Resume Resources:   Evaluating Your Resume

Now that you have written your resume it is time to evaluate the product. Review the following questions and see if you can answer yes to each one:

Is my resume inviting to read?

• Is it error free?
• Is it well laid out, with enough white space?
• Is it visually appealing?
• Have any gaps in employment been explained?
• Is the format consistent?
• Is it logically organized?
• Have I used strong action verbs?
• Are the job titles understandable?

Have I provided the right contact information?

• Is my name and address information complete?
• Have I included my name and page number at the top of every page?
• Is the phone number listed able to be answered during business hours – does it have voice mail?

Have I identified a career objective?

• Is it clear and concise?
• Have I eliminated superfluous

Does my resume stress my accomplishments and skills?

• Are my skills and accomplishments consistent with my career objective?
• Have I included specific examples of successes to substantiate my objective?
• Do my skills clearly express why I am good at what I do?
• Have my skills been substantiated by experience?
• Do the skills I identified match the job requirements?

Have I included all relevant education and training?

• Formal education?
• Relevant training?
• Self-study courses?

If extra-curricular interests have been included, are they relevant to my objective?

• Personal interests?
• Religious affiliations?
• Social clubs?
• Professional affiliations?
• Political affiliations?