Here are some basic guidelines to follow to ensure you get the attention of a recruitment consultant or employer and make the best impression!
DO:
Treat your resume like a sales document – The purpose of your resume is to sell yourself and no one can do this better than a previous employer or colleague. Use a quote from a third party reference at the beginning of your resume which shows you as an enthusiastic, loyal and productive worker.
Structure your resume – The layout of your resume speaks volumes about you. Again there is no ‘one rule’ that applies but we recommend having your personal details at the top and then your education and qualifications followed by any prior jobs, work experience and volunteering. Also use a nice simple font so all the information is clear and readable.
List job history with most recent first – By putting your most recent position first, you make it easier for a recruitment consultant or employer to go through your resume in detail.
Use bullet points – Most recruitment consultants or employers will spend about five seconds looking at a resume before deciding if it is relevant or not. By including long paragraphs, you make it harder to find out about you which will ultimately have a negative impact on their impression of you.
Include your social media information – Don’t be afraid to include details of your social media accounts (e.g. Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs) but only if you think it is a positive reflection of you. It is very common for recruitment consultants and employers to search for you online, so by including this information you make it easy to find you.
Keep it short -The ideal length of a CV is no more than two pages.
DON’T:
Include photos – If we are honest people forge opinions about others based on image alone. It’s best not to include a photo of yourself because you don’t want to give the recruitment consultant or employer anything to judge you on besides your skills and experience.
Include your date of birth – For the reasons mentioned above, you don’t need to declare your age at this stage. If they want to, a recruitment consultant or employer can usually work out how old you are by your education/employment dates.
Write your life story – I know this sounds strange, but your resume isn’t about you. It’s about how appropriate you are for the job. Keep it short, concise and relevant even if it means changing your resume each time you apply for a new job.
List hobbies – Listing hobbies such as ‘golf and going to the gym’ was fine ten years ago but it’s not anymore. Leave this out unless absolutely necessary.
Write ‘References available on request’ – List the details of your referees and state their names and current positions. Remember, you will need to get their permission before using their details so they can expect a call if your potential employer decides to contact them.
Social media is making the world a small place and you never know who knows whom. By including these details, you increase the chance of your potential employer contacting a great reference from your past.
