Tips for Writing the BEST Resume!
Here we help you tackle all the main considerations that go into quality resume writing. By using our database of sample resumes you will see the answers to these questions coming up again and again …sometimes with different answers for different types of resumes! There are very few absolute hard and fast rules when it comes to resume writing but these pointers should start to steer you towards the top of the interview pile!
- What Personal Details Should I include on my Resume?
Name, Date of Birth and Contact Details are the basic requirements that should be clearly stated at the top of the resume.
You don’t need to include information like your website URL, Facebook page details, marital status, religion, political leanings, number of children, social security number or drivers license number, etc., as this wastes space on the resume and really should not matter to the employer.
- What Should I Start With?
Important question! Employers want to know in the first couple of lines whether your resume is worth reading. Respecting their time will get you far!
So, beyond your personal details, place a summary of your skills, certifications and expertise that qualifies you for the position. This is especially true if you are applying as a contractor but, for most job applications, a brief summary of your skills, talents, abilities and experience at the top of the resume will get the HR manager reading on, if you’re as good as you say you are!
When you compile this “Highlights” or “Summary” section, make sure that you list all the skills you see as most important to the particular job application first and dedicate a line to each – maybe with bullet points? Bear in mind that chronology doesn’t matter at all here – the first “punches” you throw need to hit home!
Not many candidates will do this. You’ll find that this will create a great first impression as the person reading it may have hundreds of resumes to pore through and will want to whittle the number down very quickly.
- Then what?
The next thing you will normally detail is an expanded version of your career to date, in chronological order, with the current or most recent position listed first. List approximate dates and concentrate on the jobs that are relevant to the position you are applying for and what you actually DID in the role – especially the highlights of what you achieved and the major successes.
- Should I List ALL my Jobs and Achievements?
No, this is not necessary. It’s not important to account for every single year in the past 15 years and cover it with a job or an achievement. If there’s a question in the interview about what happened to you in 2004, you can handle it then. Your resume needs to concentrate on everything that is relevant to the particular position you’re applying for.
- Should I List Voluntary Work?
Only include voluntary work if it’s relevant to the job experience required for the position or you’re wasting valuable resume space. Any voluntary work you’ve done that can help to explain a gap in your resume can be discussed in the interview and you doen’t need to draw attention to it here.
- Should I list Job Titles?
Many HR managers feel it’s not necessary for a job title to be assigned to every position you held at every company. They are more interested in what you DID and ACHIEVED than what you were CALLED.
However, it depends on you and what you’re applying for. Just make sure that if you do use job titles that you keep it honest, but you can also be a little creative. If you ran your own company, it’s probably best not to put down “owner” or “MD”, but it will help you more if you put down something that’s related to the job you are applying for.
- Should I Detail Reasons for Leaving Previous Jobs?
No. This is not necessary as it can be discussed at the interview and explained in much more detail and with more understanding from the employer in a face-to-face situation.
- How Should I Detail My Professional Experience?
This is your chance to sell yourself and how well you match the needs of the position, so make sure you use well-chosen descriptions to make your achievements and skills stand out without being too over the top! Avoid superlatives like the “best” unless they refer to awards you received (like “Best Salesperson of 2008″) or words like “fantastic” or “brilliant”, but don’t sell yourself short. Some examples of useful phrases include:
- Achieved results by…
- Attained…
- Handled…
- Proactively…
- Successfully…
- Effectively…
- Established…
- Focused on…
- Exceptional…
- Aggressively…
- Demonstrated…
- Enabled… - How Long Should My Resume Be?
This depends but, for most people, one or two pages should suffice. You don’t want to present your life story – only the parts that are relevant to this position. And you’re not going for the job, only for the interview, so you just need to give enough information to convince the person reading it that you are worth 30 minutes of the boss’s time. Executives may use the full two pages or more but it’s not advisable to go much above this – most people are not that interesting professionally!
It’s not a bad idea to keep a full-length and a shortened (1 page) version of your resume at hand so that you can pull out and tweak the appropriate resume for different applications.
- What Font Should I Use?
