Merito Group is a talent acquisition firm in the D.C. area dedicated to assisting candidates to advance their career paths. Our recruiters even offer interview preparation and resume editing services to candidates.
Writing a resume is especially dreadful. There are so many little things you need to add, rephrase, check, double-check, triple-check … It’s anxiety-inducing. So, I did what I do when I’m anxious: I made a list of all the little things you need to do when writing and editing your resume.
Here’s my checklist of resume tips. I’ve divided all the must-do tasks into four sections and did my best to order them chronologically. Some could probably exist in more than one section or be completed in a different order, so I’ve ordered items where I thought they most naturally fit during the resume-writing process.
Is Your Contact Information Professional? Things to Check:
Have you included your basic contact information — including your name, email address, and phone number — at the top?
Is your email address professional? (e.g. sara@gmail.com vs. sarabear@gmail.com)
Is your email address associated with a familiar domain, like Gmail? (Outdated domains can be a red flag for tech-savvy companies.)
Do your resume details align with your LinkedIn profile? (Hiring managers will likely review both.)
Have you included links to social media profiles, portfolios, and a personal website if relevant?
Have you audited your social profiles to ensure no unprofessional content is available to the public?
Have you customized any communication within your resume that addresses the company or hiring manager by name?
If you’re sending your resume as a Google Doc, have you granted the recipient the proper permissions to view it (or opened up permissions to everyone)?
Is Your Resume Written for the Industry? Things to Check:
Are you writing in a tone that matches that of the company to which you’re applying? (For instance, while still writing professionally, you might use a different tone when applying to work at a new tech startup versus an established accounting firm.)
Have you customized your resume for the specific job to which you’re applying? (Highlight work experience and skills that are relevant to the position — don’t just write down every job you’ve ever held.)
To read Corey Wainwright’s full list of Resume Tips on Hubspot, click here.