Materials That Make the Grade

Top notch resumes and business marketing materials are

• impressive looking,
• current,
• clear, and
• perfectly proofread.

Determining what specifically works and what could be better about your resume or business collateral can be tricky, especially if you've written the items yourself. Compare your materials to the following checklist to see where you've succeeded and where you may be able to improve.

Are your materials:

• Impressive looking?
  • Are they consistent throughout in terms of fonts, colors, and logos used? Consistency is important for all printed materials as well as your web site.
  • Are documents printed on the highest quality paper, and is the paper type consistent throughout? For example, all printed collateral for businesses (business cards, brochures, flyers) should use matching paper styles.
  • Do your documents and your business web site have neat, consistent alignment (e.g., tabs, justification) throughout?

• Current?
  • Are the following items up to date?
  • For resumes...
    • employment information (positions held and responsibilities)
    • skills
    • accomplishments (with the most recent listed first)
    • contact information
  • For business materials...
    • services or products offered
    • target clients served
    • case studies and testimonials
    • locations and business hours
    • contact information
    • copyright information
      

      Tip: Indicate the range of years you've been in business, rather than the current year only, in your copyright. For example, noting ©2002-2008 instead of ©2008 demonstrates your business's stability and longevity.

• Clear?
  • For resumes...
    • Have you clearly stated what you seek in a new job?
    • Is your work history written in an accomplishment-oriented style?
    • Is the document succinct (no more than two pages) and to the point?
  • For business materials...
    • Do they present your skills and expertise in a way that convinces clients you can meet their goals and expectations?
    • Does the material pinpoint what makes you different from others in the same business, what makes you better?
    • Is the material concise?

• Perfectly proofread?

  Tip: For error-free proofreading, consider hiring a professional editor to review your materials. If you rely on your word processor's spell/grammar check function, run the documents by a trusted associate for an extra measure of insurance. Spell check alone will not catch word usage errors such as "its" instead of "it's" or "you're" instead of "your".

Once your resumes and business materials meet these comprehensive criteria, they are ready to be put to work. Good luck!

About Merideth Mehlberg and Fresh Perspective Coaching

Merideth Mehlberg, founder of Fresh Perspective Coaching, helps her clients move towards new direction and meaning in their work, their businesses and their lives. She encourages her clients to dream big, and then she provides the compassion, insight, structure and support they need to transform their vision into reality.

If you could use assistance updating your business materials or resume, contact Merideth at 510.864.0249 or mer@freshperspectivecoaching.com to schedule a complimentary consultation and sample coaching session.

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