NEXT Resume Ready: Crafting Your Perfect Resume
Your resume is the first impression you’re providing to your next potential employer, so you want to make sure it’s a great introduction. This document alone often decides whether managers and talent teams want to get to know a candidate better, and they are often sorting through resumes. So, how do you ensure yours stands out?
Clean, simple, and packed full of the right information (but not too much information), is the key to an excellent resume. This guide will help you craft your next resume, and ensure you get that balance right.
Layout and Structure
Your resume should be 1-2 pages long (plus a Cover Letter when necessary), depending on your experience.
Essential Sections to Include
- Contact Information
- Career Summary or Objective
- Work Experience
- Education and Qualifications
- Professional Development or Courses Undertaken
- Skills: Soft Skills and Technical Skills
Using a Resume Builder
Depending on your skill set and how comfortable you are with design and formatting, you can use a variety of programs for developing a resume.
Canva: Canva is a fantastic and easy-to-use design tool that can be accessed for free online. It has more functionality than Word and allows a little more creative flair.
Microsoft Word: Word is the most commonly used program for designing a resume, and Microsoft Office has pre-made templates you can customize. TIP: Ensure you download and save your resume as a PDF document before you send it to employers, to ensure your formatting and design ‘sticks’.
Novoresume: Novoresume is an online software for filling pre-created resume templates. Novoresume has a free version with templates or a paid version for more functionalities.
Detailed Breakdown of Each Section
Contact Information
Your contact information should be at the top of the page, clear and simple to access. Ensure you include:
- Full Name (using your preferred name)
- Phone Number
- Email Address
- Link to Your LinkedIn Profile
- Location (City)
Career Summary or Objective
This is a short paragraph that explains your career journey and plans, which provides context for your career move. For example, “I’m a student in my final year of university looking to start a career in Marketing,” or “I’m a career changer, having spent 10 years working in manufacturing as a manager, I am excited to be upskilling in the digital field of User Experience.”
Work Experience
This section outlines your work experience to date. Keep it in chronological order, with your most recent role at the top, and provide a short explanation of the company and what your responsibilities and achievements are, or were. Utilize the following format for each experience:
- Company Name
- Title
- Employment Start and End Date (month and year)
- Location (optional)
- Overview: Sentence providing an overview of who the company is.
- Responsibilities and Achievements:
- Use dot points to outline what you did in your role in this experience
Education and Qualifications
Keep your education and qualifications information short and succinct. You may like to include:
- University Degrees
- TAFE or Equivalent Training
- High School Qualification
- Industry-Based Qualifications
Include the following information for each education entry:
- Education Provider Name
- Degree or Qualification Name
- Year Obtained
Professional Development or Courses Undertaken
Much like education, this is an opportunity for you to outline any further study you have undertaken or short courses that perhaps do not fit into the education section. This may be software training, certificates, etc.
Skills
Use dot points to list out your main 5-7 soft skills or areas of expertise, such as team leadership or project management, and your major technical skills. These may be software or programs like Microsoft Suite, or they may be areas of expertise like Search Engine Optimization.
Final Tips for a Polished Resume
- Consistency is Key: Keep your resume layout and formatting consistent throughout. For instance, if you have used a company’s full name, ensure to use their full name throughout. If you have used a specific date format like 1 January 2022, ensure you use that date format throughout.
- Personal Touch: It’s your resume, so keep your personality present throughout the design and language you use in the content.
- Use Data: Stats, facts, and numbers are a great way for hiring managers to scan and perform a quick read of your resume. So, where possible, rely on data to showcase your achievements.
Example Resume Layout
Here’s an example layout to help visualize how your resume should look:
Contact Information
- Full Name: Jane Doe
- Phone Number: (123) 456-7890
- Email Address: janedoe@example.com
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/janedoe
- Location: New York, NY
Career Summary
- Marketing professional with 5+ years of experience in digital marketing, social media management, and content creation. Proven track record of increasing brand awareness and driving sales through strategic marketing campaigns. Seeking a new challenge in a dynamic marketing team.
Work Experience
- Company Name: XYZ Marketing Agency
- Title: Digital Marketing Specialist
- Employment Dates: January 2018 – Present
- Location: New York, NY
- Overview: A leading marketing agency specializing in digital marketing solutions for clients across various industries.
- Responsibilities and Achievements:
- Developed and executed digital marketing campaigns that increased client sales by 20%.
- Managed social media accounts, growing followers by 50% in six months.
- Analyzed campaign performance and provided insights to clients, leading to a 15% increase in client retention.
