There are lots of common questions that
arise when it comes to writing one, so we thought we’d provide you with
the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions to do with
resumes. Hopefully these can be of some help!
1) How long should my resume be?
Recruiters
receive a high volume of resumes for each role, so it’s important that
yours is scannable and they can make their mind up about whether they
are interested in yours quickly.
Limiting
yours to 1-2 pages is probably best, however it is important that you
include all of the information that you feel will be relevant to your
job hunt, so it is important that you do not feel restricted.
Bullet
points and subheadings can help to cut down the length and makes it
easier for recruiters to identify the information they are after.
2) What should be included in my resume?
Your
resume needs to provide employers with a well rounded idea of your
professional experience and career to date, highlighting all of your
relevant skills and achievements.
Some
choose to write a short personal summary introducing who they are,
where their experience lies and what kind of career step they are
looking to make next, which is great for giving your resume a personal
touch.
The key information that
should be included on your resume are contact information, previous work
experience, education, your top accomplishments and relevant skills.
Including keywords that have been used in the job description will help
to ensure your resume is flagged up when resume scanning software is
used.
3) Should my resume be written chronologically or functionally?
The
format that you use for your resume really depends on where y0u are in
your career and the relevance of your past experience for the role you
are applying for.
A reverse
chronological resume is the most popular format to use and lists your
previous work experience from the most recent, to the oldest, along with
information about your responsibilities and achievements within each
role. This format works well for people who have already established
their career and are looking to progress in the same sector; rather than
people who are looking for their first job or changing careers.
A
functional resume is much more skills based and places focus on the
information that is most relevant to the particular role. The main
substance of your resume should be a list of your top achievements and
experience that is most pertinent to the job. You should still provide a
summary of your work experience, however this can be placed lower down
on your resume; allowing you to be a bit more discreet about any
employment gaps or a lack of professional experience.
4) How should I handle employment gaps?
The
likelihood of an employment gap damaging your chances of landing a new
job really depends on how long ago it was and how long it was for. If
the period of time was years ago and you’ve been back in work for some
time, it really isn’t anything to worry about and will probably go
unnoticed.
On the other hand, if your
break in employment has happened more recently, which has spanned over
several months or even years, then you may want to think about how you
can explain this in a way that won’t hinder your job hunt.
Think
about what activities you’ve got involved in during that time and any
unpaid experience such as volunteering or community projects that you
can use to fill the gaps. You may also wish to provide a brief
explanation about any gaps in your cover letter when you apply for a
role.
5) What if I have no experience?
If
you’ve only just graduated or are looking for your first job, you may
feel like you don’t have any work experience to list on your resume. The
key to this is showing passion and elaborating on the skills that you
have developed throughout education and other non-professional
experiences. By writing an enthusiastic personal summary, you can
demonstrate that you are driven and focused on building a career within a
certain area.
You should then
provide a list of all of your qualifications, hobbies and past projects
that have allowed you to develop transferrable skills that make you
equipped for the job. Even if you have no formal work experience,
volunteer work and undertaking projects at school/uni allow you to
develop skills in areas such as customer service, time management and
team work that will benefit you professionally.
6) Should I tailor my resume?
Yes,
what works for one role may not work for another, so making alterations
to your resume for particular roles can boost your chances of being
considered for the job.
You can do
this by reordering information on your resume so that the most relevant
experience is highest up on the document or by rewording information so
that keywords used in the job description are featured. When doing
this, you should read the job description thoroughly and match up the
requirements with the experience that you possess.
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