Seek resume advice

  • Due Mar 29, 2020 by 11:59pm
  • Points 4
  • Submitting a file upload
  • File Types pdf, docx, doc, gif, jpg, jpeg, and png

 Dilbert resume.gif

dilbert.com Links to an external site.

 

As a UW-Madison student you have access to a wide range of career advisers and writing tutors right here on campus. In this assignment you will identify and use of one of these resources to provide an outside perspective on your draft resume.  And you will also get advice from your social network of peers in your discussion section.

Special update: Given the global COVID-19 pandemic concerns of Spring 2020, please practice "social distancing" and complete this assignment using digital communication tools such as Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, voice calling, or email -- not face-to-face, in-person meetings.  

SuccessWorks advisers are willing to review each of your resumes.  Submit your resume using the Google form at this address:  https://forms.gle/pAMfJxBhXo2qx9By6 Links to an external site. 

 Students will receive an email with feedback within a week after they submit their resume.

Read this first

Complete these steps

1. Edit your resume so it's ready for review.  Take some time to check over your resume to make sure it is updated based on the last few assignments we've completed, so it's ready for expert and peer review in this assignment.   (You might even want to view this free Canvas instructional model on resumes created by SuccessWorks.)

2. Make a resume review appointment.  Make an appointment with either an academic adviser, a career advisor, or a writing tutor to take a look at your resume.  (Or find out when walk-in hours are for your chosen person and ask for help then.)  Here are some options to get you started:

(Please note that the Career Exploration Center in Ingraham Hall does not do resume feedback.)

3. Attend your resume review appointment.  Remember to gather evidence from the appointment that you can upload in order to get credit for this assignment.  For example:  

  • take a photo of the marked-up resume or written feedback that you receive after your adviser or tutor gives you suggestions
  • take a screenshot the email confirming your appointment with the adviser or tutor
  • take a selfie with the person who helped you!

4. Trade your resume with peers, and make printouts. Your TA will provide you with the names of one or more peers in your class.  Use LinkedIn to contact these peers (you might want to link to each other as well).  Or you can use the UW-Madison email directory to find your peers' emails if LinkedIn fails.  Trade resumes electronically, then print out each peer resume on paper in preparation for your review.

5. Review your peers' resumes while they review yours.  Consider the following factors:

  • Errors: Proofread each resume for spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. Mark directly on your partner’s copy.

  • Style: Is the resume clearly organized? It is organized based on chronology, skills, or a combination of the two? Could it be organized more clearly? If so, how might they organize it differently?  Make notes in the margins if helpful.

  • Formatting: Is the formatting (font, spacing, and bullets points) consistent?  Mark up formatting issues.

  • Targeting: Is it clear what type of position this resume written for? What part of the resume do you think is most important in terms of targeting this position? How might the student better highlight their key traits for this targeted position?

  • Specifics: Does the resume describe job tasks, skills, and concrete accomplishments completely and specifically while still being succinct? What was the most effective descriptive line?

  • Big Picture: Overall, what are the strengths that are best communicated by this resume?

For each resume you review, print and fill out this Download resume review check sheet

.  Remember to engage in constructive criticism of the same kind that you would want to receive, face to face.

6. Turn in your results. Upload the file documenting your resume review appointment to Canvas to get credit for this assignment.  Then bring your marked-up resumes and the printed copies of your resume review check sheets to your next discussion, because you will trade them with your peers and go over them in class.

Notes on this assignment

  • Do you have a professor or a TA from another class who is experienced in the field you're interested in working in?  They can give useful resume advice as well.
  • Before you edit your own resume, and before you conduct your peer review, you may want to review some samples: click these links to check out an Download example of a strong resume, and an Download example of a weak resume.
  • What did the person who reviewed your resume notice that you had missed?  Was there anything on your resume that was unclear that you had to explain or contextualize?
  • After you receive feedback on your resume from your peers, think about whether the outside advice you received in this assignment matched with your peer advice.  What should you do if different people give you differing or even contradictory advice about your resume?
  • Are there any preconceptions, stereotypes, assumptions, or biases that you think employers might bring to your resume? What can (or should) you do about this? 
  • Is there anything you have decided to add, remove, or alter on your resume as a result of this assignment?

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1585544399 03/29/2020 11:59pm