The resume

The resume should be relatively short, preferably no longer than one page and should clearly outline your achievements, your education and your previous work experience.

The CV

Your CV should be more detailed and as such longer than your resume, it should include all the vital information in detail relating to your educational background. Your experience, any achievements you have gained, awards you have gained relating to the type of work you are applying for and any other information you think which relates to the position you are applying for.

When would I use a resume?

You would usually give your resume when you apply for a position and fill in an application form, your resume will give the prospective employer a rough idea of what you are capable of achieving and will help you get your foot in the door by securing you an interview.

When would I use a CV?

You can use your CV during the actual interview to help back up any claims you make during the interview regarding your experience . It would also be used chiefly when you were applying for academic, research, educational or scientific positions.

What should I include in my CV?

Besides the obvious of your name, address and contact numbers, you should include any skills, education and experience relating to the position you are applying for. Before writing your CV, you should take time to prepare properly and make sure that everything relating to the position you are applying for is listed on your CV.

Tips for writing your CV and resume

Your CV and resume plays a key role in whether you are successful in your job hunt and interview and as such great care and time should be taken when writing them, several points worth remembering when writing your CV or resume are

* Keep them well organised and make sure information is clear and are listed in specific categories or grouped together.

* Don’t just rattle on and on, keep them organised using only the relevant and necessary information.

* Double check to make sure you have listed all the relevant information.

* Never use a mixture of fonts or very fancy fonts, stick with the standard ones.

* Always re write your CV and resume keeping them up to date.

Employers can search resume banks looking for criteria which meets that which they are looking for and can lead them straight to you, making your quest for work a lot easier. The quality of resume banks differs, with some offering only a very basic service free of charge when posting, while others offer a more complete service but charge.

The biggest challenge when trying to decide whether or not to go with a resume bank is choosing the right one for your needs and also one which is successful and has a good track record in matching prospective employers with candidates, in the type of work you are looking for. To help you on your quest find listed below some helpful hints and advice in what to look for when choosing the right resume bank.

* Does the resume bank specialise in certain areas or do they have a broader scope? – there are some resume banks which specialise in certain fields more than others, make sure the resume bank has a wide and varied scope when it comes to attracting employers.

* How big is the talent pool for the resume bank? – does the resume bank have a large or small pool of resumes, resume banks with larger pools will attract more employers than will smaller ones, also employers are much more likely to check larger pools on a regular basis than they are the smaller pools.

* What is the estimated number of employers in your field of work who have searched the bank? – obviously the larger the amount of employers who regularly use the resume bank looking for candidates in your field of work, the better the chance of you finding a position.

* Are the employers allowed direct access to the resume bank? – some resume banks use third party recruiters to search the resume bank on behalf of the employer, if you can you should choose to go with a resume bank that allows employers to do a direct search for potential employers.

* What kind of feedback does the resume bank offer? – resume banks that offer feedback which tell you how many times your resume has been viewed are preferable to those who don’t give you feedback. By giving you feedback you know that employers are looking even if you haven’t got a position yet.

* How successful has the resume bank been in the past? – of course there is no guarantee that any references the site puts on show to give you an indication of how successful they are, are true but look for one that gives recent facts and figures giving you guidelines.

* What kind of support does the resume bank offer – look for customer services with telephone numbers and e-mail addresses where you can contact them with any queries you might have. Preferably choose a resume bank which offers a good service and includes giving you feedback by way of e-mail reports on a monthly basis.

1. Excellent communication skills

Excellent communication skills is the number one criteria that employers and interviewers look for in candidates, being able to carry yourself confidently and be able to relate to others around you is essential whether it by verbal or written skills.

2. Integrity and honesty

Honesty is essential and it is wise to remember this during your interview, always give honest answers to questions that are asked during the interview. Many interviewers often ask the same question again in a roundabout way if they think you might have been elaborating a little about something and getting caught out in a lie is the quickest way to fail at interviews. Also, remember that any claims you make during the interview will have to be backed up on your resume or CV.

3. Teamwork skills

Most employers will class teamwork skills as essential so you should be able to show examples of your previous skills on your resume and when asked to describe scenarios during the interview process.

4. interpersonal skills

Interpersonal skills include being able to work alongside others efficiently, being able to accept responsibility, making teamwork more efficient and being able to deal efficiently and successfully when dealing with conflicts.

5. A strong work ethic

Employers and interviewers look for those who are willing to make commitments to their work and always give 100% on any project, they will look for those who will go that little bit further and put in that little bit more than others.

