Resume check: what to fix before you apply

Length and layout

• One page for under about ten years of experience; two pages is normal beyond that.
• One column. Applicant tracking systems (ATS) can misread tables, text boxes, columns, headers and footers.
• A plain font at 10 to 12 points, margins of about half an inch to an inch, and no photos or graphics.
• Save as .docx or PDF, whichever the posting asks for, with a clear file name like Firstname-Lastname-Resume.

Headings an ATS can find

• Standard section names: Summary, Experience, Education, Skills.
• For each job: title, employer, city and state, and start and end month and year, in the same format every time.
• Contact details in the body of the page, not in a header.

What the bullets say

• Start each bullet with an action verb and say what changed because of your work.
• Use real numbers where you have them (people served, dollars, time saved). Never estimate a number you can't stand behind.
• Use the posting's words for skills you genuinely have; don't copy skills you don't.
• Three to six bullets for recent jobs, fewer for older ones.

Before you send it

• Spell-check, then read it aloud once.
• Remove anything you wouldn't want to discuss in an interview.
• Make sure the dates, titles and degrees match what an employer could verify.

Applying to one particular job? The targeted resume is tailored to the posting. Federal job? See the federal resume.

Questions