education Section: Highlighting Relevant Achievements
The education section is an opportunity to do more than just list degrees. Students should emphasize achievements like honors, relevant projects, or key coursework that align with the role they are applying for.
Practical examples
Instead of just listing a degree: “Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, University of XYZ”
Use: “Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (GPA: 3.9) — Relevant coursework: Financial Accounting, Business Analytics, Capstone Project: Market Entry Strategy.”
Instead of: “Graduated May 2023.”
Use: “Graduated May 2023, Dean’s List (5 semesters), Treasurer of the Business Club.”
Actionable advice
For students without much work experience, advise them to list key projects they completed during their studies, especially if those projects are relevant to the target role.
If applicable, suggest including GPA (if above 3.5), Dean’s List mentions, academic scholarships, or honors programs to showcase academic excellence.
Encourage students to include any relevant certifications (e.g., Google Analytics, Microsoft Office Specialist) under their education section if those skills align with the job.
For each job, suggest students tailor the relevant coursework section to highlight classes that are directly applicable to the role (e.g., “Advanced Marketing Analytics” for a marketing role).
Ensure that all degrees, institutions, and dates are consistently formatted to make the section clean and easy to read (e.g., bold for degree, regular font for institution).
Experience Section: Results Over Responsibilities
The experience section should go beyond listing job duties. Each bullet point should focus on what the student accomplished and the impact they had, ideally using quantifiable metrics.
Practical examples
Instead of: “Managed social media channels for the company.”
Use: “Increased social media engagement by 40% through targeted content strategy.”
Instead of: “Was responsible for training new staff members.”
Use: “Trained and onboarded 20+ new employees, reducing onboarding time by 30%.”
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Actionable advice
Each bullet point should start with a strong action verb (e.g., “led,” “developed,” “achieved,” “improved”) to clearly demonstrate the student’s impact in previous roles.
Encourage students to reframe their work experience to focus on results. For example, instead of saying “responsible for filing reports,” they could say “improved report filing efficiency by 20%.”
Whenever possible, students should quantify their achievements. Numbers (e.g., “increased sales by 10%,” “reduced costs by 15%”) help the resume stand out.
Suggest students tailor each work experience entry to highlight skills and experiences that are most relevant to the job they are applying for.
Encourage students to downplay or omit irrelevant job experiences that don’t align with their career goals. Focus on transferable skills from unrelated roles.
Skills Section: Balancing Hard and Soft Skills
The skills section should include a mix of hard (technical) and soft skills, customized for the job they’re applying for. Using industry-specific keywords here can help the resume get past ATS systems.
Practical examples
Instead of listing only technical skills like “Python, SQL, Tableau,” add soft skills such as “Problem-solving, Communication, Team Leadership.”
Instead of a generic “Microsoft Office, Data Entry,” customize it to: “Advanced Excel (Pivot Tables, Macros), SQL Database Management.”
Actionable advice
Encourage students to look carefully at the job description and match their skills section to the skills the employer is seeking. This helps with ATS keyword matching.
While technical skills are important, employers also value soft skills. Students should ensure they include interpersonal skills that make them well-rounded candidates (e.g., teamwork, adaptability).
Avoid vague skills like “computer skills” or “communication.” Instead, encourage students to list specific tools (e.g., “Hootsuite, Google Analytics”) or situations where communication was key (e.g., “led weekly team meetings”).
Advise students to avoid listing basic skills that are assumed for most roles (e.g., Microsoft Word or email proficiency). Focus on skills that set them apart.
For students with many skills, consider organizing them into categories, such as “Technical Skills” and “Leadership Skills,” to make the section more readable and focused.
Customization and Relevance: Tailoring to the Job
A one-size-fits-all resume rarely succeeds. Each resume should be customized for the specific job by using industry keywords and ensuring experiences are relevant to the role. Customizing the resume helps it pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and stand out to hiring managers.
Practical examples
Instead of: “Handled administrative tasks in an office setting.”
Use: “Managed office workflows and optimized team productivity through streamlined scheduling and project management, reducing lead times by 15%.”
