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ResumePurposeAn effective resume gets you an interview, not a job! Your resume may be the only chance you get to make an impression, so make it a good one. Similar to the cover letter, the employer will usually spend 15 to 20 seconds reviewing your resume, so the content of your resume must be clear, concise and targeted to the type of job for which you are applying. Your resume is a vital part of your job search toolbox, think of it as a brochure of your life, only in this brochure you are the product. This means that you need to clearly highlight the benefits of inviting you in for an interview right from the outset. Everybody, regardless of age or the stage of your career, needs a current resume close at hand, ready to respond to a great job opportunity. StructurePersonal DetailsIn this day and age of Green House gases and the environment, don't waste paper with a cover sheet! All you need to do is list your name, address, phone numbers and any other relevant contact details at the top of the first page. Include your email address only if it is private and you can check for incoming messages at least once a day. Career ObjectiveA career object should indicate the path you wish to take in the future regarding your career. Be honest, realistic, short and concise. It is not essential to include a career objective, however if you do decide to include one, make sure you make it relevant for the position you are applying for, rewrite it, even slightly, to match each job you apply for. Employment HistoryThe best resumes are brief and informative, as a general rule, include the most detail about your current job or the job most relevant to the position you’re applying for. If you've been in the workforce for some period of time, simply list the position, company and dates of your earlier or least relevant jobs. You are not obliged to list every job you've ever had. A tactic for older job seekers is to only list jobs since, say, 1995. This only works if your most recent jobs are the most relevant to the position you are seeking. When listing your employment history, the most important information should go first, company name, your job title, the start and end date, brief summary of duties and the reason for leaving. When writing your summary of duties, don't just describe your duties and responsibilities, try and emphasise your achievements and show how you contributed to your employer's business. EducationThe level of detail regarding your education background depends on the balance and relationship between your qualifications and your work experience. For graduates with little experience, it may be suitable to list relevant classes and include results if these are better than average. Begin with the highest level of educational achievement. You can leave out details about high school if you have a higher degree or qualification. As a general rule, the less recent your qualification, the less information you should provide. A typical format should list the name of the qualification, the date you graduated, the name of the institution you graduation from and any awards or certificates you’ve achieved through your studies. The education section usually follows the employment details unless you are recently graduated or you are pursuing an academic position where your educational achievements are more relevant. References and RefereesWritten references are becoming a thing of the past, with employers now preferring to request just the names and contact details of referees. Ideally the person will have been in a position of seniority where you reported directly in to them. You must ensure that the referee is aware they are being used as a reference and it is courteous to let them know in advance when they may expect a call ie: when you are changing jobs etc. It is also a good idea to let your referee know about the role that you have applied for so that they can tailor their answers appropriately. A job advertisement or position description may specifically ask for the names of referees to be included with your application, in which case you have little choice but to include them. However you are not obliged to include them on your resume. If you do consider not including details of your referees on your resume, under a heading "Referees", just note that referees can be made available on request. Once you have been interviewed, then you can offer details of referees. Optional ExtrasA good resume is as brief as possible, so only include items listed below if they will truly strengthen your application:
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