RESUME CHECKLIST

Getting a job can come down to the smallest of details on your resume

CONTACT INFORMATION
Include your first and last name
In most cases you don’t need to include your address. If needed you can simply list the city and state only
Make sure your phone number is the most direct possible
Your email address is professional, including only minor variations of legal name
The information is properly spaced out and sectioned on top of the page

SUMMARY
Use Summary Statement that highlights skills and keywords relevant to the position

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Ensure experiences match resume formats (reverse chronological, functional or combination)
Bullets aren't just about your duties, they share your accomplishments
Ensure each experience includes employer’s name and location
Detail for each experience increases with how recent and relevant the experience is
Differentiate Employer, Location and Date information by bolding or using caps
All bullet points begin with an action verb
Listed experiences are related in some way to the position being applied for
Keywords from job description are included and explained
Written in third-person, past-tense, except the current position

EDUCATION
High school information may be left out if graduated from college, university or vocational school
Include your GPA if it is above 3.5, on a scale of 4.0. Ex. “3.6/4.0 GPA”
List any honors received upon graduation
Include name of degree earned
Include year of graduation

ADDITIONAL SKILLS
Focus on skills related to the position being applied for and include soft and hard skills.
Include software knowledge
Leave out irrelevant personal information

FORMATTING
Check that dates make sense and are ordered logically
Check for grammar errors such as punctuation usage, periods, commas and apostrophes
Ensure borders are even, text is all properly indented and the formatting retains continuity throughout entire document.
If you need help with your resume layout you can find a selection of free resume templates from Career Reload

If you haven’t done so yet, take a our Resume Quiz to test your skills
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Here are answers to the most common resume questions

Summary statement or career objective?

1 Use summary statement for your elevator pitch to promote your skills and achievements
that can truly help the company you're applying to. Keep this section short and concise.
Integrate keywords and qualifications aligned with the company's specific needs. You
should include the most relevant, impressive information.

Do I list duties or accomplishments under professional experience?

2 Since your prospects want to know whether or not you can help them make (or save)
money, list accomplishment in your resume rather than duties. How was your performance
in numbers at your last job? How much money did you save the company? How much work
were you able to get done in one day? Include numbers, facts and the benefit.

There’s no reason to list your job description, the HR reps already know the basic duties of
your job. Give them something objective to look at as to why you were great at what you
did in your previous job.

When describing work experience, should I use paragraph-style or bulleted lists?

3 Bullet points ensure that your key achievements will be seen. Keep them short and concise.
Avoid listing irrelevant experience. Start your bullet points with a powerful action verb like
"achieved," "managed," "resolved," and "launched" — use soft and hard skills in
moderation. Avoid using buzzwords such as "excellent communicator", "highly organized",
"motivated", "go-getter", "think outside the box"

How to list education?

4 Put work experience before education if you have more than 5 years of work experience in
a related field. Put education before work experience if you are a recent graduate or you
are changing careers and have continued your education towards your new career
objective. Academic and scientific professionals usually place education before work
experience on their resumes.

• Mention where you went to school, what you studied, and any special honors you've
received.
• High school information should be left out if graduated from college, university or
vocational school.
• Don't list your GPA if it's lower than 3.5.

Should you include cover letter?

5 Roughly 50% of human resources reps refuse to even look at a resume if there is no cover
letter. To be on the safe side, assume that one is expected, so always include it unless if the
job ad specifically says not to include one during the application process.

Cover letters are an essential accompaniment to your resume because they provide hiring
managers with insight into how your experience matches their requirements. For
consistency, pick a cover letter template that aesthetically complements your resume.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Here are answers to the most common resume questions

Where do I find keywords?

6 Carefully read the job posting to understand what the employer is looking for, and then
use the terms in it to describe your work experience.

How to put keywords in your resume:

• Summary statement / career objective - This is the first section of your resume.
Showcase here one or two work skills. Emphasize the skills that led to your greatest
achievements.
• Work experience section - The experience section is the largest section of a resume,
use this to highlight your most marketable skills by providing examples of how you've
performed them on the job.
• Summary of qualifications / skills - On the skills section list your soft and hard skills
that you didn't have space to mention elsewhere on your resume. Tech industry might
also add a "Technical Skills" section listing only hard skills.

How to tailor your resume for each position?

7 You should customize your resume for each position by using relevant keywords,
emphasizing different strengths and accomplishment in your work history. Also the career
summary and skills section should be written with that particular position in mind.

Should I list social media links in my resume?

8 List relevant URLs only, such as your LinkedIn page or any others that are professional and
directly related to the position. For example if you are a graphic designer you might list
Behance, Dribbble or other portfolio type social media sites. Also if you are applying as a
digital marketer you might want to demonstrate your social media skills.

Here’s the lowdown:

LinkedIn – gives hiring managers a deeper impression of who you are in a professional
context
Facebook – usually a step too far. Save the status updates and baby pictures for your
friends and family
Twitter – can be a useful addition if you’re applying for a web-based role where you need
to be social media savvy
Instagram – only if you’ve cultivated a large following directly applicable to the industry

What is the right resume lenght?

9 The length of your resume depends on what role you are applying for. For example, for an
entry- or mid-level role one page is all you need but if you are going for a higher position
then two pages is preferred. Generally only list 3-4 relevant positions including your
present job (if any).
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