Do You Have a Great Resume?

Writing a resume can be a daunting prospect. This is a document that a potential employer uses to make their first judgment about you - so you'll want to ensure these judgments are positive.
For instance, your interests can say a lot about you. One candidate who recently applied for an IT support role stated that "suffering the net" was an interest! Now that could have been a humorous reflection on the speed of their modem but as you can imagine not everyone saw it that way.

Whilst we encourage candidates to state very clearly what their career aspirations are, writing "I'd rather have no money and sleep on the street than do xxx job" is going a tad far (and yes, we have received this comment on applications).

Of course we suggest improvements to our candidates' resumes if required, but often resumes are sent directly to employers. If they include inappropriate comments you are unlikely to be offered an interview. So, here are our tips to ensure you present a competent and professional resume.

Tips for writing great resumes

Most companies prefer resumes submitted electronically, so create your resume in a common program such as MS Word so it can be open and read by recipients easily.

First, include such basic information as your name, address, telephone numbers and email address. Make sure the e-mail address you use appears professional. hotstuff@hotmail.com is not appropriate.
Next list your education (secondary and tertiary) and qualifications.

Reference your career objective back to the job applied for to give an indication of what you want (avoid beginning this with 'all I've ever wanted to be is a…').

Then list your work experience in chronological order, beginning with the most recent. Include employer names, positions held and primary responsibilities. Also, where appropriate, include an indication of salary level achieved and reasons for leaving each position.

Do not leave gaps in your resume. If you took a year out, carried out an interim assignment, or traveled for six months, say so. If you do include gaps, potential employers can suspect the worst. Stating the years, rather than the months you started or finished a role can also send off alarm bells. Writing "2011 - 2013" could be interpreted as employment from December 2011 to January 2013 unless you say otherwise.

If you have your own website profiling your work, include the URL, but do not simply submit the URL address instead of a resume.

When formatting your resume, ensure there is plenty of white space. Don't place too much information on one page or use graphics and flowery or small fonts that are difficult to read as they distract from the content.

It is also important to include details of two references, such as former employees. If you are a graduate with no work history, include details of a former lecturer.

Finally, don't forget to spell check your resume. Remember, it is the first impression your potential employer will have of you, so take the time to get it right. If possible, ask someone to proof read your resume to check for any spelling, layout or typing errors.

Attach your resume to an email, rather than pasting the text into your email program. Pasting text into an email program sometimes causes text to appear on the recipient's screen in a distorted or muddled mess, making it very difficult to read.

Unless otherwise stated, you do not need to attach copies of certificates relating to educational and/or professional qualifications (including recent academic transcripts) or references from previous employers. You should instead bring these to a job interview.