“What makes a perfect resume?”

As an ambitious young professional and student, I’ve spent years searching for this answer. Partly as a proactive career strategy, but largely because I genuinely love reviewing resumes and resume resources: the good and the bad!

In my quest to discover the ‘perfect’ resume, however, I soon realized that no resource I read or career specialist I visited had a unified answer. Meaning that while some aspects of resumes are objective and collectively agreed upon (including your work experience), typically the content and format of a resume is subjectively chosen by the applicant and received by the hiring manager (where and how to include your work experience).

Therefore, I wanted to create a critical approach to revamping your resume. Every applicant is unique and only you can make the most informed decision regarding how to create your best resume. So, whether you are a self-proclaimed resume enthusiast like me or you view resumes as a dreaded means-to-an-end, this article can help you revamp your resume to put your best foot forward!

Step 1: REFLECT

REFLECT on your professional identity

First, think critically about who you are as a working professional. Specifically, how do you want to present your professional identity (“experienced educator”, “caring community organizer”, “proactive leader”)? Knowing this from the outset will better inform you in how to reframe and/or rewrite your resume to support this identity.

Step 2: REVIEW

REVIEW your current resume

The next step in refreshing your current resume is simple (if not obvious): examine your current resume! Print out your resume and closely review it paying close attention to objective errors (grammar, spelling, outdated information, formatting inconsistencies), incomplete areas (missing applicable work experience), and how the content and format is either strengthening or hurting your professional brand identity.

REVIEW outside perspectives

When in doubt, ask for help! In this case, have two to three trusted friends, family members, professional colleagues, mentors, and/or career specialists read over your current resume to gain multiple perspectives. Of course, everyone will have a subjective viewpoint so take any feedback with an open and critical mind. As they are reviewing your resume, ask them to pay attention to its clarity, readability, and their impression of your professional identity. You might be surprised what a pair of fresh eyes will tell you!

For example, I recently decided that I wanted to make a career shift from teaching kids to nonprofit program management in the fine arts. When I gave my resume to others, I soon learned that while my resume was accurate, legible, and engaging, everyone thought I wanted to become a high school teacher based on how it was written. Therefore, I knew that I needed to use the exact same resources (my professional background), to tell a different story to hiring managers.

REVIEW other resources

Another great process in editing your resume is to review outside resources for inspiration, analysis, and even as a cautionary tale. I recommend reading pre-written resumes online to experience a hiring manager’s perspective, resume articles for specific questions and advice, and job postings in your field to learn what skills and experiences you should be highlighting. Remember, even though it is likely that you will find diverse and contradictory advice, this process is important to help you develop your critical skills.

Step 3: REVISE

REVISE your resume

Here is the moment you’ve been waiting for: editing your resume! In this step, begin making all the changes needed. This includes addressing any errors (spelling, grammar, typos), missing information (updating your work experience), and connecting your resume to your professional identity. When in doubt, be selective, and make everything readable and purposeful.

For example, because I work in a creative industry, I strategically design the format and content of my resume to support this professional identity. Specifically, I love using coloured headers (dark green and blue), unique and applicable work experiences (costume and theatre coordination), and relevant skills (“Managing Volunteers”, “Strategic Planning”, and “Networking”) to make my resume stand out, be informative, and true to my chosen field. 

REVISE your mindset

You did it! You just painstakingly refreshed your resume through reflection, research, and editing! You are practically guaranteed the job now, right? Sadly, no.

It is important to recognize that a resume no matter how ‘perfect’ will never be the sole thing that gets you the job. Instead, it only has the potential to get you an interview. Further, resumes are only one aspect of the job finding process along with cover letters, interviews, references, and other considerations. Of note, one study found that the average recruiter spends only 7 seconds reviewing a resume. While disheartening, this is all the more reason to be motivated to make your resume as engaging as possible. It is important to recognize that there are various factors in the job finding process that are in and out of your control.

Conclusion

In the 21^st century job market, resumes are an unavoidable necessity. Therefore, hopefully through this article and other resources online you can refresh your resume in a more critical manner. Best of luck in your professional development journey!

Julia Halabourda is an experienced Burnaby art and recreation programmer, educator (focus in the fine arts and theatre), and nonprofit writer. She has her Bachelor of General Studies from SFU’s Faculty of Education with Minors in Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Psychology, and Social Justice in Education. She also has her Nonprofit Management Associate’s Certificate from BCIT. Julia has been writing with Charity Village since August 2020 and her past articles can be accessed here. Julia can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-halabourda/.