The Curriculum Vitae or Resume is a two-minute commercial about you. It will not get you a job … it may get you an interview
WHAT IS A RESUME?
· A summary of your work related information
WHAT IS A RESUME FOR?
The employer wants to receive a concise, honest & relevant summary of you. From reading the resume the employer wants to know:
· What are the skills and personal qualities of this applicant?
· Can this applicant do the job?
· Will this applicant fit in?
You want to produce a document that makes you look as good as possible. At the end of reading the resume you want the employer to:
· Give you an interview (and after that )
· Give you a job
STYLES OF RESUMES
The Chronological Resume (see example):
· Is the most common and conservative form of presentation
· Is often preferred by small to medium sized organisations
· Arranges your experience and education in reverse chronological order
· Is good for demonstrating your growth and continuity in a single profession
· Is most suited to people who have not had long periods of unemployment
The Functional Resume (see example) :
· Organises the job-related aspects of your background by the relevant functions you performed
· Headings relate more to your skills and competencies than employers or job titles
· Indicates that you are capable of making a significant change in your career
· Is well suited to students who have gained valuable experience through a number of unrelated jobs and courses
· Uses a common resume style, with which most employers are familiar and feel somewhat comfortable
· Is often preferred by large organisations
· Eliminates repetition of job duties
· Camouflages undesirable characteristics such as; lack of career progress or continuity, job hopping, lengthy/frequent unemployment, lack of required experience/education, age
The Academic Resume:
· Emphasises academic qualifications, articles published, books written (if any), conference papers delivered, professional development
· Suited to academic staff or post graduate students seeking an academic position
The Imaginative Resume:
This style is most effective for people who are seeking employment in a field, which demands creativity and individuality, such as graphic design, creative writing or marketing. Some employers however prefer a more conservative resume style. You should research your companies thoroughly to see if they are open to creative styles. This type of resume acts as a mini-portfolio and can be impressive if well-designed.
The Combination Resume:
As there is no absolute right or wrong in resume writing, you can combine the styles in any way which makes your particular background look the best
SOME USEFUL TIPS FOR A GOOD RESUME
· There is no one optimal style or format
· Match the resume style to the company/position you want:
Conservative company… conservative resume
· Presentation and clarity are very important
· Be concise
· Include relevant and positive information only
· Be honest, be able to explain/prove everything on your resume. Remember your resume is often used as the basis of questions in an interview
· Layout should be consistent and reader friendly
· Use clear type styles
· Use a reasonable font size for the text (~ size 12)
· Avoid "font mania" - the excessive use of different fonts, italics, bold, underlined, ETC!
· Not cluttered – lots of white space
· Use bullet points and relevant subheadings
· Use short statements in point form rather than lengthy sentences or paragraphs
· Only use abbreviations that are widely understood (Beware of technical jargon)
· Eliminate excessive punctuation
· Check for spelling and grammatical errors
· Have all indents in alignment
· Use a laser printer
· Page breaks should not split lists, paragraphs, etc.
· Use A4 good quality paper and usually pick subtle colours; white, buff, pastel
· Print on one side of the paper
· Use an A4 envelope for posting
· Binders and fancy covers are seldom worthwhile
