When to Read Your Own Resume
When was the last time you read your own resume? Most people know that a successful job search starts with a solid resume that tells your career story. But, much like reading a biography of your own life, the thought of reading your own resume seems counterintuitive and unproductive. Fight that instinct! There are several times when reading your resume could drastically improve your job search.
When To Read Your Own Resume
> Before Your Job Search Begins: Whether you’ve recently crafted a brand new resume, added some experience onto it or you’re just dusting off an old one, reading your resume at the beginning of your job search is a stellar idea. This is your chance to soak in the first impression you get from the document in front of you. If it helps, don’t initially think of it as your resume. Think of it instead as a friend’s resume that you’re reading for the first time. This will help you find errors more easily and help you be critical about the message it delivers to employers.
> Before You Submit Your Resume (Yes, Every Time): You’ve just read an enticing job ad and now you’re ready to apply! Take a moment before you submit your resume to read it over again. With the job ad fresh in your mind (or even on your browser for reference) you can determine if your resume in its current state reflects all of the strengths and specific experience you’d bring to this position in particular. If you want each company to feel like you’re perfect for their specific position, do this make minor tweaks and polishing changes any time you’re about to submit your resume.
> Before Your Interview: Having several copies of your resume with you is a must if you want to appear prepared in an interview. Another must is rereading your resume before you head into your interview. Why? Because your interviewers will often ask you specific questions they have based on your resume content along with the generic questions that they ask every candidate. The last thing you want to do is have to look back and reference your own resume. This will make you appear unprepared and disingenuous because you aren’t aware of how you’re representing your career. Know your resume like the back of your hand for a better interview process!
> After Every Rejection Notice: Although they are becoming more rare, rejection notices are an insight that can help bring your job search to a successful end if you treat them the right way. Most companies will notify you when you’re out of the running for a position, particularly when you’ve had some face-to-face or phone interview contact with them. When you get one of these rejection notices it’s easy to start beating yourself up. Instead of doing that, take some time to reread your resume. Maybe you’ll notice an error you hadn’t seen before or maybe you’ll feel that it represents you perfectly and you’re ready to work on your interview skills. Making sure your resume isn’t what knocked you out of the interview process can help you to identify what the real problem was, fix it, and move on to the next opportunity.
You are naturally well acquainted with yourself but are you equally as acquainted with your resume? You should be if you want to ensure it’s a strong document that’s truly representative of you and your career.