Resume Polishing and Targeting

This unit guides students through refining, tailoring, and delivering professional resumes and application materials while avoiding common pitfalls. Students will practice proofreading, content decisions, targeted outreach, and evaluating services and risks to prepare for effective job search and application strategies.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze resumes and application materials to identify spelling, grammar, formatting, length, content omissions, and red-flag circumstances and recommend precise revisions.
• Apply strategies to tailor resumes and application forms to specific job postings, including identifying keywords, choosing appropriate document types, and targeting hiring managers or internal advocates.
• Demonstrate outreach and networking techniques by locating contacts on company websites, composing targeted messages to hiring managers, and using job boards and social media responsibly.
• Evaluate external resume services, resume-blasting tactics, and social media risks to make ethical, cost-effective decisions about what to include or exclude from application materials.