the ultimate resume checklist

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The Ultimate Resume Checklist presentation by Inklyo.com

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Page 1: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

The Ultimate Resume Checklist

A presentation by Inklyo.com

Page 2: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

Here at Inklyo.com, we know that even the mere thought of creating your resume can be daunting, so we're here to help. Resumes take time and patience, but if you're equipped with the right tools and resources, you'll have no trouble breezing through the resume-writing process . . . Who knows? You might even have fun along the way!

What to Include in a Resume

Page 3: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

This resume checklist will discuss what to include in a resume and will focus on the following topics:

• Sections (or headings) to include

• Information to omit

• Design elements

• Spelling, grammar, and punctuation

• Additional tips to make your resume stand out and help land you that dream job

Page 4: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

The Resume Checklist:What to Include✓ Contact information. Full name, address (street name and number, city, state, and zip code), phone number (home or cell; choose the one you use most often so it's easier to reach you), email address (keep it professional), and a link to your LinkedIn profile (if you have an account; optional). You can also include a link to your professional website (if you have one) or to a portfolio of your work.

✓ Summary. A few brief but comprehensive sentences at the top of your resume highlighting how your skills and accomplishments will benefit the company to which you are applying. Try to match this information with the qualifications outlined in the job description.

✓ Relevant knowledge and skills. A concise bulleted list of your knowledge, skills, and attributes that apply to the position at hand.

Page 5: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

✓ Work experience. A comprehensive summary of your work history from the past 10 to 15 years. These jobs must be listed in reverse chronological order, which means listing the newest positions first. For each job, include the company name, your position, the dates you worked there (months and years), and a few bulleted points outlining your duties and accomplishments in your role.

✓ Education. List your education in reverse chronological order. Unless you're in high school, you don't need to include your secondary education. Rather, focus on your post-secondary education (university and/or college).

✓ Volunteer experience (optional). List any volunteer positions you have held, especially if they're relevant to the job to which you're applying.

✓ Industry-specific extras (optional). List each under its own heading, for example: Licenses and Certifications, Publications, Professional Affiliations, Professional Memberships, Awards and Recognition, Portfolio.

Page 6: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

✓ Non-job-related social media profiles. This includes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+.

✓ A "Career Objective" section. Instead, write a summary that explains why you're qualified for the position and what makes you the best candidate.

✓ A "References" or a "References Available Upon Request" section. If potential employers need references from you, they will contact you.

✓ Pictures, tables, graphs, or charts. They are unnecessary and will cause confusion for both readers and applicant tracking systems (ATSs).

What to Omit

Page 7: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

✓ Gender, age, religion, or marital status. These personal details are not necessary to include, as employers are not allowed to make decisions based on an applicant's status.

✓ A photo of yourself. Save this for your LinkedIn profile, and make sure it's professional-looking.

✓ Fraud, padding, and exaggeration. Don't lie!

✓ Clichéd words. Avoid words such as "try," "love," "seasoned," "experienced," "creative," and "innovative." Many of these words are vague, overused, or have lost their strength. Focus on showing your skills rather than describing them.

Page 8: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

✓ Document type. Unless the potential employer asks for a specific format, prepare your resume as a Word document (.doc or .docx). Word documents, as opposed to PDF or other file types, are the most common and are therefore the easiest to be emailed/attached, opened, and read.

✓ Format. Write your work experience and education in reverse chronological order. This means listing your positions from the newest to the oldest.

Design Elements

Page 9: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

✓ White space (or negative space). This refers to margins (the areas between the main content and the edges of the page), gutters (the vertical space between columns), and spaces between lines of type and graphics or figures. Having a balance between white space and content will keep your resume from looking cluttered while drawing the reader's eye to certain sections.

✓ Font style, size, and color. Use a font that is easy for both ATSs and a real person to recognize: Arial, Calibri, Verdana, Times New Roman, Georgia, Lucida, Tahoma, or Trebuchet—these fonts were designed for the Web. The font size should be between 10 and 12 points, and the color should be consistent throughout (black).

✓ Margins. Use 1-inch margins all the way around your resume. This will ensure that no information gets cut off if a paper copy is printed and that no information will be lost to the ATSs if it falls outside the margin.

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✓ Attention to detail. Spelling and grammar are important indicators of a candidate's attention to detail; they highlight defects rather than spotlight qualities. It is nearly impossible to recover from spelling errors on your resume.

