CaRMS resume editing checklist
As a healthcare professional, your resume / CV and supporting documents should reflect the same precision and professionalism you bring to clinical practice. The checklist below outlines key areas to review, to ensure your resume / CV present you as a credible, well-prepared candidate.
content
Verify that your contact information is accurate and up to date.
Eliminate redundant or implied information (e.g. “if / when needed; if / when required; to deliver healthcare; in the best interest of the patient; to / for patients”) and any accidental duplications of content.
Evaluate your keywords and action verbs - do they reflect CanMeds roles?
Check: have you quantified the outcomes of your work, or measured its impact somehow?
Remove inflated or inaccurate descriptions (e.g. “multilingual” if only 2 languages are known).
Consider whether claims about your communication skills will be reflected in an interview.
Do not copy large sections of job ads.
Remove any referees’ information. Submit separately, and only when and in the format requested.
grammar
Ensure consistent and accurate verb tenses.
Determine whether articles are necessary - use them consistently or not at all.
Check usage of Latin pluralizations (e.g. “symposia; curricula; alumni”).
fine details (spelling, punctuation, mechanics)
Review each line for spelling errors / Canadian spelling and typos (e.g. “lumber puncture”).
Ensure capitalization of cities, countries, hospitals, supervisors, and section headers.
Review punctuation marks for accuracy and consistency (e.g. full stop; apostrophe; comma versus semicolon; em dash, en dash, etc.).
Ensure consistency in presentation of dates (e.g. punctuation; numbers versus words).
formatting
Ensure consistent font, font size, and bullet size and shape.
Ensure consistent spacing, margins, alignment.
Ensure consistent use of bold, underline, and italics.
Include a footer with page numbers.
