| 1. Be CompleteMake sure that your resume includes | | | | culture within the team and redesigning the customer |
| EVERYTHING your prospective employer would need | | | | acquisition process.Now, if I needed to make a decision |
| to know to be able to offer you an interview.It is NOT | | | | on which of these resumes would be worthy of an |
| unheard of for your carefully-crafted cover letter to be | | | | interview, guess which one I would choose...5. Be |
| separated from your CV - if your contact details were | | | | ClearMake your resume as clear as you can in five |
| only on your cover letter, how will they get in touch to | | | | ways:---> Font: Use an easily-readable font. Verdana is |
| arrange the interview?Therefore, make sure that your | | | | a classic, is easily readable and is easy on the eye. |
| CV includes AT LEAST the following information:---> | | | | Other favourites are Times New Roman or Georgia. |
| Full contact details---> The position you are applying for | | | | Try to stick to one, or at most two font sizes (nothing |
| or are interested in---> Employment history---> | | | | less than 8 point and ideally nothing less than 10 point), |
| Personal and professional achievements---> Academic | | | | and do not over-style your text. Italics, bold and |
| and professional qualifications---> If not included | | | | underlined words on the same page look clumsy.---> |
| elsewhere, evidence of your key strengths that will | | | | Format: Make the format of your resume as easy to |
| make you an irresistible candidate!And while we're at it, | | | | follow as possible, and consider using horizontal rules |
| functional resumes are a big NO-NO!! As a | | | | across the page to separate sections.---> Language: |
| professional recruiter, when I see a functional resume, I | | | | Ensure that the description of your experiences and |
| think "What is this guy (or gal) hiding?". It's like smelling | | | | accomplishments is as clear as possible. Test them |
| fresh paint on an old car. Just stick with a chronological | | | | with your friends. Ask them whether it is possible to |
| resume ALL THE TIME and paint any inconsistencies | | | | make the descriptions clearer or more concise.---> |
| (e.g., career breaks) in as good a light as possible. This | | | | Consistency: Make sure that you are consistent in |
| will ALWAYS be better than trying to hide it in the first | | | | every way - this significantly increases readability. For |
| place!2. Be RelevantSeasoned recruiters are | | | | instance, use a consistent date format throughout. If |
| AMAZED by the number of applicants who have | | | | your first position is listed in the order of [date, |
| clearly not tailored their resume to the job they are | | | | company, position, achievements] then make sure they |
| applying for.Make sure that you put yourself in THEIR | | | | are ALL listed like that. When listing your achievements, |
| shoes. Think about what they are looking for in your | | | | make sure that they all start with a verb. And make |
| resume.If, for instance, you are applying as a job as an | | | | sure that font sizes and styles are consistent for |
| office manager and your experience is in telesales, | | | | similar words - for instance if your previous employers' |
| make sure that you emphasise your team leadership | | | | names is in bold, then they all should be.---> Spelling and |
| and time management skills.If, however, you were | | | | Grammar: Use your word-processor's spelling and |
| applying for a sales job, then clearly focus on your | | | | grammar checking facility. A spelling or grammatical |
| ability to get leads, convert leads into sales, and sell | | | | error in a resume is quite simply inexcusable and could |
| more products to existing customers. | | | | be enough ON ITS OWN to send your resume to the |
| In short, every time you mention something you've | | | | bin. Once you've checked it on the computer, check it |
| accomplished in your CV, make sure it will strengthen | | | | with someone who you trust to pick up any last |
| your case for being given an interview.If it doesn't, | | | | gremlins in the grammar.6. Be BriefIdeally, a resume |
| CHANGE it or DELETE it!!3. Be RecentAs well as | | | | should be just one page, although if you are applying |
| being relevant, make sure that your resume content is | | | | for a job in which the assessor will need significantly |
| RECENT.If you are a seasoned manager applying for | | | | greater detail on your past accomplishments, then the |
| the position of CEO in a large company, is your | | | | resume can spread to two pages. |
| experience managing your university's theatre | | | | Though remember, this is the exception and not the |
| company particularly convincing?On the other hand, if | | | | rule!!Wrap UpSo, now you have a winning resume |
| you are a recent graduate, that could be exactly the | | | | guide! Go back to your old resume and check it |
| right thing to put on your resume as it will demonstrate | | | | against the six easy steps in the winning resume guide, |
| that you have some management experience. Just | | | | and make sure your phone is on the hook for when |
| make sure that you back it up with specific | | | | those recruiters call!Jonathan Lewis is the founder and |
| accomplishments in the role!!4. Be SpecificBe as | | | | CEO of Careerfriend, a company committed to helping |
| specific as you can on how YOUR performance | | | | people succeed in their dream careers. His extensive |
| served the company you were working for.As an | | | | experience of attracting, recruiting, retaining and |
| illustration, consider these four descriptions of an | | | | developing exceptional people in management |
| applicant's experience managing a sales function:---> | | | | consulting and investment banking allows him to offer |
| Responsible for 50 people in XYZ Corp's sales | | | | clear, actionable advice which has a great impact on |
| department.---> Managed 50 colleagues in XYZ Corp's | | | | people either looking for new jobs or looking to |
| sales department to increase sales by 100% over 4 | | | | succeed further in their existing jobs.The Careerfriend |
| years.---> Led 50 colleagues in XYZ Corp's sales | | | | website ( contains free career advice articles to help |
| department to increase XYZ's share of the widget | | | | people succeed in securing dream careers, from |
| market from 15% to 20% over 4 years.---> Led XYZ | | | | career and employer selection, through resume and |
| Corp's 50 strong sales team to increase XYZ Corp's | | | | cover letter writing, to interviewing, salary negotiation |
| share of the widget market by radically overhauling the | | | | and ongoing career development. |
| compensation structure, fostering a more collaborative | | | | |