This document provides guidance on writing resumes and cover letters for fresh graduates. It discusses the importance of having an outstanding resume that attracts employer attention. The document recommends that resumes be brief, strong and highlight relevant qualifications. It also provides tips for resume structure and content, including tailoring the resume towards the desired job. Guidelines are also given for writing cover letters, including being friendly yet respectful in tone and perfecting grammar. The goal is to create unique, job-specific application materials to help fresh graduates stand out amongst competition in today's challenging job market.

1. Resume Writing
for the Fresh Graduates
Azli Nawawi
Mohd Azlis Sani Md. Jalil

2. This will
happen when
your resume is
just
ORDINARY..

3. • An outstanding resume will attract the attention of
prospective employers.
• Higher chance to get a job.
• A resume should be brief, strong and “punchy”.
• The job market nowadays is very challenging. So you
resume needs to “lift” you up from the crowd.

4. Contents
• Introduction to Resume
• Writing a Good Resume
• Do’s and Don’ts in Resume Writing
• Writing Cover Letters

5. Contents
• Introduction to Resume
• Writing a Good Resume
• Do’s and Don’ts in Resume Writing
• Writing Cover Letters

6. Introduction to Resume
Topics covered:
• Why a Resume is Important?
• Differences between Resume and CV

7. Why a Resume is Important?
• The first layer of your first impression.
• A bad resume will bring you down.
• The first step to attract your prospective
employer.
• Good resume = Employers will be waiting for
you..

8. Differences between Resume and CV
Resume CV
 Resumes are
much shorter than
CVs (<=2 pages).
 Resumes only
highlight your skills
and
accomplishments.
 CV is suitable for
providing more
details.
 Used in the field
of education,
medicine, research
and science.

9. Activity 1
Take some time to define your Career Plan. Some points
to help:
1. What subject do you love most?
2. Any software you interested in?
3. What is your dream job?
4. Any field of Mechanical Engineering that grab your
attention?
Tips: To get your dream job, your resume should tailored
in the way to bring you there.

10. Contents
• Introduction to Resume
• Writing a Good Resume
• Do’s and Don’ts in Resume Writing
• Writing Cover Letters

11. Writing a Good Resume
Topics covered:
• Resume Structure
• Useful Tips for Writing a Resume

12. Resume Structure
1. Resume objective
2. Career summary
3. Professional experience (include achievements)
4. Education
5. Affiliations (professional & community)
6. Technology skills
7. Honors and awards
8. Publications
9. Public speaking
10. Teaching experience
11. Foreign language and travel
12. Personal information

14. Useful Tips for Writing a Resume
• Tailored to the type of job you are seeking.
• Highlight the qualifications which seem
relevant to the job.
• Describe about the experience that will add
value to the job.
• Networking card strategy (excellent for
capturing the attention of employers).

15. Very simple
Highlight only the good qualities
The objective of your job
searching can be added

16. Useful Tips for Writing a Resume
(cont.)
• Relate your experiences to the job that you
wanted to apply. It shows your understandings
about the job.
• Use any document editing to develop a
“catchy” and easily readable one page
resume.
• Write your name and page number on the
second page (if you have a 2nd page).

17. Contents
• Introduction to Resume
• Writing a Good Resume
• Do’s and Don’ts in Resume Writing
• Writing Cover Letters

18. Do’s and Don’ts in Resume Writing
Topics covered:
• Do’s
• Don’ts

19. Do’s
1. Perfection is mandatory.
2. A resume should be unique.
3. Focus on your dream job. Write “around” it.
4. Less is more! (your boss is a busy guy)
5. Include relevant info. (Degree, attended courses
and seminars, classes, workshops and
certificates).
6. The list of references should be written in a
separate page.

20. Do’s (cont.)
7. Use the suitable font (Size 11 or 12 is okay. 10
is too small).
8. Use a good quality paper.

21. Don’ts
1. Don’t write too much about your past.
2. Do not confess everything in your resume.
3. Do not write a general resume that you tend
to send to all employers (Be unique!).
4. Do not write the description of your previous
jobs but focuses more on the achievements.
5. Do not write about the descriptions that you
do not like to do from the previous job.

22. Don’ts (cont.)
6. Do not write in paragraph. Use bullet points
Which one is easier to read?

23. Don’ts (cont.)
7. Do not include private information such as
the salary history, personal and family
information, your account number and
others.
8. Avoid lying in your resume! (It is not worth
it).

24. Activity 2
It is time to write your own resume!
You can kick-start by answering these questions.
Please take your time!
Q1. My job objective (Position you are looking
for).
Q2. The skills required to perform my job
objective (List 2 or 3 skills).

25. Contents
• Introduction to Resume
• Writing a Good Resume
• Do’s and Don’ts in Resume Writing
• Writing Cover Letters

26. Writing Cover Letters
Topics covered:
• Tips to Write a Cover Letter
• The Format of a Cover Letter

27. Tips to Write a Cover Letter
1. Do not be too formal with your words.
2. Use your own friendly words.
3. Do not go overboard with your words (Be
friendly but show some respect).
4. Use words that show your confidence and
sincerity.
5. Make sure that your grammar, spelling and
sentence structure is perfect.

28. Tips to Write a Cover Letter (cont.)
6. Send the cover letter to a proofreader or to a
friend who is good in English (for the
checking purpose).

29. The
Format
of
a
Cover
Letter
To be continued in the next slide

30. The
Format
of
a
Cover
Letter
(cont.)

31. Activity 3
By referring to the cover letter format, you can
start writing your own cover letter.
Remember, use friendly words. Do not bore your
boss.
If your English writing is not as good, you can
write in Malay and then translate the letter to
English language..

32. Concluding Remarks
• A unique and job-specific resume is an
important tool for job hunters.
• A resume is an attention grabber. So it should
be brief and “punchy”.
• A good cover letter is crucial because it is the
companion to your resume.
• It can also highlights some the
accomplishments that make the bosses think
that you’re the one who fits for the job!

33. The teaching module is available for
download at:
• https://www.dropbox.com/s/ia6k2jqk1nufib8/
Writing%20a%20Resume_actual%20module.p
df
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26
3679592_Resume_Writing_For_the_Fresh_Gr
aduates?ev=prf_pub

34. Further Reading
• [1] D. F. Noble, Gallery of best resumes: a
collection of quality resumes by professional
resume writers, 4th ed. Indianapolis: Jist, 2007.
• [2] W. S. Enelow, 100 Winning Resumes for
$100,000+ Jobs: Resumes that Can Change Your
Life: Impact Publications, 1997.
• [3] P. Kolin, Successful writing at work: Cengage
Learning, 2012.
• [4] S. Ireland, The Complete Idiot's Guide to The
Perfect Resume, 2nd Ed. ed. Indianapolis:
Macmillan USA, Inc., 2000.