2. WHAT IS A RESUME?
WHY DO WE PREPARE IT?
• First and foremost it is a personal sales document, not a list of everything
you have ever done in life
• Used to provide enough information (not too much) to a potential
employer to gain an interview
• Focus attention on your skills and experience
• Why me!!
• Demonstrate your written communication skills / style
3. WHAT SHOULD I INCLUDE?
HOW TO DEVELOP A RESUME
• Contact / personal information
• Handphone
• Email
• Physical address
• Residency / visa status, if appropriate
• Language fluency
• Education
• Highest level and preceding
• Institution name, location
• Graduation date (expected)
• If no work experience to date, key projects / internships that may be
relevant
4. HOW SHOULD I BUILD MY RESUME
• Professional awards / certifications / licenses / memberships / relevant
technical skills (that are relevant)
• McDonalds Food Safety for a Finance Manager role??!!
• Singing Award from Primary School??!!
• Work experience
• Reverse chronological order
• Company name, location
• If not a well known company, a short summary of the business,
industry, ownership structure
• Job title (in brackets actual position if unusual)
• Dates
• Duties, but not a shopping list
• Achievements that demonstrate a value you can bring
• References
5. TIPS – HOW TO STAND OUT
• Facts, not opinions. Know the audience, what will they want to know?
• Professional presentation and formatting in Word or PDF
• No more than 4 pages, less is more!
• May include at top very short summary and 3 unique selling points
• Make sure your resume is consistent with your online profile, such as
Linkedin
• Ensure the key words relevant to the position you are applying for jump
out and appear more than once (search optimization)
• Think who will read it
• Think how they will find it
• Exclude personal data such as religion, marital status, political beliefs
6. TIPS – HOW TO STAND OUT
• If including a photo, ensure it is a professional one
• Avoid using abbreviations unless you are sure your audience will be
familiar with them
• Keep language positive. Think about what is unique about you, not just
generic skills. Ask yourself, why should this company hire you?
• Include explanation for breaks in your career / studies
• Don’t highlight weaknesses or areas that might be perceived as
negatives.
• Spell check and have a friend or family member proof read it
