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Be the Difference
Resumes


Final Checklist


  • Is my current phone number included, and is it number perfect?
  • Is the rest of my contact information current and letter/number perfect?
  • Have I spell-checked and proofread my resume at least once?
  • Are all company/organization names listed correctly?
  • Are my entries absolutely consistent, in terms of formatting (indents, line spacing, tabs, bullets), grammar (punctuation, abbreviations, spaces) and style (bold, underline, caps, italics)?
  • Have I presented an image of myself that I feel comfortable talking about? Is it consistent with who I am and my present career goals?
  • Have I minimized time gaps in my resume and checked for potentially sensitive material?
  • Have I forgotten any relevant or unique experiences that might be interesting to a potential employer in this field?
  • Have I described my experiences accurately, and am I prepared to discuss in detail every activity or experience listed on my resume?

Space-Saving Devices

For Format

  • Reduce top, bottom, left, and right margins (one-inch margins are best; half-inch are the minimum )
  • Present each address in one single line under name
  • Use paragraph format instead of bullet format for job descriptions
  • In paragraph format, place the dates for a job at the end of each paragraph describing job duties
  • In bullet format, group job duties by category, instead of individual job duty for each bullet
  • In Skills section, edit wordiness by listing names of computer programs only; utilize automatic wrap-text format (do not start a new line for each category subheading)
  • Assess all paragraph and section indentations/tabs for necessity only
  • Employ fewer section divisions by collapsing material into related sections
  • Use a smaller point size (no smaller than 10 pt.)

For Content

  • Edit verbage and detail of job descriptions
  • Delete any activities or information of secondary importance
  • For campus activities, notate names of organizations, leadership roles, and dates only (no descriptions)
  • Delete high school entry
  • Include awards and honors in the Wellesley College entry instead of in a separate section
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