A Checklist to See If Your Resume Is Attracting the Individuals You Want

A Checklist to See If Your Resume Is Attracting the Individuals You Want

Who is the resume that you are submitting to a company or for a job opening meant to attract? What message(s) are you looking for it to deliver. Here are some key items you need to consider for each resume (and your resume should be applicable for each specific job opening in which you are interested) you provide to either a job application, a recruiter or a professional that you believe can help advance your job search.

STEP 1 – POSITIONING

  • If someone spends just 10 seconds looking at your resume’ what are the ideas/words that pop out at them?
  • How am I positioned by my resume’? Is it how I want to be positioned for the area I am targeting? Or is the positioning a handicap for that area?

STEP 2 – LEVEL

What level do I appear to be at? Is it easy for the reader to guess in 10 seconds? Do I want to appear at that level?

STEP 3 – SUMMARY STATEMENT

NOTE: If there is NO Summary Statement, you are being positioned by the most recent job on your resume.’ Is that how you want to be positioned?

  • If Summary is present, does the first line position me for the kind of job I want next?
  • Does the next statement build on the first?
  • Do you have statements that prove how good you are and differentiate you from others?
  • Have I included a statement that gives the reader an indication of your personality and approach to the job?

STEP 4 – ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Within each job did I state what I have accomplished as opposed to just listing what I have done?

Are Your Accomplishments Easy to Read?

  • Bulleted, Rather Than Long Paragraphs
  • No Extraneous Words
  • Action Oriented
  • Measurable and Specific
  • Relevant – Would be of interest to a Reader in Your Target Area or Shows Your Breadth of Experience

STEP 5 – OVERALL APPEARANCE

  • Is there plenty of white space?
  • Is it laid out nicely so it can serve as a “marketing brochure”?

STEP 6 – MISCELLANEOUS

  • Length – Is the resume’ as short as it can be while still being readable?
  • Writing Style – Can the reader understand the point I am trying to make in each statement?
  • Clarity – Am I hoping the reader will draw the right conclusion to what I have said, or have I stated things so clearly that there is no doubt the reader will come away with the right message?
  • Completeness – Is all information included? Have all dates been accounted for?
  • Typos – Is the resume’ error free?