Ever wondered why they call an effective resume a ‘winning’ resume? Well, it’s because if it impresses the hiring manager, it can win you the opportunity to impress at the interview and get the job. So, if you want career counselling advice, you need to ensure your CV is as good as it can be. Here's how to make a resume.
What Do Hiring Managers Focus On In A Resume?
In addition to work experience, reasons for making a career change (if you are), hiring managers also look for examples when you’ve used interpersonal skills like leadership, organisation and teamwork. They’re trying to imagine you in the role to see how well you fit in.
What Makes A Resume Stand Out?
That’s the $64 million question, right? And that’s what we aim to shed some light on, with 8 tips on how to make yours shine. So, strap yourself in as we break things down for you.
- Tip #1 - Presentation, Presentation, Presentation
Heard the saying first impressions count? Of course, you have, and never is this adage more accurate than when job hunting. Your resume is your first impression, and if it tells them you are sloppy, use bad grammar and have poor spelling, you’ll have no chance of making the shortlist.
- Tip #2 - Know Who You Are, What You Offer & Shout About It
List all of your workplace experience, the tafe courses you’ve completed and any related achievements. Be proud, and don’t be shy to ‘blow your own trumpet’. No one else will do it for you. Keep the descriptions clear and concise, and watch out for jargon. Also, use language like “I increased sales” or “I reduced processing times by 45%” to grab attention.
- Tip #3 - Always Put A Positive Spin On Your Language
The language you choose matters, so make sure it shows you in a good light. You can do this by being positive and using active (not passive) descriptions, e.g. ‘I did’ instead of ‘I was part of’, and ‘I managed’ instead of ‘I was asked to manage'.
- Tip #4 - Don’t Take The Cookie Cutter Approach
Ensure you include a cover letter, not just any cover letter. If your cover letter is clearly part of a bulk email job search campaign, it will be immediately apparent to the hirer and create the wrong impression. If you can’t take the time to personalise your cover letter, what does that say about the effort you will make in the job?
- Tip #5 - Don’t Leave Gaps In Your Employment
Ask any career counselling pro, and they’ll say that gaps in your CV are not good, as they raise too many questions. If there is a space between one job finishing and another starting, explain what you were doing, such as “I was exploring the far reaches of Patagonia on my gap year”.
Don’t be concerned if your career gap is less glamorous. Domestic engineers (meaning mothers) are excellent employees and know just as much as any executive on multi-task and prioritising.
- Tip #6 - “The Number You Have Called Is No Longer in Service.”
It seems obvious, right? However, you’d be surprised how many resumes are sent out with the wrong email address and/or mobile telephone number. Check, double-check and triple-check your contact information, or it doesn’t matter how good the rest of your resume is - as they’ll never be able to let you know you’ve been successful.
- Tip #7 - Meeting the Selection Criteria
Another invaluable piece of career counselling wisdom is to ensure you hold the necessary credentials for the job you’re applying for. Some roles require specifics as a starting point, and you want to make the most of your time.
Don’t waste your time or that of the hiring manager. Conduct thorough research and confirm that you meet the requirements before submitting your application. If you're uncertain about which credentials are suitable for a particular career path, feel free to chat with one of our career course advisors using the contact number provided below.
- Tip #8 - Get Out There & Market Yourself!
Once you and your CV are ready, it’s time to get out amongst the action, so it’s not the occasion on which to be shy. Don’t limit your job search to just the big job boards. Consider localised sites such as Gumtree to hear the word on the street in your local area. You only need to catch the eye of the right hiring manager once, so make sure you’re visible!
After ensuring you have these eight essentials covered, you can rest easy knowing you are putting your best foot forward for any job. For more career counselling or interpersonal skills help, check out our unique online courses, including How to Write a Resume.
Boost Your Employability With OCA Short Course Learning
Getting your resume right is just one of many aspects needed to be a successful professional, as is enhancing your hard and soft skills. At OCA, we make the task of learning new professional skills easy, thanks to our CPD Endorsed short online courses. Video-based for easy digestion and supported with 1-to-1 mentoring, 7 days a week, ours is a next-level learning experience.
Comprising easy-to-digest video modules and coming with 1-to-1 mentoring support, our Australia created, online courses offer a next-level learning experience that can be seen in our student study demo. To see our entire library of courses that cover over 20 different industries, visit us today at www.onlinecoursesaustralia.edu.au - where you’ll also find our flexible payment options. For more information on how to make a resume, enquire today!
Alternatively, to chat with our friendly team about your learning requirements, you can contact us either by email at [email protected] or by calling us on 1300 611 404.
