How do I give useful CV feedback in a 30-minute session?
A full line edit is not possible in thirty minutes and would not help anyway. What helps is teaching the mentee how to judge their own document.
- Read time
- 4 minutes
- Module
- Core skills
- Session length
- 30 minutes
What good looks like.
Spend the time on the top third of page one. That is what a hiring manager reads before deciding whether to continue.
Push every bullet from duty to result. "Responsible for stock" becomes "cut stock errors by a fifth in six months".
Name three changes, not thirty. Write them in the chat so they still have them after the call.
A sequence you can follow.
- 01
Ask what job it is for
A CV is only good or bad relative to a specific advert.
- 02
Read the top third aloud
Hearing it exposes vague wording faster than reading.
- 03
Rewrite one bullet together
Model the change once and let them copy the pattern.
- 04
Leave three actions
Written down, in priority order.
What to avoid.
Rewriting the document for them
Commenting on fonts and margins before content
Giving generic advice without seeing the job advert
Extra tips
Small things that make the half hour better.
Work the top third
That is all most hiring managers read before deciding.
Rewrite one bullet together
Model the change once; they can copy the pattern.
Duty to result
Every line should end in a number or an outcome.
Put three actions in the chat
Spoken advice fades; written advice gets used.
Take this guide with you.
Download a printable version of this guide: the short answer, the steps, the extra tips, the mistakes to avoid and the questions mentors ask, to read before your next session.
The things people ask first.
Should I read it before the session?
Skim it for two minutes. Do not annotate the whole thing.
What if the CV is very weak?
Pick the single highest-value fix and teach that properly.
Next: Interview practice in 30 minutes.
Two questions, answered properly, beat ten rushed ones.