6. Motivation and initiative

You should be able to show examples of how you can be motivated and the methods that you use to motivate others around you; also showing initiative is a good trait and one which most interviewers and employers will regard as a good quality when choosing a candidate.

7. Flexible and adaptable

You should be able to give examples of how you adapted to situations in previous positions and show that you are flexible when needed to be, any examples you give you should of course be able to back up on your resume or CV.

8. Analytical skills

Back up any claims you make by using your resume or CV which show off your analytical skills, being able to analyse and identify problems is an essential requirement.

9. Computer skills

Having skills in computers and popular software is an essential requirement with today’s modern technology, any particular skills that you have in this area should be high lighted on your resume with notes highlighting your skills in any particular software you are capable of using.

10. Organisational skills

You should be able to show and back up your organisational skills, you should show that you are not afraid to tackle any situation and organise others and yourself to find the best solution to a particular problem using any resources available to you.

While the chronological resume is the one which is more widely used than other forms, your particular situation might warrant another type. Once you have decided which resume is the right type for your situation then comes the hard part writing your resume and getting it onto employer’s desks. Here are the five different formats which are used.

The targeted resume

This type of resume is suited for those of a particular industry or a specific career objective, the contents of this type of resume should focus on your skills, qualifications and any experience you have which relates to a particular field or career objective.

The inventory resume

This type of resume is a more general resume in that it doesn’t need to target a specific industry or career objective; it should highlight your achievements, skills and qualifications in a more general way and can be reused by re-printing several copies for distributing to more than one company.

The chronological resume

This is the most frequently used type of resume and should be easy to read and should list your achievements, skills and qualifications in order from most recent to older, it is one which most employers prefer as all the newest information should be at the top of the resume and this is what employers usually look for first. If you are unsure of which format to go with then this resume usually suits most needs.

The functional resume

This type of resume will have your achievements, skills and qualifications listed at the very top of the resume regardless of whether they were in the past or present and are used to highlight your achievements and show what you are capable of; it is one format which isn’t highly regarded by employers.

The combination resume

This type of resume takes the best from all the above listed formats and combines them. You should list your skills, achievements and qualifications in chronological order at the top of the resume and then follow up this information with your employment history and any other statements or information which you think are relevant to the position on offer.

Make clear headings

Once you have got all the relevant information together then its time to practice putting it all together, many people find it takes several attempts to get their resume perfect so don’t be discouraged. Choose headings such as achievements, skills, honours and activities, once you have this then start listing your information clearly under each heading.

Match what the employer needs with what you’ve got

Make sure that you list all the experience, skills and achievements you have made than relate them to the position you are going for. If you have had any special training and have attended courses then list these too, examples of this could be any language skills you have, computer software training in office software or programming.

Place emphasis on your skills

Pay special attention to any details that emphasise your capabilities and skills which relate to the position on offer, if you have done your homework you will know the company and what they expect to achieve in the future, so work this to your advantage with skills you have previously earned.

Choose your words carefully

Make sure that you make good use of active verbs which describe your achievements and yourself in a positive way, great positive words which you could use are resourceful, capable and analytical.

Double check the presentation

Once you have completed your resume, make sure you go over it with a fine toothcomb and check the spelling, punctuation and also the overall presentation of it. Make sure all fonts are clear and easily readable with good spacing and margins on the sides, top and bottom. When you are ready to print, use only the best quality paper, preferably pure white and good quality ink. When you have printed your resume, re read it to make sure fonts show clearly and check again for spelling mistakes.

Give your resume a trial run

Make good use of reliable and honest family members and friends, once you have written the first draft of your resume ask them their honest opinion about your resume and be prepared for their honest advice and if necessary to make changes. Once you have corrected then ask them to re read again, you could also ask them for their input as you might have missed something which they think could improve the overall appearance or quality of your resume.
Getting started with your resume
Home
8 mistakes NOT to make on your resume
5 mistakes commonly made during interviews
A guide to writing a successful resume
Key strategies for a successful job interview
Overcoming nervousness during job interviews
Planning a strategy for job hunting
Putting together a portfolio
Recovering from a disastrous job interview
Selling yourself through your resume & at interviews
Submitting your online resume
The different types of resumes
The top 10 qualities that employers look for
Tips for students & third party recruiters
Tips for successful job hunting
Tips when attending behavioural interviews
Understanding the interview process
What are the benefits of using a resume bank
What is the difference between a resume and a CV
Writing a successful cover letter

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