Common Resume Mistakes: Asking The Wrong People for Feedback

In my job search I pieced together a resume and then shot it out to friends and family hoping they would let me know if it was any good.

I was looking for someone to catch a grammar mistake, or a spelling error.

I was hoping someone would think it was awesome and walk it down to their boss, so they could offer me a job.

And of course, I was hoping someone would say “WOW!  You are way better than I thought you were!  I’m going to hire you!”

Pipe dreams, I know.

Unfortunately, I got praising feedback:

“This is awesome! You’ll get hired quick!”

and,

“Nothing to change, this is perfect!”

Of course, this was ego-stroking feedback.  It felt good.  It empowered me.  I was excited to use this resume I put together, myself.

But I said it was unfortunate… and here’s why: The people who got my resume were the wrong people to critique it.

Even though they had been hiring managers, and one was a senior level HR manager, they were the wrong people.

None of them critiqued for grammar or spelling.  They all thought “this is Jason… and he is awesome, and here is the data to prove it.”

They were biased going in.

I get asked to review resumes all the time.  Since I speak on job search and LinkedIn and networking, and I run a job search organizer (JibberJobber.com), and I’ve written some books on this stuff.  I’m in front of lots of job seekers all the time, and some of them think I’m pretty smart.

So why wouldn’t I review your resume?

Because I’m not detail oriented.

And I don’t know enough about your, or your industry, or the companies you are applying to, etc.

And I’m really not staying up on resume stuff, like a professional resume writer is.  Professional resume writers are not typists… they are experts in your personal marketing document (aka, your resume).

Go ahead and “get feedback” from your friends and family.  But until you run your resume through a real resume professional, who is giving you qualified feedback.  If you want Career Resumes to critique your resume, click here.

Be careful who you listen to!