Resume Readiness Checklist

Writing a resume can feel daunting at times. Every recruiter wants to see something different. There isn’t one correct way to write a resume because every industry focuses on different concepts in a resume. However, following some common rules will help your resume stand out.

Will your resume hold up under the scrutiny of a potential employer? If you can check off each of the following, the answer is YES!

• All of my resume statements support my job objective.
• The organization of my experiences is immediately obvious and meaningful. The reader can scan all the key points in seconds.
• All of my experiences are described with convincing examples or details.
• I emphasized my most important transferable skills, the ones closest to the job I want.
• I did not repeat the same experience in different parts of the resume. Instead, when my experiences are combined, they give a full, well-rounded picture of my abilities.
• I have conveyed my personality and individual strengths and interests.
• It’s obvious that I’m enthusiastic about what I want to do.
• The word “I” doesn’t appear on my resume.
• Sentences begin with action words whenever possible, and I’ve added adjectives where appropriate to convey depth and scope of experience.
• My resume format doesn’t look cramped. There’s a balance of white space and words.
• I capitalized, underlined, or typed important heading and subheadings in bold.
• Grammar is correct and consistent throughout (e.g. periods and capital letters are used in the same way).
• Acronyms, jargon, and abbreviations are used sparingly.
• My email address is professional and easy to understand.
• My resume is printed on white or off-white bond paper with black ink.
• Three other people have read my resume for clarity, grammar, and spelling.

Adapted from Educator’s Job Search, the Ultimate Guide to Finding Positions in Education, an NEA Professional Library Publication