Does your resume pass this key checklist

Does your resume pass this key checklistLife is better with checklistsafter all, how great does it feel to get something off of your mind with the satisfying swipe of a pen? (Or a tap of the screen, if you insist on being digital about it.) And your job hunt is better with checklists too. These no-nonsense lists keep you honest and on the right path, letting you track your progress and figure out what still needs to be done. A checklist reduces that the chances youll make a mistake at a crucial moment, which is something were all prone to do sometimes, being menschenfreundlich and all. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) As you work hard on your resume, one of the best setup moves you can make is to keep a checklist of all the necessary elements. You want to make sure youre elend taking any shortcuts that can come back to haunt you, or leaving out important pieces. Lets walk through this checklist, and how to approach it.The Resume HeaderThe header is the first thing anyone sees about your resume, so its important to hit all the highlights, without taking up too much real estate on your resume. You should includeYour nameThis should be your full name, or at least the one you plan to go by professionally.Your mailing addressThis is your straightforward street/city/state/zip code address.Your phone numberThis should be where youre fruchtwein easily reachable. If you have both a landline and a cell phone, you dont really need to list bothjust whichever is your preferred contact method.Your email addressThis should be your fruchtwein professional-looking email address. That means something along the lines of firstname.lastnameemaildomain, not HappyUnicorn666emaildomain.A link to your LinkedIn or professional portfolio (if relevant)Do you keep your LinkedIn profile green with updates and new professional content? If you have an actively updated professional networking site, include it here. If you havent bothered to update it in years, skip it. The same goes for any personal websites. The content should be relevant and freshly updated, if youre going to go out of your way to include it as a context point on your resume.The Introductory SectionBetween the header and the meat of the resume, theres the highlight reel thats designed to make the reader want to read further into your resume. Depending on your level of experience and what your goals are for this job search, what you include here can vary. But you should include at least one of the followingHeadlineThis is a brief, one-line statement that explains your top qualities for the job. This works on virtually everyones resume. Example Highly Organized, Bilingual Administrative AssistantSummaryThis is a short list (or brief paragraph) of the key bullet points that make you most qualified for this particular job. This is a distributionspolitik where you can really tailor the content to the job description, to grab the attention of the reader (or robot reader seeking keywords). You can also use it to highlight your most relevant skills. A summary works best for job seekers who have deep experience or skills in their field.ObjectiveThis is a short statement letting the reader know your goal(s), coupled with your top-level qualifications. Its basically a formula Strong traits + The role you want to fill + Good fit for the company = Objective. The objective works best for people without a lot of experience, or experience in a different field (changing careers).This section sets the tone for the rest of your resume, and can help make the difference between someone reading through the rest of the resume or tossing it aside.The Meat-and-Potatoes Section (Skills and Experience)This is the heart of your resume, so its extra important to make sure youre not leaving anything out. You should includeYour SkillsWhether you put behauptung before or after your experience (depending on which you want to emphasize for the reader), its important t o include a standalone section of bullet points describing your relevant skills. Be sure youre only including the most relevant ones. Your abiding love and talent for playing the tuba may be a huge part of your life, but if its not directly relevant to the job for which youre applying, leave it out.This section should include any applicable hard skills (specific job-related technology or certifications) and soft skills that can be directly applied to the job at hand.Work ExperienceThese are separate listings for your most relevant jobs, working backwards through your career. Each work experience section should includeJob titleCompany nameDates worked4-6 bullet points outlining your most relevant duties there. As much as possible, describe achievements over simple tasks or responsibilities. You should also be choosy about which jobs you include. If youve already held two or three full-time jobs in your career, you can start leaving out part-time jobs or internships that you held in t he past. If you need to include a job so it doesnt look like you have large gaps, you can do that, but you dont have to include too much information about your job unless its relevant to the one for which youre currently applying. You can use those instead to highlight particular skills you used/developed.The Education Certifications SectionEducation is one of your best assets in a job search, and you should sing it loud and proud on your resume. Just make sure youre including the most relevant education information, moving back in reverse order. If applicable, you should includeProfessional training programsIf youve completed a non-degree course or training program related to your field, include it here.Professional certificationsIf you have a license or certification in your field, include it here.College, university, or professional training programUnless youre in high school, or youre specifically asked about it, theres no need to include information about your high school educ ation here. You also dont need to include graduation dates if you dont want to do soemployers are forbidden from asking you about your age, so if you feel like this would be offering too much info, you can just include the school name and the degree you received.The Nice-to-HavesIf you have room after including everything outlined above, then there are some other pieces of info you can include on your resume, if theyre applicable to the job.Volunteer experienceAre the skills or experience from this volunteer position relevant to the job youre seeking? If so, include. If not, leave it out.HobbiesAgain, make sure these are relevant to the job for which youre applying.The Style ChecklistOnce youve got all your core info included in your resume, its time to take another pass and see how youve done, writing-wise. Is your resumeSaved as a standard document format?Is your resume saved as an uncommon file extension, or one that most computers will readily recognize (like .doc or .pdf)?A sho rt read?Brevity is key here. Weve all heard the one page rule, but if you simply have too much experience for one small page, make sure you havent gone overboard, length-wise.Organized in a clear and readable way?The resume should be laid out in a clear, relatively uncrowded outline, so that the reader can easily follow whats going on. If youre seeing massive chunks of narrative text, go back and revise it into mora manageable bullets. Margins should be no less than 1 inch all around, for readability. Your font should also be consistent all the way through, easy to read, black, and between 10-12 points.Full of action verbs?Strong verbs can not only grab interest, they can help you cut down on your overall word count by getting straight to the heart of what you want to say.Customized for the job?Generic resumes are not fun to read, and a one-size-fits-all behemoth may not get you the interview opportunity you want. Take the time to make sure that your skills and experience especially are directly relevant to the job/company for which youre applying.Proofread?This one is non-negotiable. No matter how eagle-eyed you may be, we all miss small mistakes in our own writing occasionally. Find a trusted friend or family member to check your resume for mistakes.Taking the time to check these elements help ensure that your final product ends up looking just as smooth and professional as you are.The Un-ChecklistIf you have any of these things on your resume, time to take them out. You should not includePictures or visual elementsUnless youre doing a portfolio or a visual resume, dont illustrate your basic resume. And you definitely dont need to include a picture of yourself.LiesJust dont do it If anyone questions you or catches you in a falsehood, I dont think you need me to tell you that it would not be good for your hiring prospects for this job.ReferencesIf the hiring process gets to the point where you need to provide references, youll be asked for them. Theres no nee d to include them upfront and take up valuable space on your resume.References to age, gender, or family statusThis information really isnt necessary, and could introduce potential discriminatory elements, even though employers are forbidden from asking you about them.Sothere you have it, your checklist for building a full and successful resume. Does your resume check all the right boxes?