This is the Business English Podcast, Episode 137.
Can you look over my resume? How to ask for job application help.
Welcome to the Business English podcast from All Ears English.
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For a presentation, a meeting, or your office party, this is Real Business English with your favorite American hosts, Lindsay and Michelle, coming to you from New York City and Colorado, USA.
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Offer ends August 10th. allearsenglish.com slash connection. hey michelle how you doing today how's it going good yes very well thank you how are you it's going great for me life is good we're recording today on a friday which i'm excited to get out of the office but for now i'm happy on the mic yeah yeah we don't usually record on fridays for some reason so this is kind of yeah interesting um but lindsay um has anybody ever asked you to look over their resume Wow.
For me to look over their resume, I guess.
Yes. I've gotten that request at times for sure.
Usually I point them to like a resume editor because I'm not an editor and I'm not a career coach and I'm not really, you know, that's not really my thing.
But yeah, I'll take a look at someone's resume just as a first look. right yeah yeah yeah well i know um i've had to do it for family members a little bit or you know but just just for casual because i'm also not yeah an editor um but i don't know do you um i mean i know it's probably been a while since you've made the resume and everything but do you remember asking people to look over yours when you were first starting your career It's been a while, but yeah, I do.
I think I would ask people casually, hey, would you mind taking a look at this?
Right. Or could you look this over for me?
Things like that, because you don't want to be super formal, especially if it's a friend or family member.
You don't want to put a lot of pressure on them.
Yeah. You don't want to make them feel like it's a big project that they're going to have to carve out a ton of time in their lives to do, right?
Yes, exactly. So guys, but it can be really helpful to have someone look over your resume to have them proofread, right?
Not only for grammar and spelling, but also for content.
Maybe there's something that's redundant or, you know, a way to save space.
That's another big thing is like, How much space are you using up on the resume?
Could something be arranged in the layout?
So today we're going to talk about this.
What can you say when you want someone to check out your resume and maybe give you some feedback?
I love it. I love it. So good. You could also, I mean, I guess you could also ask colleagues, um, I would just be careful, you know, if your colleague, is that a friend colleague that will keep your secret safe for a job?
Like, why are you editing your resume? Oh, you're looking for another job, you know, just be careful who you share things with at work.
So I would lean towards friends and family here, but if you have a colleague you absolutely trust, um, that's okay too.
Yeah, that's right. That's right. So we have some other episodes to direct you to that will be super helpful for this topic.
So on the All Ears English podcast, we have episode 1632, which is when to hit send on your job application.
And what else, Lindsay, do we have? Well, right here on this podcast, guys, Business English episode 52, we interviewed, so it's called Insider English Resume Strategies from Silicon Valley.
I interviewed a guy who was, I think it was like a career coach in Silicon Valley or something, a hiring manager, and he gave us some really good insight on resume strategies for tech jobs.
So check that out. And also hit follow right here on Business English, guys.
So that way, these episodes will drop right into your queue.
You don't have to remember and go and look for them.
They drop right into your queue. That's right.
Awesome. So let's get into it. What is something... What's the first thing that you can say?
Yeah. Like I said before, the key here is keeping it... making it feel non-committal right like you're not asking for a huge commitment of time for them so we're gonna go slow and casual with this hey would you mind looking over my resume i'd love to hear your thoughts that's not implying to me it's going to be a huge pull on my time right Michelle right yeah exactly you're not saying like hey can we schedule an appointment that you're gonna sit there and look for four hours no can you clear your calendar next Wednesday yeah exactly don't you have a wedding next weekend well instead I'd like you to look at my resume okay um here's another one and this is also very non-committal uh do you have a few minutes to proofread my resume Also very noncommittal.
And this is a great episode topic too, maybe for the All Ears English podcast is how to signal that something will not require an ask, will not require a big commitment, that it's not a big ask, it's a light ask.
So again, just to repeat your question, do you have a few extra minutes to proofread my resume?
Good. Next one, Michelle, what is it? I like this one.
I could use an extra set of eyes to make sure my resume looks okay.
Can you take a look? Also very light. An extra set of eyes.
I always think that's fine. I find myself, we could do that on All Ears English as well.
I find myself saying like, oh, I need an extra set of eyes on this or like, I don't know.
It's kind of a fun expression. I think that's a great one.
Yeah. Yeah. Here's the last one. So guys, write these down.
Do you think I included enough X in my resume?
And this is after the person's already looked at it, obviously.
Like, do you think I included enough accomplishments, enough numbers or data or positions, titles, things like that?
Whatever it is you're worried about. Exactly.
And I mean, I think these situations can connect you to someone because it shows that you trust them.
You chose you trust them enough to look at your resume, you value their input.
Yeah, it's also just like can strengthen that bond as well.
