A resume is often the first document through which an employer gets to know a candidate. MIT Career Advising notes that even minor errors can reduce a candidate's chances, so before sending it, it is worth checking the format, content, and relevance of the document.
Below is a short 15-point checklist. You can go through it in 10 minutes before every resume submission.
1. Check if the resume is tailored to the specific job vacancy
You shouldn't send the same resume for all positions. Princeton Career Development advises carefully reading the job description and including in your resume the skills, keywords, and traits that appear repeatedly in the posting.
Quick check: open the job posting and see if your resume includes the role title, essential hard skills, and key requirements from the job description.
2. Ensure your contact details are correct
At the top of the resume, you should have your name, phone number, a professional email address, and if necessary, LinkedIn or a personal website. These elements are part of the basic Ohio State Career Resource Guide checklist.
Quick check: send yourself a test email or copy the email from the resume to ensure there are no extra symbols, spaces, or errors.
3. Check if the email address looks professional
The Harvard Resume/CV Checklist explicitly reminds candidates to ensure that their email address sounds professional.
It is better to use a format like name.surname@gmail.com rather than an address with jokes, nicknames, or random words.
4. Check the file name
The file should have a clear name. For example: Ivan_Petrenko_CV.pdf or Ivan_Petrenko_Resume_Product_Manager.pdf. Jobscan, in its resume review, considers the file format, contact information, standard sections, keywords, grammar, and measurable achievements.
The file name should not look like resume_final_final_2.pdf, new_cv.pdf, or document.pdf.
5. Save the resume in the correct format
Many career centers recommend sending your resume as a PDF unless the employer requests another format. Ohio State's checklist explicitly includes the point "saved and sent as a PDF".
Check the requirements in the job posting separately. If the employer requests .docx, you need to send exactly that.
6. Check if the text in the PDF can be selected
If a PDF is created as an image, automatic resume scanning systems may not read the text correctly. Notre Dame advises avoiding images, tables, text boxes, and complex formatting for ATS compatibility.
Quick check: open the PDF and try to highlight a single word with your mouse. If the text cannot be highlighted, the document may be saved as an image.
7. Check if the resume structure is standard
Standard section titles help people understand the document quickly. Jobscan notes that it checks for standard resume sections, including summary, headings, and missing sections.
It is better to use clear headings: "Work Experience," "Education," "Skills," "Projects," "Certifications." Avoid replacing them with creative names if it reduces clarity.
8. Check if there is no complex design
Notre Dame recommends using a simple, standard format because ATS usually reads resumes from left to right and top to bottom. It also advises against using tables, images, text boxes, headers, or footers.
Quick check: if your resume has two columns, a sidebar, many icons, or decorative blocks, it is better to create a simpler version for online applications.
9. Check the font, size, and margins
MIT recommends using a readable font of 10–12 pt, margins of approximately 0.5–1 inch, and sufficient white space on the page.
Quick check: open your resume on a laptop and a phone. If the text is hard to read without zooming in, the size or text density needs to be corrected.
10. Check the resume length
MIT advises keeping the resume to one page but allows two pages for candidates with extensive experience or advanced degrees.
For most candidates, it is better to remove irrelevant details than to cram everything in with a tiny font.
11. Check dates and experience sequence
The Harvard Resume/CV Checklist advises checking if dates are clear, consistent, and formatted the same way throughout the document.
Quick check: go through the dates only. The format should be consistent: for example, January 2023 — March 2025 or 01.2023 — 03.2025, but not mixed.
12. Check if every bullet point starts with an action
MIT recommends starting phrases in your experience description with an action verb, and Princeton describes the accomplishment statement formula: action verb, context, and result.
Instead of "responsible for the website", it is better to write "updated website structure," "optimized pages," "configured analytics," or "prepared content."
13. Add specific results where possible
MIT advises providing evidence and quantifying relevant information: scale, budget, team size, or outcome. Princeton also recommends showing not only the action but also the result of that action.
Example: instead of "improved application processing," it is better to write "reduced application processing time from 3 days to 1 day," if that is a confirmed result.
14. Remove unnecessary and irrelevant content
Notre Dame emphasizes that a resume should be evaluated from the recruiter's perspective, not the author's: it is important to leave what is convincing for the reader of the vacancy.
Quick check: for each block, ask yourself: "Does this help prove that I am a fit for this specific job?" If not, shorten or remove it.
15. Check grammar, punctuation, and consistent style
Ohio State includes a grammar and punctuation check in its final checklist and recommends having someone else or a career counselor review the resume.
Quick check: read your resume aloud, then check headings, dates, company names, titles, links, and emails separately. Errors in these areas are especially noticeable.
Final check before clicking "Send"
Before sending, open the specific file you are about to attach. Ensure it is the correct version, the correct language, the correct file name, and the correct format. MIT emphasizes that a resume must be clear, consistent, and relevant, and minor errors can harm a candidate.
After that, check the email body or application form itself: is the file attached correctly, is there any boilerplate text left, and do the company and job title match? There is no separate public confirmation from sources for this point specifically, but it is a technical verification of the file and application match before sending.