When applying for a job you must aim to make your resume stand out from other job applicants in order to be successful. Your resume needs to attract the attention of a recruiter/human resources manager quickly and effectively.
To write an effective resume you should:
• Assure that it is written professionally
• Be concise
• Accurately reflect your passion for the role
• Show a desire to continue on in your current profession
• List your relevant experience
• Show that you have the qualifications required for the position
• Include any personal attributes that would make you the most suitable person for the job
Your resume should also reflect your best traits; it is also important to be honest. The trick is to relate your qualities to the specific roles of the job you are applying for. Below are some simple but effective ways to improve your resume.
Update and review your resume every 6 months
As an ambitious jobseeker, it is highly likely that you would have acquired new skills and responsibilities in your current job or on the pathway to changing jobs. Therefore it is vital that your resume is reviewed on a regular basis so that employers can see that you are up to date with industry experience and expectations. Make sure your resume is reflective of all of your current information along with any job changes before submitting it to your prospective employer. Make sure it includes your strengths, recent education and employment experiences as well as any key job skills which are transferable to the jobs you are now applying for.
Get rid of information which employers may use to discriminate against you
The key to having an effective resume is making sure that you level out the playing field as a jobseeker and only focus on the role which you are intending to apply for. Therefore you should remove all aspects which may potentially work against you. Such as:
• Your date of birth
• Your marital status
• Your religion
• Your working status (ie. are you on a working visa or student visa)
• Your citizenship (if you are not from Australia)
• Why you left your past jobs
In the interview if they ask you questions on these topics, you can mention them but try to divert the attention back to the job itself and why you are the best person for the role.
Make sure your structure is suitable
It is important to structure your resume so that it matches the job you are applying for. If an employer is looking for certain skills or personality attributes add that to your resume to demonstrate that you have taken notice of their job description. The key is to ensure that your resume is industry and job focused. You want to make sure that it is similar to the job description, without actually copying word for word and plagiarizing the HR team’s efforts.
Keep information relevant
Employers often have many applicants for one job being advertised; therefore your resume must be succinct, well written and straight to the point to reflect your best attributes. Resumes which are too long (ie. longer than 3 pages) or use unnecessary language are often discarded by employers because they don’t have time to waste on reading excessively long resumes. Therefore it is imperative to only include information which is relevant to the job you are applying for. Discard or minimise any roles which are of no use to the specific job you are applying for. If you have a long work history (ie. 25 + years and you have moved between many jobs), reduce the duties and only list the oldest jobs by job title, company name, location and year to save space. Use bullet points to list your duties. Try to bear in mind the limited timeframe of the human resources professional will have and how many applications they will be screening.
Include extra-curricular activities and other skills
If you want to show an employer that you are a well-adjusted individual and have the capacity to work well with others and contribute outside of work include your extra-curricular activities or voluntary roles to help increase your employability. If you have been a leader, volunteer or active in the community or in any association/club include this as it reflects that you are willing to do activities beyond normal employment. Also remember to mention your IT Skills as today technology skills are vital in any role.
Include education which is relevant
The more qualifications you have, the more impressive your resume. However make sure that you only include qualifications and training on your resume which your employer will be looking for. The truth of the matter in this day and age is that a degree, diploma or advanced diploma does not necessarily guarantee you a job. However; if you combine relevant qualifications with appropriate skills training and employment experience you will have a far greater chance of obtaining employment. Also ensure you include all industry compliant ticketing, licensing and certificates to ensure your employer can meet their legal responsibilities.
Keep your resume professionally written
Ensure your resume is concise, informative, and free of spelling or grammatical errors. If you don’t, the chances are more than likely that your resume will end up in the bin. If you can’t show attention to detail in your resume, what would you be like as a potential employee? First impressions count and that begins with your resume, so give it the attention it deserves if you want to get the job.
For further assistance with getting the job that you want, speak to Monique at Exceptional Tuition & Resumes – Monique can assist with resume writing, cover letters, selection criteria and more: http://www.exceptionaltuitionandresumes.com.au/
