Are you Resume Ready?
Having a well written and presentable resume is a crucial part of the employment process.
Employers will often short list applicants based on their resumes alone so therefore it is important to make your resume stand out.
Resumes should not be longer than two pages so keep your resume concise and only include details that are relevant to the employer.
The following headings are usually included in resumes:
PERSONAL DETAILS
- Name: Always state your full name
- Address: State your residential and postal address in case the employer needs to contact you by post.
- Telephone: Put your home and mobile number if necessary and make sure you specify the times you are contactable. Record a professional voicemail greeting stating your name and that you cannot take their call right now and an invitation to leave a message.
- Email Address: Many companies prefer to email applicants so stating your email address would be a good idea. Create a professional email address. The best one is your name, if you have common name then add some numbers to it.
- Date of Birth (optional): State your date of birth in full date format e.g. 4th February 1990
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
In this section list the schools you have attended and state the years you attended them. Also list the subjects you studied and the results gained in these subjects.
WORK EXPERIENCE
This section should list any previous work experience you have had including school organised work experience.
This section should follow the below format:
- Employer: Write the name, address and telephone number
- Position Held: Position title
- Period of Employment: This should be given as May 2018 – February 2019
- Duties: List the duties you undertook in dot point format.
COMMUNITY WORK
This section is important as it shows employers that you take an interest in your community.
You might have participated in a community event through your school or sport perhaps. List all your community involvement and specify dates if possible.
Examples of community involvement are: collecting for charities, speaking at community functions, being involved in community performances and helping with community clubs such as sporting and special interest groups.
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS
This section should list any extracurricular activities you have undertaken and any special prizes you may have gained in your school or working years. Example: Academic Merit Award 2019.
PERSONAL SKILLS
You should state your strong points in this section. For example, if you work well as part of a team or if you have had a great deal of leadership experience. It is also important to point out if you have transport. Perhaps you have your P plates, for example.
HOBBIES AND INTERESTS
State your hobbies and interests. State any positions of responsibility that you may currently have or may have had in the past connected to your hobby or interest.
REFEREES
In this section you should list at least two referees with their addresses, email, and telephone numbers. It is important that you seek the permission from the people you are going to list so that they can be prepared for calls from prospective employers. Ensure you only list referees that will say positive, not negative things about you.
HANDY HINTS
- Make sure you present your resume in a format that is legible and easy to understand.
- When using a computer to type your resume, make sure you use a font that is easy on the reader’s eyes. An employer will not waste their time on text they cannot read.
- Ensure that your resume is brief and to the point. The employer will not have time to read an essay.
- PROOF READ YOUR RESUME before giving it to potential employers. Spelling and grammatical errors will not be looked upon lightly by employers.
- List two referees in your resume including previous employers or school teachers.
Download Example Resume – Detailed
Download Example Resume – Brief
Do you need a Cover Letter as well? Check out our article on How to Write a Killer Cover Letter! The article has some great tips, as well as a FREE cover letter template to download as well.