✓ Action words. Use words that convey action, such as "advised," "examined," "oversaw," "prepared," "resolved," and "compiled."

✓ Consistency. Be consistent with your punctuation throughout. This includes putting periods at the end of complete sentences, using only single or only double quotation marks, using the serial comma, and using only straight or only curly quotes.

✓ Acronyms. Always make sure to spell out any acronyms in full upon their first use.

Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation

Page 11: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

✓ Editing. Make sure to take the time to thoroughly edit and proofread your resume. Even the smallest spelling mistake can have a disastrous effect, so pay extra attention when reading through your resume. You may even want to use a professional editing service, such as Scribendi.com, to have an extra set of professional, discerning eyes catch any errors you may have missed.

✓ Punctuation. Make sure to use punctuation marks properly. Know the difference between a hyphen (-), an en dash (–), and an em (—) dash; when and how to use a semicolon (;); how to properly use a comma (,); and how a period (.) should be placed at the end of each complete sentence.

✓ Capitalization. Capitalize words correctly. Do capitalize names; proper nouns; names of cities, states/provinces, and countries; languages; company names; brand names; and months. Do not capitalize job titles (unless they come before a name); college/university majors; important-sounding career words that aren't proper nouns; seasons; or directions.

Page 12: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

✓ Customize. Tailor your resume specifically for each job you apply to. This means incorporating words and phrases from the job description—as they apply to your skills and experience—directly into your resume. Try to put most of these words and phrases in the top-third of the first page of your resume.

✓ Say no to templates. Stay current, and use a modern and professional resume format. But avoid using a template. A template will make your resume look too generic, and it won't stand out to a potential employer.

✓ Pronouns. Don't use third- or first-person pronouns. For example, instead of saying "Annie prepares" or "I prepare," just say "Prepare."

Bonus Tips for an Outstanding Resume

Page 13: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

✓ Email address. Make sure your email address is professional and appropriate, and avoid using a nickname. Think [email protected] as opposed to [email protected].

✓ Metrics. Include performance metrics to show exactly how you helped the company. This could mean percentages, dollars, percentages, or time frames.

✓ Keywords. Include industry keywords in your resume, but not too many.

✓ Cover letter. Supplement your resume with a cover letter, especially if the job description calls for one. If you don't include this important document when it's asked for, it's highly unlikely that the hiring manager will even look at—let alone consider—your resume, regardless of how qualified you are for the position.

Page 14: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

Resume Section Where Is It? What Does It Tell the Reader?

Main Header (Name and Contact Information)

Very top of first page Tells the reader your preferred name and the best ways to contact you

Summary Top of first page, under Main Header Explains why you're qualified and sums up why you'd be the best candidate for

the job

Knowledge and Skills Top third of first page, beneath Summary

Tells the reader how your knowledge and skills match those required by the

position

Work Experience Middle of first page, beneath Knowledge and Skills

Explains how your professional achievements could benefit the

company to which you're applying

Education Beneath Work Experience Shows the reader whether you meet the educational requirements for the

position

Other Information Beneath Education Shows how your other assets would be beneficial to the role at hand. Examples

include volunteer work, additional honors, completed courses, etc.

Quick Reference: Resume Sections

Page 15: The Ultimate Resume Checklist

Image Sources

https://pixabay.com/en/butterfly-dolls-dolls-butterflies-165288/https://pixabay.com/en/mark-green-tick-symbol-sign-35780/https://pixabay.com/en/adult-education-leave-know-power-379219/https://pixabay.com/en/grammar-magnifier-magnifying-glass-389907/https://pixabay.com/en/finger-touch-hand-structure-769300/https://pixabay.com/en/freelancer-apple-imac-iphone-763730/https://pixabay.com/en/selfie-photo-self-photo-woman-465563/https://pixabay.com/en/keyboard-key-success-online-621830/https://pixabay.com/en/documents-folder-office-text-file-158461/https://pixabay.com/en/folder-files-paper-office-document-303891/https://pixabay.com/en/chameleon-lizard-multi-coloured-318649/https://pixabay.com/en/exclamation-point-punctuation-marks-663571/https://pixabay.com/en/word-cloud-cloud-tag-cloud-keywords-679915/https://pixabay.com/en/business-success-winning-chart-163464/https://pixabay.com/en/social-media-smartphone-tablet-583687/