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Resume

A resume, or CV, is a summary of your personal, educational and work background. It is one of your main marketing tools when applying for a job.
Unless you have already met the employer, it will make the first impression for you.

Note that most employers will spend only about 60 seconds scanning your resume so your resume needs to make an impact in a very short amount of
time. What, and how, you present yourself on paper will determine if you get short-listed for the next stage. This could be the difference between being offered the job and not being considered at all.

Given the competitive nature of the job market, your resume must deliver the right message. Bear in mind there is no one perfect resume – every resume should be tailored to reflect the employer's requirements. Never assume the employer can identify the information they want. It is your responsibility to communicate your skills clearly.

A tailored resume can only be constructed by someone who has made a career decision.

Content and length

Resumes should be two or three pages, printed on one side. This limits the amount you can write. If you feel the information you are writing is relevant to the employer it is a good indication that you want to include it.

Firstly, identifying what is relevant to the employer

Before you write your resume, consider the requirements of the employer. By looking at the job advertisement and selection criteria in the job description (which you can request from the employer) you will know which skills, experiences and qualities are important in the role.

Secondly, identify how you meet the employer's requirements

All your experience from university, voluntary work, your home life, work experience can be used in your CV to show that you meet the employer's requirements.

Information to leave out

You should not include information that an employer might use to discriminate against you such as; age, marital status and health. Only include these if they are directly relevant to the job. You should also exclude salary information/preferences.

In summary - your resume needs to be concise and relevant to the employer.

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Headings

Headings should be used to highlight vital information, and structure the resume. Use your own judgment in deciding which headings would impress the employer.

The suggestions in the list are optional as your resume has to show your own individuality and style. Think carefully about the reasons why you would want to include the headings.

It is not necessary to use all (or any) of these headings - you may be able to think of others. Here are some more examples. You can substitute the word 'professional' for your own professional area such as, computing, marketing etc.

Professional Experience, Professional Profile, Professional Achievements, Previous Employment, Career Highlights, Career Summary, Precis of Experience, International Career, Career Overview, Employment Record, Research and Publications.

It is also effective to use words which relate to your industry. A computing student may wish to use the headings 'Computing Skills', 'Computer-related Education'.

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Style of writing

It is worth carefully considering the wording of your resume. In the same way that the writing style of your assignments differ from reports writing and emails, your resume will also differ.

You can further improve your wording by using professional business language and adapting it to the employer.

Appearance

There are not set rules for the appearance of your resume – after all, it's your decision. Just make sure the information provided is clear and easy to read.

The style of your resume should suit the industry you hope to enter. If in doubt stay with clean white (plain or parchment) paper. Avoid a cluttered look.

Use Microsoft Word functions such as bold, tabs, bullet points and italics to highlight information. Keep the overall formatting simple and consistent.

Structure your resume into sections and place important information at the beginning of the resume:

Format

Resumes can be presented in a variety of formats. The most common of these include:

Guide to writing the sections of your resume

The content of each section of your resume is crucial to the overall impact of your document. This section includes some ideas you may wish to consider. Remember that these headings are not compulsory.

Personal details

The main purpose of the personal details section is to provide a point of contact for the employer. Make sure your details are up-to-date so that you are able to be contacted at short notice.

You may wish to include both term and home details, if you are likely to move from your current address. Use a professional email address. Most employers will try to contact you by phone for an interview, so use a professional-sounding phone message service. Alternatively have another number where you can be reached.

Career objective

A career objective is a short statement about your employment goal – one to two sentences is sufficient. You may include:

Most importantly: Be specific. Too many graduates say they want to apply their knowledge in a challenging environment but forget to say where, with which group of people, or even which industry. You may have to modify your objective for different roles or employers.

Examples -

Work history

Your work history section can include paid and non paid work, as both are valuable to employers. You can choose to use sub-headings headings, such as 'areas of responsibility', 'skills' or 'achievements'. Regardless of how you decide to record your activities, remember to say clearly where, when and what you did. Include both the month, and the year of employment.

How far back in time you go is entirely your choice. If you are a mature-aged student you may wish to give details for the last ten years. Go further back in time if the information might be of interest to the employer. You also have the option of including just your relevant history, but be prepared to account for gaps in your experience.

University placements

When your experience has been gained as a result of a university placement you can state this on your resume. University placements often lead to employment, and for this reason your key areas of responsibility (or a description of your project and its outcomes) should be included. Three examples of how you may wish to record your university placements are included below. You may be able to think of more.

Educational details

Your education details should include your current degree (even if you haven't completed it), any previous degrees, your TAFE qualifications, professional development courses, and the seminars and workshops you have attended. For convenience, split them into groups, and summarise where possible.

Referees

A referee is someone who will give an independent report about your behaviour in the workplace. This is required as previous experience is often seen as a good indicator of your performance. Most potential employers prefer to speak with referees rather than read a written reference. It is highly unlikely that a referee will write negative or bad things about you.

Employers will often explain how many referees they require – usually two to three. You may wish to use referees who have either, supervised you in a work capacity (paid or non paid), know your academic ability, or have supervised you through sporting or community activities. Where possible, avoid using personal referees, as it can be difficult for an employer to receive an objective and professional perspective. If you are not sure who to use, the employer will tell you which referees are acceptable.

You can use the words 'Referees provided on request' if you are currently in the workplace and would prefer your employer not to be contacted before you ask their permission.

If you intend to use someone as referee, make sure you ask for their permission and tell them about the types of roles you are aiming for. This enables them to tailor their answers in your verbal reference to the position. It is also critical to have current contact details for your referees.

Choose your referees wisely – they could be the key to getting that dream job.

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Sample Resume

Putting your resume together into its final format doesn't have to be an arduous task. Why not go to the library and browse through the many books available on resume writing? There are literally hundreds of examples you can adapt to your own style. The good thing about preparing resumes is that there is no one way – just make sure all your relevant details are included and that your finished document is clear and professional looking. Here is an example of a resume to get you started.

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Assistance in preparing your resume

Your resume is an important document which needs to be as good as possible. Sometimes other people can identify mistakes and gaps that you have not been able to see. This is particularly important when you are not writing in your first language. Here are some suggestions for finding extra help.

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