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. [email protected] vs. [email protected])
- 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 (Outdated domains can be a red flag for tech-savvy companies.)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.