By now, you’ve surely heard of VMock. This new tool available to BU students allows you to upload your resume and get a custom score and improvement plan in seconds.
Today more than ever, your resume is entering a competitive world. The CCD works closely with Fortune 500 companies and other top organizations when they come to campus to recruit, and what we hear is that hiring managers often have only seconds to determine whether to pursue a candidate based on their resume. To facilitate this process, many organizations use applicant tracking software that screens resumes against a set of benchmarks for format, grammar, and experience.
That’s one of the things that makes VMock such a useful and timely tool; you can get a real read on the way your resume will be viewed by the same type of machine learning that it will encounter when you apply for an internship or job.
That said, getting the most out of VMock requires keeping a few pieces of advice in mind.
1. Focus on the feedback, not the score.
Many students who pride themselves on excellent academics have told us it was shocking to get a lower score than they anticipated. But that’s part of VMock’s process. The number is an indication of your resume’s effectiveness along multiple axes, and every score comes with detailed feedback about exactly what you should change. Taking the constructive recommendations from VMock seriously is proven to help you build a resume that gets results.
Also, don’t feel like you need to have a “perfect” score before you use your resume. A score in the 70s means you are well on your way to resume success.
2. Make all your changes before resubmitting.
You only have 10 chances to submit your resume to VMock per academic year, so make them count by making all of VMock’s recommended improvements before resubmitting.
3. Take advantage of network feedback.
Once your resume has a score of 65 or above, VMock also allows you to solicit resume feedback from trusted voices in your network. Your professors, coaches, professional mentors, and even family members in related fields have great insight into how to maximize your resume, and VMock lets you collect all their feedback in one place. Don’t forget to take advantage of this tool. Just give them a heads-up you’ll be asking first!
4. Supplement VMock with a CCD resume review.
Confused about the feedback from VMock or need more help? We continue to offer resume reviews to most students and alumni (see if you’re eligible). Make an appointment for your resume review by logging into Handshake.
The CCD is working on a VMock guide that will have extensive tips and advice for getting the most out of VMock. You can find the guide on the CCD website. Good luck on improving your resume!
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