Instead of: “Worked as a sales associate in retail.”
Use: “Delivered exceptional customer service, driving a 10% increase in repeat customers and achieving top salesperson ranking in Q3 2022.”
Actionable advice
Encourage students to carefully review the job posting for specific keywords and responsibilities. These should be mirrored in their resume to ensure it passes ATS checks.
The student’s summary or objective should be rewritten for each job application to highlight their most relevant experiences and skills. This shows a clear alignment between their capabilities and the employer’s needs.
Guide students to minimize or omit outdated or irrelevant job experiences, especially if they don’t add value to the current application. Focus on relevant skills and experiences.
For each job, help students tailor their skills section to reflect the technical and soft skills required in the job description. This shows that they understand the specific demands of the role.
Advise students to highlight achievements in previous roles that align with the new job’s requirements. For example, if applying for a leadership position, emphasize any management or team-building experience.
Design and Layout: ATS Compatibility and Readability
A clean, professional resume design is crucial for readability and compatibility with ATS systems. Resumes filled with complex graphics, unusual fonts, or intricate formatting can confuse ATS software, causing the resume to be rejected. Keeping it simple ensures both humans and machines can easily scan the document.
Practical examples
Instead of using creative fonts like “Comic Sans” or “Brush Script,”
Use professional fonts like “Arial,” “Calibri,” or “Times New Roman” in 10-12pt font size.
Instead of using tables or charts that may confuse ATS software,
Use clean bullet points and section headings (e.g., “Experience,” “Education,” “Skills”) to organize the content.
Actionable advice
Recommend students stick to widely accepted resume formats that are ATS-friendly, avoiding templates that contain graphics, photos, or complex designs. Simplicity works best with ATS software.
Advise students to maintain consistent formatting throughout their resume, including uniform font sizes, bullet points, and margins. Inconsistencies can make a resume look unprofessional or cluttered.
Graphics, images, and tables can confuse ATS software, which reads text-based information. Encourage students to avoid these elements and stick with text-based formats for important details.
Guide students to save their resume in PDF or .docx format, as these are typically more ATS-compatible. Avoid less common formats like RTF or JPEG.
Suggest that students use bold headings for each section (Experience, Education, Skills) and leave enough white space around the text to make the resume easy to read. Clean design makes it easier for hiring managers to scan key details.
Proofreading: Attention to Detail
A resume filled with typos, inconsistent formatting, or grammar errors can create a poor impression. Proofreading is critical to ensure the resume presents the student as detail-oriented and professional. It’s also helpful to have someone else review the resume for errors or unclear wording.
Practical examples
Instead of: “Manages team projects and manages product launches.”
Use consistent tenses: “Managed team projects and product launches.”
Instead of: “Led team initiatives; improved customer satisfaction, generated reports”
Use: “Led team initiatives, improved customer satisfaction, and generated reports.”
Actionable advice
Encourage students to read their resume out loud to catch awkward phrasing or unclear points. Hearing the text helps identify errors or inconsistencies they might miss when reading silently.
Recommend tools like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor to help students identify grammatical errors and improve the clarity of their writing.
Remind students to use past tense for previous roles and present tense for current roles. Inconsistent tenses can make the resume seem rushed or incomplete.
Make sure students double-check their contact information (phone number, email, LinkedIn URL) for any typos. Even a small error here could cost them an interview opportunity.
It’s helpful to have a second set of eyes reviewing the resume. Advise students to ask a friend, peer, or career advisor to review their resume for any errors, unclear sections, or formatting issues they may have overlooked.
A well-crafted resume is one of the most important tools in a student's job search, and as career advisors, you have the power to guide them toward success. By following this comprehensive checklist, you can help students showcase their skills, achievements, and professionalism in a way that captures the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. With a focus on customization, clear formatting, and action-oriented language, your students' resumes will not only pass ATS systems but also stand out in today’s competitive job market.
To make the resume review process even easier, we’ve provided a free, downloadable Resume Review Checklist to streamline your efforts. Download now!