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What to include in your resume

Contact Information

• Name
• Address
• Home phone and/or mobile
• Email address

Objective (Optional)

A resume objective is a statement of what you want to achieve in a role and in your career. If however you are applying for a variety of roles, we recommend that your objective focuses on your career aspirations and goals, rather than one particular role.

Skills Summary

This is an important part of your resume as it quickly gives employers a clear idea of the type and level of  your skills, such as 'Advanced Microsoft Word' and 'Basic MYOB.

Education

Here we recommend you include the name of each completed course, the institution you studied at and the dates you undertook the course, ie. Brookvale TAFE, Marketing Diploma, 2006 – 2008.

Further Training and/or Certifications

While optional, we advise to include additional training and certificates regardless of whether they are relevant to the roles) you are applying for (ie. Certificate IV Training, OH&S Certification, 2007) as they show your ability and willingness to acquire new information and skills and take an active role in your personal and professional development.

Achievements and/or Accomplishments

This section is also optional, although it is a good way to show a potential employee your achievements in your career to date. We recommend writing each achievement under the relevant role's responsibilities and to also mention one or two exceptional achievements in your Career Summary (see below) if relevant to the role you are applying for.

Career Summary

A Career Summary, which appears on the first page underneath your name, attracts the attention of an employer, gives them a brief description of your career progression and a reason to turn the page for more detailed information.

Work History or Professional Experience

Your work experience section is probably the most important part of your resume. We recommend that you list your positions in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent role. Include the company name and location, your role title, the dates you were in the role and your main duties, listed preferably in a bullet point format.

References

Providing work references (not personal) is optional but highly recommended. In addition to the referee's name, include their current title and company they work at and their phone and/or email address.

Signs of a Great Resume

1. Targeted: The more targeted a resume is the more chances you have of getting an interview. Employers want to know exactly what you can do for the company. It is important that you tailor your resume to each job (this should only mean rewriting a few sentences). Delete any information that is not required for that particular job, which will tailor your resume for the role and avoid your resume being crowded with non-relevant information.
2. Well written: It is important that your resume makes an impression with the employer. We recommend to use action words when describing your role and achievements, such as, established, implemented, created and streamlined, to portray you as a motivated can-do person who achieves results.
3. Consistent: Ensure your resume is logical and easy to read. Have a consistent font and layout throughout your resume, such as line spacing and margins and border parameters. Emphasise your important points with text styles such as a bold, italic or underlining, to grab the reader's attention.
4. Self-promoting: Don’t be shy; show your employer your accomplishments and abilities. Employers want to see that you can perform the job at hand. Show them by letting them know about your experiences and how others have benefited from your productivity.
5. Abbreviations: Abbreviations and acronyms should be avoided. It is unprofessional and many are not universally accepted or known.
6. No personal stuff: Personal data such as height, weight, age and religion are unnecessary and of no relevance when applying for a role.
7. Grammatically correct: Poor grammar - and spelling - is the quickest way for your resume to end up in the rejection pile. Do not trust your computer’s spell check. Read every word then ask a friend to read it as well. Spelling mistakes and typos in your resume suggest that your standard of work will be of the same poor quality.
8. Easy to read: Bullet points and an easy-to-read font are preferable.