Resumes are the most common way skilled workers apply for jobs. There are several types of resumes but the main outcome they need to achieve is to sell you and communicate efficiently. A quality that must stand out in your resume is your motivation to do the job well. This could be included in your objective or summary.
There are two main resumes formats. Chronological – where you list your experience as a timeline and a Skills-Based Resumes where you’re promoting your skills as they relate to the role you are applying for.
1. Chronological Resumes are often preferred by traditional employers and can be effective if you have a strong and consistent work history in the field you are currently pursuing and have worked for impressive companies and have held impressive titles.
Keys to a successful chronological resume include listing your top 3-6 accomplishments for each job, not the tasks. Focus on the employers' needs and choose the most impressive qualities you have and list those first. Keep education, awards and membership related to your objective and don’t include information that could be used to screen you out such as age, controversial memberships or dangerous hobbies.
2. Skills-Based Resumes can be particularly useful when you need to highlight transferable skills from various sources and can be effective if you have never worked in the field you are pursuing. Remember knowledge or experience gained in a non-paid or non-employment situation is still relevant.
Include a career objective or summary tailored to the position and industry you are pursuing. Every point that follows must prove you are qualified for the job listed in the objective.
Create your selling points (evidence) to demonstrate to the employer why you fit the position. List all the paid and unpaid positions where you gained relevant experience in your selling points. List all the education that relates including seminars, list all other related experiences such as awards, association memberships, civic activities that would demonstrate skills, attitude or networks that the employer may need.
Ultimately Employers want the alignment to their role, hard data and evidence. Think about using numbers, %, timeframes and action words.
Evidence - what can I use?
Selling points are evidence you have the skills and attributes for the job. Selling points can come from a variety of sources. For example:
Components of a résumé
What order should I put things in? You need to decide what’s most important to the job. Is Education more important than experience? If it is you put our education closer to the top and your experience below it. Use your judgement.
Headings that may be appropriate to use in your resume include:
Proofread all documents & final checks
Make sure your documents are 100% error-free before sending any email, résumé, or cover letter. Proofread it and then proofread it again. Use spell check and grammar checks to assist. Get someone else to proofread it for you.
Be aware that large recruitment firms use applicant tracking software to easily process a large number of applicants. These systems can filter and rank applicants automatically from their applications and résumés. The use of keywords can enhance your success. To evaluate your application check out jobscan. www.jobscan.com.
Load the advertisement and your cover letter, KSC, resume etc into jobscan, It’s a great free tool that gives you instant feedback and I affectionately call it the jobseekers revenge. Check it out.
Upload, Email, Post or Deliver
Send in your application according to the instructions unless you have spoken to the recruiter directly and have offered to drop your application in yourself and they have agreed to accept this. This can be a game-changer if you can arrange it as it provides you with an opportunity to present yourself and potentially influence the decision about whether to interview you or not.
Make sure the impression you make is positive so you give yourself the best chance of securing the interview.
If submitting in person use high-quality paper and make sure the ink is waterproof. If it is requested the application be handwritten then write it neatly. Type out a draft of what you will say and when ready write your letter. This will avoid mistakes. Make sure it looks neat and clean and fits the image of the industry you’re applying for. Ensure it has no marks and does not smell (e.g. cooking oil or tobacco smoke).
Pretty borders and fancy fonts do not make a favourable impression on Managers or Human Resources staff.
Be aware that large recruitment firms use applicant tracking software to easily process a large number of applicants. These systems can filter and rank applicants automatically from their applications and résumés. The use of keywords can enhance your success.
To evaluate your application check out jobscan.
Honesty is vital! Never, lie on your résumé, you will be found out. Good Luck.