Resume Checklist (2026)

A complete checklist to review before submitting your resume — covering contact info, content, ATS formatting, and final proofreading. Go through every item before you apply.

Contact Information

Full name is the largest text on the page

Email is professional (firstname.lastname@gmail.com style)

Phone number is current and has a voicemail set up

City and state/country — no full street address needed

LinkedIn URL is current and profile is up to date

GitHub URL (for tech roles) is included

Portfolio URL is included if applicable

No photo, date of birth, marital status, or religion

Professional Summary

Summary is 2–3 sentences (not an objective if experienced)

Mentions your role title and years of experience

Includes at least one quantified achievement

Names the primary tools or domain relevant to this role

Is tailored to this specific job (not generic)

Avoids buzzwords like 'hardworking', 'passionate', 'results-driven'

Work Experience

Jobs listed in reverse-chronological order (most recent first)

Each role shows: Company, Job Title, City, Start–End Dates

Every bullet starts with a strong action verb

At least half the bullets include a quantified result

No bullets that just describe duties without showing impact

Most recent role has 4–6 bullets; older roles have 2–3

No jobs older than 12 years listed in full detail

Skills

Skills are grouped by category (Languages, Frameworks, Tools, etc.)

Skills list matches the key requirements in the job description

No skill bars, ratings, or percentages

Soft skills removed or shown through experience (not listed directly)

Only lists skills you can discuss confidently in an interview

Education

Degree, institution, and graduation year are included

GPA included only if 7.5/10+ (or 3.5/4.0+)

No high school if you have a degree

Relevant coursework included for freshers/recent grads

ATS & Formatting

Single-column layout (no sidebar, no tables, no text boxes)

Standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills, not creative alternatives)

No graphics, icons, or decorative elements

Font is standard: Calibri, Georgia, Arial, or Garamond

Body font size is 10–12pt; name is 16–20pt

ATS score has been checked against the target job description

Keywords from the job description appear in summary, skills, and bullets

Proofreading & Submission

No spelling errors anywhere — ran spell check AND read aloud

Consistent formatting throughout (same bullet style, date format, etc.)

No orphaned lines or awkward page breaks

File saved as PDF (unless employer specified DOCX)

File name is professional: FirstName-LastName-Resume.pdf

Resume is one page (under 7 years experience) or two pages (7+ years)

Had at least one other person read it for a fresh perspective

Run an automated ATS check

Resumly's ATS checker covers many of these checklist items automatically — keyword coverage, formatting issues, and missing sections.

Run ATS check Build my resume

FAQ

How do I know if my resume is ready to submit?

Go through a resume checklist covering: (1) contact info is current and correct, (2) summary is tailored to the specific role, (3) every bullet shows impact or a number, (4) skills match the job description, (5) no typos or formatting inconsistencies, (6) ATS score is checked, (7) file is saved as PDF with a clean name.

Should I get someone else to review my resume?

Yes, if possible. Have someone unfamiliar with your career read it for 10 seconds and describe what you do. If they can't summarize your role and biggest win accurately, your resume isn't clear enough. A fresh pair of eyes also catches typos you've read past a hundred times.

How should I save and name my resume file?

Save as PDF unless the employer requests DOCX. Name the file professionally: FirstName-LastName-Resume.pdf or FirstName-LastName-RoleName-Resume.pdf. Avoid generic names like 'My Resume Final v3.pdf' — recruiters download dozens of files and you want yours identifiable.

How often should I update my resume?

Update your resume every 6 months even when you're not actively job searching. Add new skills, projects, and achievements while they're fresh. A resume that's 3 years stale requires a major overhaul when you urgently need it — update incrementally and you're always job-search-ready.