Like it's kind of flattering. I mean, it's a little like, oh, gosh, how long is this going to take me?
But it's also I mean, if you really want to help that person, it's kind of a compliment that someone is I mean, it is that they value what you would have to say.
They respect your professional opinion. They think you're intelligent.
They think you're a good writer. They think that you would add value to their resume.
So take it as a compliment. And again, super important for the person doing the ask, making the ask, make it feel like it's not going to be a big deal because it shouldn't be a big deal, right?
Someone shouldn't be pouring over your resume for two hours.
I feel like that's just the job of, you know, I remember having my parents help me with my homework when I was in middle school, you know, and they would just help me for hours.
And I just thought to myself, oh, I don't know if I would ever do this for my kids.
I know. Sometimes I think about that. I'm like, oh, gosh, homework is going to be in my life in a few years.
And I thought, you know, you think, oh, the time in my life is over.
But actually, it's coming back for you, Michelle.
Yeah, my parents helped me a lot. Yeah.
So that kind of commitment is a big commitment.
So no adult wants to make that kind of commitment.
Right. So just keep in mind your audience.
Who are you asking? Okay. It's not like they're your parent and they're going to help you because they have to.
They're your parents. Unless they are your parents.
In that case, it's another episode. I've asked my parents for help.
Yeah. I mean, I think one of the things is like some people might feel more comfortable with certain areas of the resume.
Like some people might be like, oh, yeah, I can look at it for like spelling grammar.
They feel confident in that area. But maybe somebody else is better about layout and, you know, how things look.
So you might go to different people depending on how you like what you know their strengths are.
I think that's really smart. That's a really good point.
So go to an editor for actual grammar editing.
Maybe go to someone who has experience working in hiring for strategy.
Yes. Like are these bullet points the right things to pull out from this job or as a hiring manager or anyone who really anyone who's been at a high level in a company or his own a company like they could look at a resume and say,
From the perspective of someone that wants to hire someone, these bullet points don't add much value.
They don't show me your value, right? Right.
Yeah. So really thinking about the content.
And then, yeah, it can be easy on a resume to, I think... like want to list everything, right?
Or I don't know, just it could be that some things end up being redundant or you just want to make sure that like you don't have that much space, right?
You want to wow this person. And actually, this could be another thing for another day.
But I hear with AI, like it's often like lately, it's not even common that a person would read your resume first.
Like it might run through some sort of machine first. first and like some sort of, you know, so that's a, that's something to explore as well.
Yeah. And I think just maybe, I think for us, this kind of goes without saying, but I want to call it out based on a couple of conversations I've had recently, never plagiarize a resume.
So never go online and I've heard this does happen.
I can't, it blows my mind that it does. To me, it's common sense that you wouldn't do this.
But I do know there are people out there who will go and just find a resume online, put their name on it and maybe change a few things and submit that.
That's insane. Oh, gosh. Because what inevitably what happens?
OK, you get the interview. You're sitting in the interview and they ask you about your experience in XYZ or maybe your English level.
It says native, for example. Right. Don't do that, guys.
Do not do that. Don't lie on your resume.
Yeah, just don't. You're going to feel, even if you get away with it, like you're going to feel really uncomfortable and then you're going to be asked to do something and it's going to come out in the end and you're going to be in big trouble.
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Terms and conditions apply. OK, Michelle, do we have some role plays or do we have something else we wanted to go into first?
Yes, let's do it. So here we go. So these are these are the role plays.
We have a couple of them, actually. So in the first one, I'm your friend and I need help on my resume.
OK, so you're going to be asking me. OK, here we go.
All right. So have you been applying to jobs?
No. Yep. I'm just about to start. Actually, Lindsay, do you have a few minutes to proofread my resume?
I could really use your eyes. Well, sure.
All right. So that's pretty straightforward.
So here you just said, do you have a few minutes to proofread my resume?
So actually, I asked about it first, right, which is interesting.
And then you asked for the read. Right, so maybe we were talking about, maybe you know that I've been, you know, because we're friends, you know that I've been applying, you know, getting ready to start a job search.
So you're just opening up the, you're opening it up and then you stepped in it because now I have a task for you.
I love that. Okay, next one. I am your classmate.
So it sounds like we're in college or something, right?
Okay. Oh, I'm nervous about applying to summer internships.
I know it's a lot. I could use an extra set of eyes to make sure my resume looks okay.
Could you take a look? Sure, no problem.
Actually, would you mind looking over mine too?
I'd love to hear your thoughts. Of course.
All right. So we're peers here and we're going to look over each other's resumes.
Yeah. So what did you say here, Michelle?
What phrase did you, what did I use rather?
You said I could use an extra set of eyes.
We talked about that to make sure my resume looks okay.
