The Ultimate Resume Checklist: What to Include and What to Leave Out

When it comes to job hunting, your resume is one of the most critical documents you will ever create. It is the first impression you make on a potential employer, and it can determine whether you land your dream job or not. That’s why it’s important to make sure your resume is as polished and professional as possible. In this article, we will provide you with the ultimate resume checklist, so you can be sure you’re including everything you need and leaving out anything that’s unnecessary.

1. Contact Information. Make sure your contact information is up to date and easy to find. This should include your name, phone number, email address, and home address. It’s also a good idea to include a link to your LinkedIn profile.
2. Professional Summary or Objective. This section should be a brief overview of your skills and experience. A professional summary is a paragraph that highlights your most relevant skills and experience, while an objective is a statement that outlines the type of job you’re looking for.
3. Work Experience. This is the meat of your resume. Make sure you list your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job. Include the job title, company name, employment dates, and your accomplishments in each role.
4. Education. List your education in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent degree. Include the degree earned, institution name, and graduation date. If you graduated with honors or earned any awards, be sure to include those as well.
5. Skills. List your most relevant skills, including both hard and soft skills. Hard skills are specific technical skills, while soft skills are more subjective qualities like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
6. Certifications and Licenses. Include any certifications or licenses you’ve earned that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.
7. Volunteer Experience. If you’ve volunteered for any organizations or causes, list them on your resume. This can show that you’re passionate and involved in your community.
8. References. It’s not necessary to include references on your resume, but you should have them prepared in case a potential employer requests them.

Now that you know what to include, let’s talk about what to leave out.

1. Personal Information. You don’t need to include your age, marital status, or any other personal information that’s not relevant to the job.
2. Objective Statements. That Don’t Match the Job If you include an objective statement, make sure it aligns with the job you’re applying for. Otherwise, it can make you look unfocused.
3. Jobs That Are Irrelevant. If you have jobs on your resume that are not relevant to the job you’re applying for, consider leaving them out or just briefly mentioning them.
4. High School Education. If you have a college degree, you don’t need to include your high school education on your resume.
5. Unprofessional Email Address. Make sure your email address is professional. If you have an email address like “[email protected],” consider creating a new one just for job searching purposes.

In conclusion, your resume is a critical document that can make or break your chances of landing your dream job. By following this ultimate resume checklist, you can be sure that you’re including everything you need and leaving out anything that’s unnecessary.

One great product that can help you streamline your job search and create a professional-looking resume is the “Resume Writing and Job Search Workbook: A Professional Approach”. This comprehensive guide takes you through every step of the job search process, from writing a winning resume to acing the interview. It includes sample resumes and cover letters as well.