Resume Preparation

• Your resume should be a professional sales document
• Ensure the information is complete
• Check layout as well as content

Writing a resume can be a daunting prospect. This is a document that a potential employer uses to make their first judgement about you - be careful to provide information that ensures those judgements will be positive ones!

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! In another case, an application letter talked about " working on a farm where I was bitten by a horse and had to have my head super-glued together". Mmmm!

Whilst we encourage candidates to state very clearly what their career aspirations are, putting this "I'd rather have no money and sleep on the street than do xxx job" is probably going a tad far. So is including your goals as "play first grade rugby, have a high paid job, surf around the world and own a really good big ute or V8". Whilst most of us have similar personal goals (maybe a sporty WRX as opposed to a V8) it probably isn't a good idea to include them on your resume - it might make potential employers think you are not committed!

Now you may think the above are made up, but they are real applications received by Hays Personnel Services. Of course we advise that changes be made to improve things - as any reputable recruitment firm would - but often resumes get sent directly to employers and if they include comments like these they probably won't get far…So, here are some

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.
• After a lively career objective that gives an indication of what you want (avoid beginning this with ‘all I’ve ever wanted to be is a…’) 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 CV. If you took a year out, carried out an interim assignment, or travelled 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 “2002 – 2004” could be interpreted as employment from December 2002 to December 2004 unless you say otherwise
• If you have your own website profiling your work, include the URL on your resume, however 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 CV! Remember, it is the first impression your potential employer will have of you, so take the time to get it right. If possible, even get 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.
• If the company you are applying to prefers hard-copy resumes, select quality A4 paper, ensure your resume is produced on a PC using a good quality printer, and only type on one side of the paper.
• Unless otherwise stated, you do not need to attach copies of certificates relating to educational and/or professional qualifications (including recent academic transcripts) or any references from previous employers to your resume. You should instead bring these to a job interview.