Putting together or updating your resume can be a difficult task. How long? What information? How much detail? How can I fit my whole working life onto a piece of paper?

It is obvious from the thousands of resumes we see, that candidates get so caught up in what they want to say they can forget about the other half of the equation. What is the reader of this document looking for?

Hopefully the following suggestions will help you.

• Keep it as short as practical; our suggestion is that any more than 4 pages is just too much for employers to scan through. Don’t write a book! It is important to realise that when there are dozens of applications, an overly long CV may go in the “too hard basket” (that is the round one under the desk)
• What needs to be in there?

  • The layout. There is room for creativity but don’t get carried away. It is much easier for a client or an agency to find what they need, if the layout flows and is logical. Put the basics at the top, those things that an employer needs to check quickly and may need to refer back to for details. Address and contact details, education/qualifications, industry training, work skills (e.g. the software you are familiar with) and a grading of your skill level on each one.

    Employment history:
    This is critical to the success of your application.
    Have your most recent role at the top of the list and work back chronologically from there. It is the most recent roles that are likely to mean the most to an employer.

    Show the company name and a very brief description of what they do. E.g. XYZ pty ltd. An electrical switch gear assembly and packaging division of ABC Pty Ltd based in Spring Hill.

    Show your job title and a brief description (maximum 20 words) of what the title means. e.g. “Operations Manager – responsible for the day to day running of the assembly, packing and dispatch of products and all staff involved.”

    On the Job requirements: Tell us briefly but specifically what you did on a day to day basis. e.g.

    • Responsible for all hiring, discipline, management and performance of 25 assembly and packing staff and 4 dispatch staff
    • Responsible for all building and plant maintenance and security
    • Responsible for all OH&S issues within the property
    • Full understanding of the SAP software including training staff on data input and extracting management reports
    • Maintaining strong and open communications with the sales department, packaging suppliers, manufacturing division and transport suppliers.

     

    It is very helpful to know the reason for leaving previous roles. Being unfortunate enough to have been made redundant 3 times in a row because of the “last on first off” approach can make you look like a very unstable and unreliable person on a resume. However, if you make the last line a simple “position made redundant due to company sale/market depression” provides an employer with a clear, logical reason for your short employment with a company.
    This also applies to a rapid career progression through several jobs or sometimes business names that are all under the one holding company. Do not assume anyone knows that it is all one company.