Communication
Check your résumé with these 10 questions
Seems like a no-brainer, but it does happen. Even if you have your contact information is on your email or your cover letter, there’s no guarantee this information will make it to the hiring manger. Make sure they can easily find your information on your résumé.
- Did you use action verbs, such as: taught, conducted, created, developed?
These words will help illustrate the work that you actually performed.
Not: 14 websites with HTMLTry: Created a comprehensive customer relations plan
Not: New customer relations plan
- Are all of these words parallel in tense and context?
If you’re using past tense, use it throughout. If you’re using present tense, use it throughout. Just don’t switch it up. (The same goes with fonts, bullets, lists, and pretty much everything else in your résumé.)
- Did you include the results or outcomes of your work?
Simply doing your job probably won’t impress the hiring manager, but seeing the results of your hard work just might do it.
Dates and locations help the hiring manger get a better understanding of your work history. If you’re worried about gaps in employment, you can explain that in the interview or in the cover letter; just don’t leave the dates out.
- Did you create a cohesive look?
Stick with one font (two, if you must). Your résumé should have a clean look. In other words, it should have plenty of white space, appropriate bolding and italicizing, and short bullets of text. If you need inspiration, search your bookcase for books that have an appealing layout to you. Imitate it.
- Did you make sure there’s no inappropriate or personal information included?
Unless your positive this information is appropriate for the job you’re applying for, avoid personal information, such as how many kids you have or your dog’s name. Stick to only professional facts.
- Did you check for mistakes?
Once you get everything written and looking pretty, you probably don’t want to look at your résumé anymore. But, you must. Check it and check it again for spelling errors, tense errors, layout errors, all errors. Print it out and study it.
- Did you let someone else check for mistakes?
You wrote it, which means you’re more likely to read right over your mistakes. Have a friend, spouse, parent, or anyone you trust take a look it at. It can be a little uncomfortable to do this, but an error-free résumé is essential for landing a job.
- Did you tell the truth?
Don’t lie on your résumé. Ever.
Discussion
4 comments for “Check your résumé with these 10 questions”
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Thanks for posting the article, was certainly a great read!
Hello, Angela - really great post with terrific information. I would add two more suggestions:
1) Make sure your resume contains things that differentiate you from the hundreds of other applicants who all have similar education, credentials and experience. For example: add information that shows you’re up on the hot industry trends, topics or issues that people in your industry are talking about today.
2) Make sure your resume is keyword-rich enough (without overdoing it) to help boost your ranking in the applicant tracking systems that are scanning resumes for the hiring manager to review.
Thanks for posting the article - very helpful!
@ Dan - Thanks for reading.
@ Elaine - Great additions.
Great suggestions!
Some additional thoughts:
Make sure you target your resume for the employer. Keywords help with this, but think of other ways to connect with the employer in your resume by addressing how you solve their problems. Specifically connect the dots between their needs and what you have to offer.
Be precise. Although the one-page rule doesn’t always apply, less is more. A resume is not your autobiography or a laundry list of “stuff” you’ve done.
Ensure that the resume is appropriately written for your career stage. For example, if this is not your first job out of school, it is probably appropriate to move the Education section to the end.
Miriam Salpeter
Keppie Careers