Education
- University Name: ABC University
- Degree: Bachelor of Science in Marketing
- Year Obtained: 2017
Professional Development
- Course: Advanced Google Analytics
- Provider: Coursera
- Year Completed: 2020
Skills
- Soft Skills: Team leadership, project management, strategic planning
- Technical Skills: SEO, Google Analytics, Microsoft Office Suite
By following these guidelines and using the example layout, you can ensure your resume is well-organized, professional, and ready to impress potential employers. Get your next resume ready today and take the next step in your career with confidence!
Next Resume Ready: Craft a Compelling Document to Land Your Dream Job
Your next resume is often the gateway to exciting new career opportunities. In today’s competitive job market, a well-crafted resume acts as your first impression to potential employers. This comprehensive guide empowers you to craft a compelling resume that stands out from the crowd and lands you that coveted interview. We’ll delve into everything from crafting a captivating career summary to formatting your resume for readability and strategically showcasing your achievements.
Building a Strong Foundation: Crafting a Compelling Resume
Before diving into the specifics of resume writing, let’s establish some fundamental principles:
- Tailored Content: Avoid the generic resume trap! Tailor your resume for each specific job application by highlighting the skills and experiences that align most closely with the job description.
- Quantifiable Achievements: Showcase the impact you’ve made in previous roles. Quantify your accomplishments with numbers and metrics whenever possible to demonstrate the value you bring to the table.
- Conciseness is Key: Aim for a one-page resume for most positions, with a two-page maximum as a general rule. Hiring managers are busy people, so prioritize clarity and keep your resume concise and easy to read.
- Error-Free Presentation: Proofread your resume meticulously. Consider having a trusted friend or colleague review it for an extra layer of assurance. Typos and grammatical errors can portray a lack of professionalism.
Formatting for Readability: Making a Positive First Impression
The visual appeal of your resume is just as important as the content itself. Here are some tips to ensure your resume is clear, easy to read, and leaves a positive first impression:
- Simple and Clean Design: Avoid flashy fonts, graphics, or colors that can be distracting. Opt for a clear and readable font like Arial or Helvetica.
- Consistent Formatting: Maintain consistent formatting throughout your resume. This includes spacing, margins, and bullet point styles.
- Strategic Use of Emphasis: Utilize bold text for headings and italics sparingly for emphasis.
Structuring Your Resume for Success: Essential Sections
A well-structured resume typically includes the following sections:
- Contact Information: Prominently display your full name, phone number, professional email address (avoid using an email address associated with a previous employer), and a link to your LinkedIn profile (optional).
- Career Summary or Objective: This concise section at the top of your resume summarizes your skills and experience, along with your career goals. Tailor it to each job application, highlighting the most relevant aspects of your professional story.
- Work Experience: This is the heart of your resume. List your work experience in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent position. Use strong action verbs and achievement-oriented bullet points to showcase your accomplishments. Quantify your achievements whenever possible to demonstrate the impact you’ve made.
- Education and Qualifications: List your educational background, including the name of the institution, degree earned, and year of graduation.
- Skills: Include a section highlighting your most relevant skills for the job you’re applying for. You can categorize your skills (e.g., technical skills, soft skills) for improved readability.
- Additional Sections (Optional): Depending on your experience and the job you’re applying for, you may also want to include sections for certifications, awards, volunteer work, or interests (as long as they’re relevant to the position).
Conquering Challenges: Strategies for Common Resume Hurdles
Here’s how to effectively navigate some of the most common resume hurdles:
- Employment Gaps: Address any gaps in your employment history strategically. You can use short-term contracts or volunteer work to fill gaps, or explain a career break in your career summary section.
- Frequent Job Changes: If you’ve moved between jobs frequently, be upfront about it. Briefly explain the reasons for your job changes in your work experience section, focusing on the skills and experience you gained in each role.
- Limited Relevant Experience: If you don’t have directly relevant experience, showcase transferable skills and accomplishments that demonstrate your ability to learn and adapt. Highlight relevant skills from volunteer work, coursework, or personal projects.
Final Touches: Putting the Polish on Your Next Resume
Once you’ve crafted your resume, follow these final steps before sending it out:
- Save as PDF or Word Doc: Ensure proper formatting across different computer systems by saving your resume as a PDF or Word document (.docx).
- Double-Check for Errors: Proofread your resume meticulously to eliminate any typos or grammatical errors.
- Clear File Name: Maintain professionalism by using a clear and professional file name, such as “Your Name_Resume.pdf”.
By following these essential resume writing tips and strategies, you can craft a compelling next resume that effectively