Put the Finishing Touches on Your Resume
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- Identify the best references for your resume.
- Write your reference list.
- Proofread your resume.
What About References?
References are people who can vouch for you, your experience, and your skills. The hiring process may require you to provide a list of references—this can range from when you first apply to the job to the final step of the interview process. No matter when this happens, it’s good to keep a list of references ready to go.
Who You Gonna Call?
Choosing your references is like choosing the right words for your resume—it’s best to list people who enjoyed working with you and who can easily discuss your skills and talents. But don’t just list them and hope for the best. Give your references a heads-up before adding them to the list.
Contacting them gives you the opportunity to explain the role and for them to prepare for the call. (Employers may not call everyone on your list.) Contacting your references beforehand is also common courtesy!
Linda creates her reference list to match her resume structure.
Judith Martinez
Manager, Recruitment and Retention
Awesome University
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) ###-####
j.martinez@awesomeuniversity.com
Judith is my direct manager while I work as the Salesforce manager for the University.
Joseph Smith
Organizer
Salesforce User Group
Oakland, CA 94601
(510) ###-####
joseph.z.smith@oaklandug.com
Joseph Smith is the user group organizer whom I support.
Edit then Edit Again
Proofreading can contain upward of 27 steps, according to Indeed. Here, we review a selection of critical proofreading steps that can help you put the finishing touches on your resume.
Take the Time
While at the tail end of the resume writing process, you may feel the urge to just send it out already. But take the time to read through your resume and read through it again. Then again. Try to set aside at least one hour so you have enough time to identify any small mistakes and tweaks you need to make.
Print It Out
Several studies show that we comprehend text better when we’re interacting with the physical page. No disrespect to digital (we are Trailhead after all), but when every word matters, it pays to review the resume in a way that helps catch all the nuances.
Avoid Jargon
Be clear and concise. In the world of business, you’ll sometimes have to use industry terms and acronyms. But you shouldn’t assume the recruiter and hiring manager will know what you’re talking about. If you can get your point across with simpler, more direct words, use them instead.
Revise and Double Check
If you wound up changing a section or swapping out a word, review that area again. This helps you make sure your changes work grammatically with the surrounding words.
Bring a Friend
It’s always good to get a second pair of eyes on your resume. This gets you an objective point of view on how you communicate your skills and experiences.
Fingers Crossed
It’s time. Linda double checks the Cloud Kicks job description and instructions on what to include in her email submission. She saves and attaches her resume with a clear file name, RosenbergResume.pdf. Then, she includes a short cover message explaining her interest in the role, checks her email signature, and presses that send button.
A week later, a response from a Cloud Kicks appears in her inbox. She takes a quick breath as she clicks it.
