Would You Mind Taking A Look At My Resume To See If You Have Any Suggestions?

There are certain questions you should be prepared to address at the end of an informational interview. One of these questions might be: "Would you mind taking a look at my resume to see if you have any suggestions"

If you agree to sit down for an informational interview, the person interviewing you should not use this opportunity to try to get a job at this point in time. The purpose of this type of interview is for someone to learn more about this career field and see if it is right for them. Although the interviewer should not inquire about a job, it is okay to look over his or her resume and offer recommendations on improvements. This way, their resume will be much better if they actually apply for a job in the future.

Points to Emphasize

This question will most likely not be asked unless the rest of the consultation went well and you feel comfortable looking over this person's resume to see what needs to be done.

• Give your honest appraisal
• If you don't feel comfortable looking over a resume, decline politely
• If it looks good, ask if you can keep the resume on file
• Emphasize what attributes are most important to this line of work

The most important thing to include in your response is constructive criticism that the interviewer can apply later down the road.

Mistakes You Should Avoid

When looking over someone's resume who is not applying to your company at this time, avoid falling into these pitfalls with your response.

• Don't be outraged that someone would ask you to look over their resume
• Don't say it looks fine if it needs some work
• Don't take too long looking it over, just focus on what would be most important to you
• Don't view this question as a sign the interviewer is looking for a job with you

Resumes are a critical aspect of the job application process, and having it looked over by a professional can be huge for someone just starting out.

Sample Answer

When asked this question at the conclusion of an interview, frame your answer like this:

Certainly. (Look over resume.) Hmm…it looks pretty good. I would suggest focusing more on what you accomplished during your previous work experiences rather than just listing general job descriptions. If you were to apply here, I would be more interested in how you could benefit the company as a whole.

You may not even be asked this question at all, but it is important to be open to reviewing someone's resume and seeing what changes can be made.

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