Preparing a Resume that Works
When you’re preparing a resume, consider this: when an employer has a large number of resumes to sort through, they’re hoping to narrow these prospective employees down to a much smaller number. That means that when they sight your resume they’re on the lookout for anything that will enable them to cast you aside into the “don’t bother” pile. Of course, they’re also looking for a suitable employee.
If you want to make it to the short list:
- Make your resume look visually neat and professional;
- When you position information under categories like “Education” and “Employment History”, put your most recent – or most relevant – achievements at the top;
- Address the selection criteria.
If you’ve been scouring the Internet for advice on putting together the ideal resume, you’re probably quite confused – different authorities offer differing advice. The fact is, the length of time you’ve been in the workforce, and the type of work you do is going to dictate the length of your resume.
Those who have been in the workforce for only a couple of years aren’t expected to have a lengthy resume so don’t feel you need to pad things out. Do however, add anything that may let the prospective employer see that you have particular skills or are of good character. If you’ve done volunteer work or unpaid work experience, or even worked in a family business, you’ve probably gained valuable skills doing so – certainly enough to get you into the “interview” pile above others who haven’t.
More experienced people, no matter what their occupation or profession, will tend to have longer resumes. Having said that, when you’ve been working for 20 years, there is simply no need to include the six months you spent as a checkout operator or cleaning stables before entering your chosen field. If you are leaving items off your resume, simply alter the employment heading to “Relevant Employment History”. Significant gaps should be accounted for. If you travelled overseas for two years, say so.
When you’re preparing a resume visual presentation is important. The objective is to make the document look crisp and professional – and that means not crowding as much information onto the page as you can. Leave plenty of white space and use bullet point lists. Don’t waffle – be concise and to the point.
Many job applicants fail to make it to the interview stage because they haven’t told the prospective employer what they want to know in either the covering letter or their resume. In other words, they haven’t addressed the selection criteria. Every job has selection criteria – whether it’s a position with a six figure salary and a page long list of “must haves” or a small advertisement in the local paper that says “must be punctual and enjoy working with people”.
When you’ve completed your resume there are two things to do:
- Check it line by line for spelling and typing errors, and have someone else check if for you too. Your resume is an important sales tool and nothing says “I’m not very particular in my work” like a resume with errors in it.
- Check off the selection criteria for the position to make absolutely certain you’ve addressed each item.
If you know someone in your trade, profession or occupation that hires people, ask them to look over your resume and give you their opinion. It’s worth spending time on – when you’re in need of a job, preparing a resume that works is of the utmost importance.
