1. Format
Easy to scan and organized well
Length (Typically two-three pages)
Half-inch to one-inch margins all the
way around page
No colors or flashy font styles (font size
can be 10–12 point)
Looks professional
2. Heading
Name is larger than other text on the
page
Contact information is easy to read
(phone number and professional email)
LinkedIn personalized URL (if you have a
complete profile)
3. Objective/Summary (Optional)
Type of job/industry
Includes skills/experience you provide to
employer
4. Education
Only schools from which you received
a degree or are currently attending
Reverse chronological order (most
recent to least recent)
Degree(s) spelled out (not abbreviated)
All majors, collaterals, concentrations,
and minors
Graduation month and year
Overall and major GPAs (if over 2.8)
5. Relevant Coursework (Optional)
Included if required for position
All courses relevant to the job
Bullet format
No course number; name and subject of
the course spelled out
6. Experience
Split up into applicable sections (Work
Experience, Leadership, etc.)
Each section is in reverse chronological
order (most recent to least recent)
Includes all required information
(Organization name, title, location, dates,
descriptions, average hours worked per
week/pay, supervisor name, contact
information, contact permissions)
Action verb at the beginning of each
statement, with each verb varied if
possible.
Numbers and metrics where appropriate
(Ex: “Which resulted in a cost savings of
$1,500”)
7. Activities
Name of organization and any leadership
positions held
Leadership roles in bullet points
Limited description if regular member
8. Honors and Awards (if applicable)
Name of each honor and award with little
or no description
Scholarships included (merit-based only)
Dean’s list (3.7/4.0), number of semesters
9. Skills (if applicable)
Software and languages listed if relevant
Level of proficiency clarified (“Working
knowledge of...”, “Familiar with...”, and
“Fluent in...”)
10. Study Abroad Experience (if applicable)
Location, school, and dates
Courses listed or described in bullet
point format
Relevant projects described in bullet
point format
References
Three-five references are included
Information needed is included (name,
title, organization, email address, and
phone number, how you know them, and
how long you have known them)
FEDERAL RESUME CHECKLIST