31JanWhy you might need resume help!
Posted on 31/01/2017 by Nine2Three
Colour, no colour, bolding, headings, too wordy, not enough information, which skills to highlight, key words, too short, too long, references, fonts, qualifications….. Getting your resume right can be stressful and overwhelming. Going to Google for the answers can be even more stressful when there isn’t any general consensus on the ‘right way’ to make a resume.
Research has shown that employers look at each resume for only a few seconds, in this time your resume is the first impression they receive of you. Job searching is competitive and a resume that stands out (for the right reasons) is essential in grabbing that role you are searching for.
These three tips for an effective resume will hopefully reduce some of the stress involved in searching for that dream role:
1. DESIGN
a. FORMAT: A poorly formatted resume is not going to cut it. Ensuring everything is correctly aligned and spacing is correct is essential in a well-formatted resume.
b. LENGTH: 2-3 pages is plenty of space. Any less and you can miss valuable information, any more and you can fall victim to babbling on too much.
c. FONTS: In 2017, Times New Roman is out and Calibri, Tahoma and Arial are in. Ditch the old style fonts and head for something more modern. Stick to a standard font so it can transfer to different operating systems. Also do not mix fonts throughout your resume, stick to the one.
d. COLOUR: Colour can make your resume stand out but also for the wrong reasons. Too much colour can be overwhelming and detract from your resume. If you want to use colour, use it for headings and keep the majority of information in black, unless of course you are applying for a design job.
e. HEADINGS: Use headings to distinguish between sections of your resume. It makes it easy for an employer .
f. BULLET POINTS: Use bullet points to break up large chunks of text. Large paragraphs are difficult to read and take up too much of the employers ‘valuable time’. Bullet points are great for employers to scan through to find the relevant experience, qualifications and achievements.
g. PROOF READING: Get a friend or family member to have a look over your resume as a fresh pair of eyes may be able to pick up on something you may have overlooked. An employer reviewing your resume does not view spelling and grammatical errors favourably.
2. CONTENT
a. ‘THE MORE THE BETTER’…OR NOT: The balance between too much and too little information is a tough one. Too much information can overwhelm the employer and leave them confused and too little information can mean your best skills haven’t been highlighted enough. Do not include irrelevant information and/or details as these take up valuable space.
b. TAILOR YOU CV TO THE JOB: It can be helpful to have several versions of your resume that you can select one of, to use for different jobs. Adjusting the content of your resume to reflect the role you are applying for can help highlight that the role you are applying for is important to you and not just one of many you have applied for. (Remember to use key words – discussed later)
c. CONTACT INFORMATION: Although basic, many job searchers forget this important detail. Include your email address, mobile number, address and, if relevant, a link to your LinkedIn profile.
d. PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY: Keep it short and sweet. Include main skills, current role, achievements and your professional experience. Importantly, your summary should match the job description. Be specific and highlight key words for each role you apply for – each business and role is different.
e. QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION: Ensure your most recent and highest qualifications/education are at the top as these are the most relevant
f. CAREER OUTLINE/PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: If including this, incorporate the company, role title, start and finish dates, key responsibilities and a few major achievements.
g. REFERENCES: If you want to be the easiest solution for the person reviewing your resume, include your references. For management and executive roles it is recommended to have ‘to be supplied upon request’ under this section so you can speak to your references before they are used.
3. POWER WORDS
a. WORDS THAT WORK: Employers and recruiters love power words. Try using some action words.
b. KEY WORDS: Managed, achieved, created, improved and mentored are great examples of key words to use.
NOTE: Most importantly, your resume should be truthful. False information can get you in big trouble, so be sure to only include information that is correct and true.
Through using these tips, along with incorporating an effective cover letter, you should be on the way to getting that dream job.
Nine2Three, have 3 packages available to help you recreate or just touch up your resume and/or cover letter:
Full Resume Makeover ….. $225.00
- Resume Review: your resume will be reviewed by one of our consultants
- Consultation: feedback is given on current resume and any additional information about your skills and experience needed to enrich your CV are noted.
- Resume Rewrite: our consultant rewrites your CV so it reflects your professionalism and skills and so you stand out from the crowd.
- Final consultation: our consultant will check and see if you are happy or if any changes need to be made.
- Final CV Sent: the updated CV is sent to you as a Word document and a PDF.
Resume Quick Fix…..$99.00
- Consultation: One of our consultants will contact you via phone and discuss your resume with you
- Resume Fix: one of our consultants will use your current resume and make changes to it, including highlighting and adding those crucial power words, small formatting changes and much more
- Final CV Sent: our consultant will send your resume to you via email as both a word document and a PDF
Cover Letter Makeover …..$95.00
- Consultation: Our consultant will discuss with you the types of roles you are applying for and the information you wish to include in your letter
- Letter Write: our consultant will construct your letter
- Final Consultation: our consultant will check and see if you are pleased with the final cover letter. Any changes will be made if necessary and a final version will be sent to you as a Word document and a PDF
Genevieve Nisbet, Junior HR & Recruitment Researcher
Important Note: These articles have been prepared for general circulation and are circulated for general informational purposes only; these articles should not be regarded as business or investment advice. The articles represent the views of the writers and are subject to change without notice. Additionally, while every care has been taken in the preparation of the articles no representation or warranty as to accuracy or completeness of any statement is given. An individual or organisation should, before any business or investment decision is made, consider the appropriateness of the information in this document, and seek professional advice, having regard to objectives, situation and needs. This document is solely for the use of the party to whom it is provided.
Posted in I Need a Job
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