Resume Review Checklist
Please use this checklist as you improve your resume, and before bringing it to the CDO for a critique!
| YES | NO | |
| Have I read and followed suggestions in the CDO guides about resumes, including Writing a Professional Resume? | ||
| Have I viewed a variety of other resumes (online or in the CDO sample binders) to help me decide if my format is attractive, compared to other resumes? | ||
| Have I consistently used a variety of highlighting techniques including CAPITALIZING, boldfacing, indenting, and/or bulleting? Are the bullets I chose visually appealing in regard to size as well as distance from the text? | ||
| In my EDUCATION section, have I called this university "State University of New York at Fredonia"? (No need for Fredonia NY following the above name! Use, however: Genesee Community College, Batavia NY) | ||
| Have I included the appropriate name of the degree, my major, and the date I expect to receive my degree? Refer to Your Connection and/or the catalog to confirm accuracy. (Example: Bachelor of Science in Education, Early Childhood Education, expected May 2018) | ||
| Have I included my GPA and/or “GPA in major” if they are 3.0 or higher? | ||
| Have I eliminated all zip codes and street addresses, except in my own contact information? | ||
| Have I proofread my resume, so that it is mistake-free? (Spelling, spacing, consistent format, tense) | ||
| Have I carefully edited to eliminate unnecessary words? (Assisted by creating… becomes Created...) | ||
| Have I been consistent in the placement of similar types of information within each section (job title, dates, organization name, etc.)? | ||
| Does the format make my most important qualifications obvious to the reader in a 20-30 second skimming? Does the resume flow from the most important information to the least? | ||
| Was my resume written with specific types of positions in mind? If so, have I organized and labeled my information so that it is pertinent to the types of positions I am seeking? | ||
| Have I chosen action verbs, in the proper tense, to begin the phrases that describe my experiences? | ||
| Is my resume visually attractive, communicating my professionalism and my accomplishments? | ||
| Does my resume make the reader want to select me for an interview? Would I hire this person? |
Sample Resume Section Titles
Select ideas that apply to your background
| EDUCATION | RELATED EXPERIENCES | COMMUNITY SERVICE | ATHLETICS |
| COURSEWORK | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | CAMPUS LEADERSHIP | TECHNICAL SKILLS |
| HONORS | WORKSHOPS/SEMINARS | ACTIVITIES | AFFILIATIONS |
| RESEARCH | INDEPENDENT STUDY | WORK EXPERIENCE | LANGUAGE |
| TRAINING | FINE ARTS BACKGROUND | RELEVANT EMPLOYMENT | TRAVEL |
| PRESENTATIONS | PERFORMANCE/ENSEMBLES | OTHER EMPLOYMENT | GLOBAL EXPERIENCE |