How to Know Your Resume Is Ready to be Submitted

How to Know Your Resume Is Ready to be SubmittedHow to Know Your Resume Is Ready to be Submitted1Job candidates realize their resume can open doors to opportunities or slam them shut. With so much riding on the document, no wonder people get a little anxious about creating the perfect one.Watch, however, that fine-tuning doesnt turn into obsession. Spending way too much time debating little details lowers productivity and brings additional tension to the job search.Not sure whether to continue tweaking your resume or send it out? No magic answer exists, but job seekers generally should feel confident their resume is ready for submission if it meets the following criteriaNo ErrorsTypos and grammar issues spell trouble and may cause immediate disqualification.I used to have a colleague who would review resumes with a red pen. If the job description said attention to detail and the resume had errors, she took them to mean the candidate wasnt a fit for the job, says Sarah Johnston, found er of theBriefcase Coach.While spellcheck is a wonderful tool, also proofread. Such an examination may reveal commonly confused words (such as their vs. there vs. theyre), inconsistency in styling (such as some entries ending with a period and some not), and wrong dates (such as inadvertently putting in the current year for a past event).Covers the EssentialsYou can also feel comfortable submitting your resume for an opportunity when you feel sure it answers the pain points in the job description, Johnston notes. For example, if you are interviewing for a role as a major gifts officer for a nonprofit and the job description says under requirements that you need experience with Raisers Edge and a proventrack record of closing five and six-figure gifts, your resume needs to address those requirements.Whether applying for a specific lage or making a general inquiry, be certain the resume contains the informationemployers want to see. During the revision process, you might have accident ally omitted an important section or an eye-catching credential. The last thing you want is an employer wondering why you didnt include your educational historyVisually AppealingEvery job seeker has heard about the minuscule amount of time hiring managers spend on each resume. Jumbled, hard-to-read documents get cast aside even quicker. Make sure your resume pleases the eye. And in todays tech world, examining presentation on various devices makes sense.Passes a Three Readers TestFinally, realize that you may be too close to the material to spot errors or see where improvements could be made. Allow three trusted people to edit the document and give their honest opinion. Perhaps the resume could benefit from jazzier verbs or quantifiable examples of your strengths. Maybe your work history seems confusing. Better for someone you know to point things out than a hiring manager.After receiving three thumbs up on a final document, focus on getting your awesome resume into the proper hands in a timely manner. Send it off with confidence, and prepare for the great results rather than continuing to second-guessWish you could talk through your job search and career questions with someone?SIGN UP FOR CAREER COACHING