Resume Review Checklist: Ensuring Your Document is Application-Ready
Having a resume review checklist can help you feel more confident in submitting your application for different job opportunities. This is especially true if it has been a while since you have embarked on a job search or updated your resume, or if you are applying for a variety of roles. Misspelled words, outdated information, missing content, and a confusing format can all derail your chances of having your resume seen and moving forward in the process. Reviewing the various elements of your resume to ensure that they align with current standards and employer expectations is essential.
Here is a helpful checklist that walks you through each step of the process before you send your resume off to a hiring manager.
Get Started with a Detailed Resume Review Checklist
You want to present yourself in a positive light to a prospective employer and show them why you are a good fit for the role so that they will invite you in for an interview. Before you hit send, make sure your document is application ready.
Are you using the right format?
There are three standard formats for your resume: reverse chronological, functional, and hybrid.
A good rule of thumb is to cover the past 10 to 15 years of employment, as this often most relevant and helps reduce risk of age discrimination.
Is your resume divided into logical sections?
Regardless of format choice, your resume should use standard section headings such as Work Experience, Core Competencies, Technical Skills, Education, and Volunteer Experience. Don’t try to be creative in how you label them. Keep it simple and straightforward.
Is the format consistent?
Take a closer look at your formatting to make sure that everything is consistent throughout. This means paying attention to:
Have you included up-to-date contact information?
If you have moved, changed your phone number, gotten a new email address, or customized the URL to your LinkedIn profile, you want to update this in your contact information. Although full addresses are rarely used anymore, if the position requires you to be local and that is not clear from your job history, you may want to add a city and state. Double-check that you have not misspelled your email address or keyed in wrong digit for your phone number.
Is your resume aligned with the job posting?
Sending out a generic resume to multiple job postings is a quick way to be overlooked. You want to tailor your documents to each role, focusing on what is most important to the employer and how your education and experience makes you a good fit. This may involve adjusting the summary at the top to reflect how you exemplify the position qualifications, and adding, removing, or reorganizing bullet points within your work experience as well.
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Have you incorporated the right keywords?
Along with tailoring your summary, you’ll want to tweak your core competencies too. Pick out the most important keywords and skills for the job and make sure they are listed on your resume. Make your keywords an exact match for how they are used in the job description and incorporate them into the content of your work experience to give more context.
Have you added quantifiable results?
Numbers pop amongst the text of your resume and show measurable achievements. Don’t forget to include the most recent metrics you have available. This could include sales and revenue figures, cost or time savings, volume of accounts or products, percentages, and other data.
Are your education and certifications current?
Did you recently complete a continuing education class or certification course? Have you obtained additional degrees since you last updated your resume? This is especially important if the employer wants candidates who have specific training, licenses, or technical proficiencies. If you have these qualifications, make sure they’re listed. At the same time, it is not necessary to list expired or irrelevant certifications.
Is your resume saved in an appropriate file format?
While saving your resume as a PDF can seem like the logical choice given its ability to preserve formatting and protect against editing, it may not necessarily be the best choice. Applicant tracking system (ATS) software is improving, and while some platforms can read PDF files, the safest bet is to stick with the standard Word file. Check to see whether the job site specifies which file format to use.
Is your resume compatible with ATS?
Speaking of ATS, in addition to using the correct file format, you also want to double-check that your resume does not contain features that may not be compatible with these software programs. This can include things such as:
Have you checked the spelling and grammar?
Don’t just rely on the spellcheck or grammar check features of Microsoft Word. While these programs can catch many errors, they are not perfect. They can also mark things as grammatically incorrect when in fact they are not. Plus, if you misspell the word you intended, but it is still a legitimate word, it may not be flagged. One of the most common examples is “manager” vs “manger.” Both are spelled correctly, but only one makes sense in the context of your resume.
Have you rechecked the spelling and grammar?
That’s right, as part of your resume review checklist, go over your document more than once. Have someone else read it to catch anything you missed. The last thing you want is to send off your resume with a careless error and miss a great opportunity or have a potential employer question the quality of your work.
Revamp Your Resume
If your resume is missing the mark on a lot of these resume review checklist tasks, or requiring significant revisions, it may be time to enlist the help of a professional resume writer. The team at Grammar Chic can help you polish up your resume to align with current standards and position you for the types of roles you’re seeking. Contact us today at (803) 831-7444 or [email protected] to schedule a consultation.