2. WHAT IS A RESUME?
⦁ a document used and created by a person to
present their background, skills, and
accomplishments. Résumés can be used for a
variety of reasons, but most often they are
used to secure new employment.
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3. • contains a "summary" of relevant job experience
and education.
• The résumé is usually one of the first items, along
with a cover letter and sometimes an application
for employment, which a potential employer sees
regarding the job seeker and is typically used to
screen applicants, often followed by an interview.
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FUN FACT!
The word résumé comes from the French word
résumé meaning "summary". Leonardo da Vinci
is credited with the first résumé, though his
"résumé" takes the form of a letter written
about 1481–1482 to a potential employer,
Ludovico Sforza. For the next 450 years, the
résumé continued to be a mere description of a
person and included their abilities and past
employment.
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In the early 1900s, résumés listed things like weight,
height, marital status and religion. It was not until
1950 that the résumé evolved into something more
than words written on scraps of paper. By then,
résumés were considered very much mandatory, and
started to include information like personal interests
and hobbies. It was not until the 1970s, the beginning
of the Digital Age, that résumés took on a more
professional look in terms of presentation and
content
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PURPOSE OF
RESUME
The resume's sole purpose is to land
you an interview. If employers like what they
see in your resume, they'll contact you to
schedule an interview. During the interview,
they'll evaluate how well your skills match
the job requirements, and how well your
personality fits with their team
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Traditional resumes follow tried-and-true
methods. They don’t use fancy formats or new
technology to impress potential employers.
These are good for more traditional industries.
Government contracting firms, consulting firms,
law firms, accounting firms, for example, all
expect more traditional resumes.
TRADITIONAL RESUME
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A one-page resume is a great traditional resume format
choice in many situations. In fact, many employers will
explicitly request a one-page resume. It’s always a good
idea to give employers what they ask for in the job
description. But even if the job posting does not specify
the desired length, one page is often the smart choice
(exception: the traditional executive resume often has
two pages). Busy hiring managers don’t have time to
read unnecessary information. So be concise and use
bullet points whenever it makes sense.
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Modern resumes use modern strategies
and other technologically advanced ways of
displaying information to help candidates stand
out. For instance, in place of an “objective”
statement, you might strategically place
keywords in a summary section so an applicant
tracking system will sort your resume into the
proper category.
MODERN RESUME
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Examples of modern resume styles include the
skills-based resume format where you emphasize what
you can do, not only what you have done in previous
jobs. This type of non-traditional resume works well if
you’re transitioning between industries and prior work
history is in an unrelated field. Some modern resumes
also incorporate color and other design elements (e.g., a
personal logo) to create a more visually appealing look.
However, if you use color and graphics, it’s imperative
that you use them well. Show your design sense and
signal that you’re a great fit.
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Creative industries and creative positions lend
themselves to more modern resume styles. If you’re
applying for a creative position at a non-traditional
company such as a trendy, new tech start-up, a unique
resume format, like an infographic resume, could grab
the attention of the employer. Using charts, graphs, and
other data visualization methods, this modern resume
style helps you show off your experience and skills in a
memorable way.
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Start by listing your
full name and contact
information, including
your phone number
and email address.
Personal Details
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begin your resume with a
career objective – a
sentence or two outlining
your skills and your work
ambitions.
Career objective or
summary
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Education
List your latest education
experience first and work
backwards, this includes
courses or qualifications you’ve
completed at university, TAFE
or other institutions that relate
to the role you’re interested in
applying for.
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Work experience
List your most recent
jobs including the title
of your position, the
name and location of
the company or
organisation, and the
dates you worked there.
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Skills, strengths or
interests
You could create
headings for these topics
and list information that’s
relevant to the job you’re
applying for. Highlight
any relevant professional
memberships, too.
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References
Most employers will require
references from people you know
professionally who can vouch for
your skills and abilities.
23. CHRONOLOGICAL
Chronological resumes are the most
commonly used format. They list work history
in chronological order, starting with your most
recent job down to your earliest. This resume
is preferred by most employers because it
provides a quick snapshot of work history,
with most recent positions up front.
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24. If you have a solid work history, your
experience is aligned with the job you
are applying to, and you have no lapses
between employment, use this format
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WHO SHOULD USE IT?
25. FUNCTIONAL RESUME
Unlike chronological resumes, functional
resumes focus on your skills and
experience first. This type of resume de-
emphasizes the dates in which you have
worked. Employment history is
secondary, and is listed under the details
of your skills.
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26. If you have lapses in employment, are in
the middle of a career transition, are a
recent college grad with limited work
experience, or have a diverse background
with no clear career path, this is the most
effective type of resume.
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WHO SHOULD USE IT?
27. COMBINATION RESUME
Combination resumes let you detail both
your skills and experience, while also
backing this up with a chronological listing
of work history. Flexible in nature, the
combination resume lets you tailor to the
prospective job opening and tell hiring
managers a story.
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28. TARGETED RESUME
Targeted resumes are customized in
detail to the prospective job you are
seeking. Everything from your
objective, your qualifications to
educational experience mirrors the job
requirements.
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29. These resumes are the most time-consuming,
but can generate the best results as the
qualifications and experience you outline
mirror the prospective job opening closely. Be
careful, however When you develop a
targeted resume you need to be as accurate
as possible and not embellish career
highlights simply to mirror the job.
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WHO SHOULD USE IT?
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How long should my resume be?
Keep your resume short and to the
point, so you can make a good
impression when an employer takes a
quick glance at it. Consider making
your resume one or two pages if you
have less than 10 years of
professional experience. Senior
executives or academics may like to
have resumes that are three or more
pages long.
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What should it look like?
It’s important to make sure the design and layout
of your resume is neat and makes it easy to read.
Use one or two clear fonts and use headings,
bullet points and paragraphs to split up the text.
While you’re at it, make sure your spelling and
grammar are correct.
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What to leave out
Your resume is meant to give a summary of
your skills and experience – so there’s no need
to include every detail. Some information isn’t
necessary in a resume:
Leave out personal details such as your home
address, religion, age or marital status
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There’s no need to list every job you’ve ever
had – especially if a job isn’t relevant to the
role you’re applying for now.
Don’t include your salary expectations or
previous salaries you’ve received – you can
list this information in your SEEK Profile.
