Resume Checklist

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ROCKSTAR RESUME

CHECKLIST

“Treat your resume like your marketing brochure.”

Vikram Anand

Career Coach Vikram Anand

www.vikramanand.com

When you’re ready, this is how I can help you further: click here

Congrats! You now have access to a set of 14 steps to create a world-class resume that

will wow any HR Manager!

1. Keep the resume to 2 pages in length irrespective of your years of experience. If

you are a fresher, it should not exceed 1 page.

2. Make it interesting to read - it is your marketing brochure selling you in the job

market. The text should position you as unique, interesting and impressive.

3. Use Arial font at 10 – 12 point size. It is the easiest font to read on a screen.

4. For Indian resumes, do not include a passport photo of yourself. You are not

being hired for your looks, but your experience.

5. Always start with contact details which should include your full name, one email

address, one mobile number, just the city you're based in and a hyper-linked

LinkedIn URL.

6. Include a summary, not a career objective. HR wants to know what you can do

for them. They don't care about your career objectives. That's why a summary is

better. If you’re a fresher, you can use a career objective.

7. Follow it up with your skill set which should be well-laid out and easy to read.

Keep the list to a max of 5 skill matching the keywords in the job description.

8. Add your work experience in reverse chronological order detailing up to 5 points

about your current experience, and up to 3 points for all other prior experience.

9. Ensure your work experience is output oriented with measurable metrics. Focus

on what you achieved, not what you were responsible for.

10. "WIIFM" - What's In It For Me? that's what the HR Manager is asking himself

when he reads your resume. So, make sure you write it from his perspective. Not

yours.

11. List the last two educational qualifications and leave out grades, marks etc. Do

not mention schooling.

12. Mention certifications, volunteer work, and relevant additional information that

can add value to the role you are applying for.

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13. For Indian resumes never include - date of birth, age, marital status, driving

license, passport number, or other personal details. You are not being hired

because of them.

14. Never include the line "references will be made available on request".

15. Also do not include the names or contact details of your references.

16. Pro Tip - Include a recommendation from your LinkedIn profile as a third-party

testimonial under the summary to give your resume high credibility.

17. Include a cover letter to differentiate yourself from the competition.

18. Add keywords in your cover letter too to get a higher keyword match with the job

description.

19. Use the E.M.R.A. format for the cover letter – Excite, Match, Rockstar, Action.

20. In India do not substitute a resume for a CV. CVs are only used in academia,

research and the medical profession. For corporate jobs the document is called a

resume. Not a CV.

21. In your resume which is your marketing brochure – flirt with the reader, do not

reveal everything about yourself. Excite the reader enough to call you for the

interview.

22. Use bold, italics, and color sparingly. Do not overdo it.

23. Avoid fancy graphs, charts, images, icons which many Applicant Tracking

Systems cannot read. If they cannot read it, they may reject your resume.

24. Avoid a double column resume. Some Applicant Tracking Systems cannot read

them. A single column resume is much safer to use.

25. Send the resume only in PDF. Never in Word.

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