Can you take a look? Yeah. And then you said, sure, no problem.
Actually, would you mind looking over mine too?
I'd love to hear your thoughts. Very polite, very nice.
Again, it's not saying like, hey, can you spend three hours working on my resume?
There are certain key phrases like work on.
Can you work on my resume? Now that would signal much more of a commitment. right that's right oh yeah that would that one or even could you edit my resume signals that you're asking me to get in like roll up my sleeves get into your resume right yes so great great concept of what words are committal and what words are non-committal look over that means you're going to fly on top of the resume your eyes are going to fly over the resume quickly relatively quickly with no real massive commitment in terms of making changes Uh huh.
Uh huh. I love that. Yeah, that's good. Yeah.
Edit versus look over. That's so true. These little differences that can make, you know, just such a big change in the meaning and what somebody might perceive as what you're asking for.
I think we have to come back to that topic on All Ears English podcast, Michelle.
That's going to be a really good one, maybe in the context of something a little different.
Guys, go over and open the search bar, find All Ears English podcast and hit follow there because you don't want to miss.
I feel like there's a good episode to be made there.
Michelle, tell me a little bit about your just real quick, you know, applying for jobs and internships in college.
Yeah, oh, for internships in college. So, yeah, I mean, I remember taking it so seriously, applying for internships.
And then I remember, like... There was one I applied.
So I used to I interned for Columbia Records.
And I loved it. But I remember and this could be an episode topic for another time as well.
I specifically remember, you know, I sent in my resume and I was really serious about it.
And then when I got my boss, this isn't really about the... about the resume, but it just made me think of the story.
Um, I remember I emailed my boss, um, to introduce myself before I was going to start.
And I said, and I wrote to him and I said, his name, his last name was Stevens.
And I wrote to him and I said, hi, Mr. Stevens, blah, blah, blah.
And he wrote back to me. Um, I don't call me Mr. Stevens.
That's my dad. Um, And then it's funny because like he was, you know, at the time I thought he was so old.
But guess what? He was 27. Oh, my gosh. That's insane.
Wow. He must have been so young. I guess I was 19, right?
College internship, yeah. Oh, my gosh. I was like, I mean, I didn't think he was old.
I actually, I loved him. He was a great boss.
Like we got along really well, but I thought like 27.
Wow. And now I'm like, 27 is such a young child, right?
Anyway, that's just a story, but not really the question you asked me, but I wanted to share.
What about you? Well, I was just going to say, I could see you taking it seriously for sure.
Yeah. That makes sense for you. Right. I mean, I also, I did take, yeah, I interned in a, um, actually I, I'm not sure if these firms really exist all that much anymore, but in a PR firm in my hometown in Keene, New Hampshire, my summer between junior and senior year in college.
So that was interesting, writing press releases, submitting them to the press.
I don't know if there are PR firms, of course, still, but I think their work has changed a little bit with social media and with online publications.
So I did that. And then I don't know. I just mostly taught tennis during the summers.
I didn't do a ton. I did an internship in college.
I didn't do a ton of like professional internships.
I just taught tennis. Yeah. Well, it's funny because my internships were like all in the media industries, which is like, this is like a very special, you know, it wasn't like... like one of them was for a morning radio show and like so it was it was a professional internship but it was also very unprofessional because i love radio yeah me too so very cool it was kind of an interesting thing because i would go in there like and then you learn like what it's really like right like right like more casual politics yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay, very good. So good stuff. We've both done our internships.
Guys, the takeaway here, I think, Michelle, is again, be noncommittal, like ask in a way that's not going to overwhelm the person and make them think they're committing to something they don't want to commit to. right yeah i think that's good too yeah that's a good skill any other takeaway for today michelle anything um yeah i mean go go for it do it yes exactly i think um yeah and also like you know i think that's important also because um somebody might feel a little pressure, not only with time, but like kind of a big deal.
Like you don't want to make a mistake if you're the one looking it over.
Yeah. Yeah. Right. Like, so maybe if we can do a follow up about like what to say if somebody asks you to look at, you know, like if you're on the other end and like you want to help them, but you're like, you know.
Yeah. Because it's like that's a lot of pressure because if you're looking at it, if you're like the sole eyes looking at it and then you make a mistake, then you kind of feel that Yeah, I feel that pressure too.
Yeah, you know, I know exactly what that feels like.
So we can do another episode on that for sure.
Things like, oh, you should confirm this with someone else or you should look this up or have another set of eyes on this.
Okay, we'll save those for another episode.
We'll just have to make sure our listeners follow the podcast and you guys will get that episode soon.
All right, Michelle, let's get off the mic.
I'll talk to you soon. All right. Bye, Lindsay.
Bye. Bye. Thank you for listening to Business English, a podcast just for you, the high achieving global professional.
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