If you are sending off your resume to a potential employer, you have gone through a significant process already. You may have been scouting the local job market for a while and have considered what your likely next step will be career wise. So what do you need to ask yourself before you send off your resume? Most of the checks relate to the accuracy of the document – so what should you be checking before you press ‘send’?

1.  Have I corrected spelling and grammatical errors? 

Read through the document, first for spelling and second for grammatical errors. Some errors will not be picked up by a spell check. It is also a good idea to send the resume to another person to see if they recommend any changes.

2.   Are font and spacing consistent through the document? 

Font changes mid-way through a document as well as errors with spacing simply cause the reader to spend time thinking about the format of your resume, rather than it’s content. Anything that detracts from time spent considering the accuracy of your resume is time wasted. Make sure that you read through and update any errors.

3.   Are my contact details accurate and on each individual page of my resume? 

Sometimes pages of your resume can get mixed up with others. It can save time by adding your name, address, contact number and email address to each individual page of your resume.

4.   Are the dates in my resume in order?

It is important to list your career history in a chronological order, starting with your most recent role and working backwards.The dates of your prior roles match up should match up and there shouldn’t be any cross-over (unless you were working in 2 positions at the same time).  If there are any gaps in your career history, put in a simple statement to explain why i.e. completed studies, travel etc.

5.   Have I highlighted significant skills?

If you are applying for a leadership positon and some of your prior roles involved a position of leadership (such as team leader or shift supervisor) then make sure those are highlighted in a cover letter and added to the overall picture of your experience. Theundercoverrecruiter.com cites that you should categorise your skills according to the following areas:

• Job-related skills that are specific to your role (such as manufacturing electronics)
• Transferable skills that can take you from one job to another (such as competency with Microsoft applications)
• Adaptive skills developed on your own and are used regularly (such as integrity)

Then looking at the job description, make a list of the job-related, transferable and adaptive skills and feature these in both your resume and the cover letter, linking them to requirements of the role and the culture of the company.

6.   Have I demonstrated achievement?

While it carries a significant amount of weight that your skills match those that are requested on the position description, it’s also important that your resume demonstrates effort working towards and achieving something. This might include a University Degree, moving ahead in your career, mentoring others in your workplace or leading a successful project team. Ensure that your resume demonstrates that you are prepared to work towards the successful completion of a goal and you are prepared to put in the effort.

Contact Flexi for more information on how to improve your resume or to download our E-Guide on how to write a winning resume.