You want your resume to look good – clear and concise, with clearly defined headings, but overall quite stylish too. Keep the font big enough to read; avoid using a font that is too fancy and makes some letters a little unclear. One of the standard fonts like Times New Roman or Arial often work well, but if you are applying for a design-based position or your personal preference is for another font, don’t hesitate to be a bit more creative.
- Should I include Educational and Training Qualifications?
Yes, it’s good to include a brief summary of your educational background and training qualifications, starting with your highest qualification. If you received a BA in Resume Writing at the University of Life then put that first if it’s your highest qualification – especially so if it relates to the position you are applying for. They probably don’t need to know about the 10-meter breaststroke swimming certificate you received in your primary school, but a brief run-down of high school achievements is a good idea – it shouldn’t take up too much space.
NOTE: If you have just left college or University with glowing results in your area of study and the job you are applying for relates to this field, then use your initiative and place this information at the TOP of the resume and make it one of the HIGHLIGHTS. You have no work history to speak of so it’s better to sell your great academic achievements in the field than trying to sell yourself on non-existent experience!
- Should I Include Career Objectives?
If you are a contractor applying for a specific task within a company then the boss is not going to give a hoot about your career objectives! He just wants to know if you can do the job for a decent rate.
However, this is different for a youngster joining a company with a set career path in his head. The boss may want to know that any investment he makes in your training will not go to waste.
- How Honest Should I Be?
100% honesty is the best approach. Deliberately listing a qualification you don’t have or a job you didn’t do will get you in trouble eventually and is fraudulent; if discovered after you’re hired, your employment can be terminated immediately.
There is a difference between presenting information in such a way that sells your talents and presents your “best side” and outright lying, which you should NEVER do on a resume.
- Should I Make a Mission Statement?
If you must do this, keep it brief; long-winded mission statements tend to be irritating and most employers won’t expect one at all so, unless you feel it’s important, you can safely omit it.
- Should I Point Out Any of My Weaknesses?
No. Never point out your weaknesses… they may become obvious during the interview (joke!), but don’t draw attention to them on your resume. You are up against other candidates for the job and it may come down to the boss choosing between you and another candidate for the last interview place. You don’t want to give them any excuses for choosing the other guy. There will be time to show that you’re willing to learn and that you’re not perfect once you have secured the interview.
- Should I include Hobbies and Pastimes?
No. There’s plenty of time to be getting into what sort of person you are during the interview so it’s best not to include this type of information on your resume – it may be perceived as “padding”. Keeping it relevant and concise doesn’t usually mean letting them know what your favourite dog breed is!
- Should I Include References?7
There’s no need to include references or letters of recommendation with your resume. You can gather your references together on another sheet of paper and have them ready to produce to add to your credibility if necessary, but many times the employer will not ask for them. If he really wants them he can, and will, ask!
- What Should My Cover Letter Include?
This should be no more than one page and may be the deciding factor in whether the HR manager even reads your resume.
Nowadays most resumes are submitted electronically, so the cover letter will be an email and the HR manager is sure to read it before opening your resume. If you let them know the highlights of what they’re going to find when they open it, you will win immediate points with them. Your intention is to keep them reading about YOU so grab their attention with a statement that starts to sell your talents.
Keeping it brief and clear will also win you points. Don’t use humour or sarcasm or try to use long words – just try to communicate clearly and accurately the information needed. Make sure you customize your cover letter for each application and tailor it to what the employer is looking for, as stated in the job ad.
Try to end the cover letter with a request for action from the employer – like an interview – to let them know you WANT the job. Sound positive and let them know you expect a call or email confirming the date.
- Should I Mention Salary Expectations?
No. Not usually necessary. If the employer specifically requests you to do so then you should address it, but try to leave it fairly open and leave room for discussion and negotiation during the interview, when this should really be addressed.
- What's The Last Thing I Should Do Before Sending My Resume Off?
Make sure you proofread your resume and cover letter before sending it out or, better still, get somebody else to do it… preferably someone over the age of 7! Seriously, there’s nothing worse than receiving a resume with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors; it hints at several negative personal traits right off the bat and is liable to get your application sent to the trash bin! Don’t just rely on “Spell Check” either, as it never catches everything.
