The Resume Mansion resume critique checklist

Did you know that the average recruiter spends only 31 seconds on a resume critique? During those few seconds, they decide whether your resume belongs in the “yes” pile or the “no” pile. It feels like too much pressure to put on a single document that shapes the future of your job search. This is why our certified resume-writing experts always advise you to review your resume before sending it out.

Using this resume critique checklist that we specially prepared for you, you can assess whether your resume has what it takes to stand out in the job search. If you can answer “yes” to a majority of these questions, you have created a strong resume!

Appearance

• Does your resume provide a visually pleasing presentation?
• Have you used professional fonts and appropriate font sizes?
• Is your resume too long?
• Have you proofread for design errors such as unbalanced margins or uneven spaces?

Accomplishments

• Have you created a separate achievements section for your resume?
• Is each of your achievements quantified using numbers, percentages, dollar amounts, etc.?
• Do your accomplishments begin with strong action verbs?

Relevance

• Does your resume cater to the hiring manager’s needs?
• Is your resume supporting the content of your resume summary?
• Have you optimized your resume with the right keywords?
• Are there irrelevant buzzwords or jargon mentioned on your resume?

First impression

• Does your resume look original with a unique first look?
• Is there a resume summary that captures the essence of your career and accomplishments?
• Have you used the right design elements such as bullets, bold text, and italics to highlight important information?
• Is there enough white space on your resume for it to be not too dense?

Career goal

• Is your resume targeted for a specific job title/job description?
• Have you created a general resume that isn’t customized for a particular job?
• If you are considering a career shift, have you highlighted the necessary transferrable skills in your resume?

Resume Sections

• Have you labeled the resume sections properly?
• Are your resume sections in the right order, to highlight your best accomplishments?
• Is there a good balance of resume sections that appeal to your industry and experience level?
• Have you listed the qualifications in reverse chronological order?

Writing style

• Have you used pronouns in your resume?
• Is the resume written in the first person?
• Are there passive sentences that reduce the strength of the resume?
• Does the resume have a logical flow that is easy to read?

Work experience

• Have you included 3-6 bullet points for more recent and relevant work experiences in your resume?
• Are older and less relevant jobs limited to 1-2 bullet points per entry?
• Have you included a good variety of strong adjectives to describe your work experiences?
• Is there a clear distinction between accomplishments and responsibilities?