1. What can the writer do to make the resume better tailored to the specific job being applied for?
I think you do a tremendous job on making this resume fit the position you are applying for. One of the first things I read was your objective. After reading that you are looking for a position to utilize “strong communication, motivation, and supervisory skills,” I immediately skipped down to your work experience where I read where you had used each of these skills previously. I liked that you repeated the same words when doing this too. It made it simple to find, which is what you want.
2. Is the layout and design pleasing to the eye? Make at least one suggestion for improving it.
Ok. I love your design! I wish mine could look exactly like this. Everything is perfectly laid out. All your contact information is at the top and bounded by the line. I like how you have your headings such as objective, education, and work experience to the left of all the information and the main heading of these are bolded, like Purdue University and Research and Development Intern, for example. I like how you used brackets to show dates of employment and proceeded to put the company and location on the right. Not only is it neat and orderly, but it saves on space as well. I do have one suggestion that can save even more space for you. You should change the font of the white lines between text to font size 8. It will still have the same organized look and possibly allow you to add other things to your resume if you want or reduce your margins.
3. Does the resume fit comfortably within the page (as opposed to being squished in or stretched out)? What can the writer do to improve it?
This is the issue I just addressed in the previous question. If you change the text to font size 8 in those white lines where you do not have anything written, you can reduce your margins to eliminate the stretched out effect.
4. Is it easily readable (no confusing fonts, clearly marked sections)? What improvements can be made?
Extremely. I like how you use bold to draw attention to the title of your position and bullets to draw my attention to the skills you used in that position. I would not make changes regarding this.
5. Does it use typography (including headers and bold and italics) appropriately and effectively?
Bold was the only one of these things that you used. The way you have set up your resume currently, there is no need to use a header in my opinion. Personally, I would not use italics either because I already like your setup. However, if you feel the need to, that would be fine as well.
6. Is the most important information located on the left side of the page and near the top whenever possible? Identify at least one part that could be better placed.
The only place I would make a change is under your work experience as a research and development intern. I would change the order you listed your bulleted points to
“Design and Conduct experiments within a defined project,” “Plan, Prepare, Calibrate, Apply, Evaluate data on research projects,” and then “Proficiency in laboratory handling pesticides.” Also, I noticed that you never included your expected date of graduation. This is something you will want to include under your education information. With your setup, I think it would fit nicely in the right column under West Lafayette, IN.
7. Does the content of the resume support the objective (if there is one)? Explain.
Yes. I already addressed how you used the same words in your objective as skills from your previous work experience to show how you got them and what situations you have used them in. I think that this is very effective.
8. Is the resume too short? Where can it elaborate? Job skills? Responsibilities? Education?
Unless you have other amazing experiences you have not told me about, I think you fully covered these topics.
9. Is material sequenced in order of importance and relevance?
Because you are applying for a position at the YMCA, I would list your volunteer activities right after your work experience. I think it will help make a better impression for you. Especially that part about BGR (I’m a Team Super)! Other than this rearrangement, I think the order you presented things in is good.
10. Do bulleted items begin with action verbs? Are list items ordered in terms of importance?
Yes. You use strong action verbs to begin every bulleted item, which is exactly what you should do.
11. Does the resume avoid generalities and focus on specific information and professional terminology?
Yes. You always try to quantify or give an idea of the time frame for each activity that you have listed. This helps make it more specific so that the reader knows exactly what you did.
12. Does the resume pass the Quadrant, Column, Squint, and Distance tests? Explain how the author might make improvements based on your test results.
Yes. Everything is sectioned neatly in each part of the resume. It contains three columns to that organize the information effectively and is able to keep the text from becoming bunched in any one area.
13. What other observations can you make about the resume?
Having a resume like this one is a great first step to getting the job you are applying for. Best of luck!
Comments
Feedback
1. What can the writer do to make the resume better tailored to the specific job being applied for?
I think you do a tremendous job on making this resume fit the position you are applying for. One of the first things I read was your objective. After reading that you are looking for a position to utilize “strong communication, motivation, and supervisory skills,” I immediately skipped down to your work experience where I read where you had used each of these skills previously. I liked that you repeated the same words when doing this too. It made it simple to find, which is what you want.
2. Is the layout and design pleasing to the eye? Make at least one suggestion for improving it.
Ok. I love your design! I wish mine could look exactly like this. Everything is perfectly laid out. All your contact information is at the top and bounded by the line. I like how you have your headings such as objective, education, and work experience to the left of all the information and the main heading of these are bolded, like Purdue University and Research and Development Intern, for example. I like how you used brackets to show dates of employment and proceeded to put the company and location on the right. Not only is it neat and orderly, but it saves on space as well. I do have one suggestion that can save even more space for you. You should change the font of the white lines between text to font size 8. It will still have the same organized look and possibly allow you to add other things to your resume if you want or reduce your margins.
3. Does the resume fit comfortably within the page (as opposed to being squished in or stretched out)? What can the writer do to improve it?
This is the issue I just addressed in the previous question. If you change the text to font size 8 in those white lines where you do not have anything written, you can reduce your margins to eliminate the stretched out effect.
4. Is it easily readable (no confusing fonts, clearly marked sections)? What improvements can be made?
Extremely. I like how you use bold to draw attention to the title of your position and bullets to draw my attention to the skills you used in that position. I would not make changes regarding this.
5. Does it use typography (including headers and bold and italics) appropriately and effectively?
Bold was the only one of these things that you used. The way you have set up your resume currently, there is no need to use a header in my opinion. Personally, I would not use italics either because I already like your setup. However, if you feel the need to, that would be fine as well.
6. Is the most important information located on the left side of the page and near the top whenever possible? Identify at least one part that could be better placed.
The only place I would make a change is under your work experience as a research and development intern. I would change the order you listed your bulleted points to
“Design and Conduct experiments within a defined project,” “Plan, Prepare, Calibrate, Apply, Evaluate data on research projects,” and then “Proficiency in laboratory handling pesticides.” Also, I noticed that you never included your expected date of graduation. This is something you will want to include under your education information. With your setup, I think it would fit nicely in the right column under West Lafayette, IN.
7. Does the content of the resume support the objective (if there is one)? Explain.
Yes. I already addressed how you used the same words in your objective as skills from your previous work experience to show how you got them and what situations you have used them in. I think that this is very effective.
8. Is the resume too short? Where can it elaborate? Job skills? Responsibilities? Education?
Unless you have other amazing experiences you have not told me about, I think you fully covered these topics.
9. Is material sequenced in order of importance and relevance?
Because you are applying for a position at the YMCA, I would list your volunteer activities right after your work experience. I think it will help make a better impression for you. Especially that part about BGR (I’m a Team Super)! Other than this rearrangement, I think the order you presented things in is good.
10. Do bulleted items begin with action verbs? Are list items ordered in terms of importance?
Yes. You use strong action verbs to begin every bulleted item, which is exactly what you should do.
11. Does the resume avoid generalities and focus on specific information and professional terminology?
Yes. You always try to quantify or give an idea of the time frame for each activity that you have listed. This helps make it more specific so that the reader knows exactly what you did.
12. Does the resume pass the Quadrant, Column, Squint, and Distance tests? Explain how the author might make improvements based on your test results.
Yes. Everything is sectioned neatly in each part of the resume. It contains three columns to that organize the information effectively and is able to keep the text from becoming bunched in any one area.
13. What other observations can you make about the resume?
Having a resume like this one is a great first step to getting the job you are applying for. Best of luck!