Working Nomads

Recruiters spend a few seconds on a resume before deciding to consider it further or not. This means your resume must grab the attention of employers at first glance; otherwise, your applications will never go past the first review stage.

So how do you grab the recruiter’s attention at first glance? It is effortless; just make sure your resume is complete. How? Use this resume checklist to make sure your resume is complete:

First impression

• Is your resume inviting to read, with clear sections, sufficient white space, and a professional look?   
• Does your resume look original?
• Is your resume of the right length? Always try your best to stick to a one or two-page resume unless you have significant previous experience.
• Is your career summary included? Including this section lets recruiters immediately know your value proposition.

Appearance

• Is the font appropriate? Always use fonts suggested by recruiters. If there is no mention of fonts to use, always use resume fonts.
• Does your resume provide a visually appealing presentation?
• Are margins even on all sides?
• Have you maintained a good balance between text and white space?
• Have you used design elements such as lines, bolding, and bullets to guide readers’ eyes through your resume?
• Have you used the design elements consistently throughout your resume?

Resume sections

• A resume has different sections which are very crucial:
• Are all resume sections clearly labeled and placed in the best order to highlight your strongest credentials?
• Is your education and work history listed in reverse chronological order? You don’t have to list all your education history. Your most recent education history matters a lot.

Career goal

• Is your resume tailored for the job you are applying for?
• If shifting from one career to another, does your resume include supporting details that show how your previous experience is relevant to the new role?

Accomplishments

• Have you listed your most relevant accomplishments? Always list accomplishments relevant to the role you are applying for.
• Are those accomplishments quantifiable by using percentages, numbers, and other actual measures of success?
• Are your accomplishments separated from your responsibilities?
• Are your accomplishment statements beginning with strong, varied action verbs?

Relevance

• Is the information you have included relevant to the recruiters?
• Is that information supporting your career summary?
• Have you included relevant keywords and industry acronyms?
• Have you included additional information (awards and affiliations) relevant to the role you are applying for?
• Have you removed any personal or discriminatory data?

Writing style

• Have you omitted personal pronouns like “I,” “my,” and “me”?
• Is your content flow logical and easy to understand?
• Did you double-check your resume for grammar and spelling errors? You can use tools like Grammarly to improve your resume.

Extras

• Have you listed additional information (licenses, certifications, and awards) relevant to the role you are applying for?
• Is your work saved in the right format?

Contact information

Have you listed your contact information? Adding your contact information makes it easier for recruiters to contact you.

Remember to add a decent email, and your country code is if your potential boss is located in a different area.

Conclusion

It is never an easy task to prepare a professional resume. Luckily, when you know what to include, your work becomes easier.

Hopefully, this checklist was helpful. Need help polishing your resume? We are one phone call away. Give us a call today.

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