Career consultants in the Career Center will critique your resume with you. Although drop-ins are welcome, it is usually to your advantage to make an appointment in advance. Before having your resume critiqued, please complete this checklist.
Did you remember to include:
Name and Contact Information (in Heading)
- Put your name at the top? Is it larger than all other information? Is it in bold?
- Use a current address where you can be reached or where someone will know your current address? If you included two addresses (school/college and permanent) did you include dates when you can be reached at each?
- Include a phone number?
- Include an email address that you check regularly?
Objective
- State your objective in a clear and concise manner? Does it list a position? Include skills, setting or long-range goals?
Education
- List your college or university?
- List the city and state of your college or university next?
- List your degree and major?
- Include the month and/or year of completion of your degree?
- List GPA information (if over 3.0)?
Coursework
- Include "specialized" or "relevant" courses?
- Include only electives or those courses relevant for your objective but outside your major?
Experience
- List your position title, employer, city, state and dates of experience, preferably in that order?
- Use bullets to make important points?
- Begin each phrase with a powerful action verb describing your accomplishments?
- Include only skills important in the type of position you seek?
Honors/Awards/Activities
- Include those that demonstrate important abilities or characteristics in the workforce?
- Prioritize these elements (by date or relevance)?
- Include leadership positions?
Formatting and Finalizing
- Leave at least a one-inch margin on all four sides?
- Include lots of white space? Does important information (section headings, for example) stand out?
- Treat all section headings the same?
- Use only one easy-to-read font?
- Use a spellcheck program?
- Look for consistency in punctuation?
Final Check
- Have you omitted personal data that employers do not have a need to know? (Age, height, weight, marital status, nationality or ethnicity?)