Resume Checklist

Contact Information

Include appropriate name, permanent address, phone number, and email address.

Make sure that your resume is scanner and copier friendly.

Objective

Include a career objective if needed.

Make sure that the objective makes a concise and worthwhile statement of your interests.

Your career objective should focus on what you are offering to the employer, rather than what you hope to gain.

Education

List of the genuine/clear name of a degree along with major

List the university name and include the campus address

List the month and year the degree was earned or expect to earn it

List the score or percentage obtained in the final year of the degree

Experience

For each job, include the organization’s name, city and state, job title, and the dates of employment (month and year, not separated by commas)

Keep dates to the right side of the page, putting more emphasis on job title or employer (focusing more on what a candidate did rather than how long)

Include relevant duties and accomplishments, quantifying them when possible

Describe in detail the past and present jobs along with their credentials

Project Experience

Include any significant and relevant course projects

Include the course name, semester taken and descriptions of any role/accomplishments (written as the jobs descriptions are, starting each phrase with an action verb)

Skills

Include relevant skills (computer, communication, foreign languages, etc.)

Include job specific skills rather than general statements Vs claims? For e.g.: “Excellent communication skills” (general) vs. “Completed an eight course Communication Skills Program focused on writing, public speaking, cultural communication, business communication, and group work.”(Specific)

“Programming” (general) vs. “C++, Java, COBOL” (specific)

Activities

Include any campus or community activities that demonstrate time management, volunteerism, leadership, and communication skills

Provide more details about a candidate’s role in activities that relate to his or her major

Appearance/Format

List the most important and relevant information first

Use good quality paper in a light color (white, ivory, etc.)

Use an appropriate font and size (10-12 point)

If two pages, list name and “page two” on the top of the second page

Spell check the resume and have at least three people proofread it to make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors

Be consistent with punctuation and the format

Use a specific format for a resume throughout the entire document

List a candidate’s jobs, projects and activities within a consistent format

Use consistent spacing