TIPS FOR RESUME WRITING
Whether you are a director, manager or in a junior position, the process of getting hired almost always begins with the first document that you submit to a potential employer or recruiter. This document is known as your resume or CV. Put simply this is your personal marketing document that hopefully will able you to secure face-to-face interviews.
We have collectively gained many years experience in understanding employer needs and have seen many good and bad resumes during that time. Listed below are some tips and advice to help you fulfil your potential and have a well-structured and concise CV.
Things to keep in mind
Keep it organised. Most employers prefer to read in the following order: Personal Profile, Education & Qualifications, Work Experience, Skills, Awards and References.
One page resumes are not good; you need to show off all your experience. Anything from 2-4 pages should be sufficient.
Show clear working periods. When writing working periods for each company, state the month that you started and ended the position as employers would want to determine the number of total years experience that you have.
Outlining your job responsibilities and achievements are important and a good conversation point during interviews. They allow employers to access your skills and your level of involvement in the company.
Customise. Job seekers will get a higher level of response if they can align their resume content to the job description of the role they are applying for.
Make sure that your resume and your profile on social media sites align as clients will often also check your profile online.
Microsoft Word has resume templates which you can follow as well as online through search engines, type in "Resume Examples".
If you are using Open Office, make sure you save your resume as a PDF or .doc/.docx so that employers and recruiters can open your resume.
Things to avoid
Having a resume in two languages on the same document. If you want different language versions of your resume it is easier and clearer to have two versions.
Typing the entire resume in CAPS.
Telling lies that can be found out will be found out.
Poor Grammar. Be sure to proof-read your resume before hitting the submit button.
Fancy graphics. When presenting your skills to your respective employer, it’s best to keep the graphics functional. Avoid over-the-top info / graphs and images as these may only serve to confuse your employer. Use a standard Microsoft Word template and keep it professional and direct.
Make sure that your resume is under one megabyte (1MB) and not in Excel, Power Point or Publisher.
The above suggestions are some of the common resume mistakes that our consultants have encountered. When you submit us your resume, we will gladly go through your work and give helpful suggestions as to how you might improve the presentation and functionality of your CV.
We are constantly including the latest information and tips on how to write better resumes. Get them here!
