There are many ways to write a resume, but not all of them are effective.

To write a great resume you first need to understand its purpose. Whether you pass to the next stage of the job application process is determined by your ability to provide the information required, for them to make an informed decision.

In today’s world, you’ll only have a few seconds to catch the attention of a recruiter, so here are our top tips to make sure your resume stands out.

What to Include:

• Header: Include your name, contact information, location, LinkedIn profile, and optionally, a professional headshot.
• Professional Summary: A brief (2 - 3 sentences) overview of you, your key soft skills, and career goals.
• Work Experience: In reverse chronological order, list your work history starting with your current position.
• For each role you've had include the following; job title, company, industry, location, dates of employment (mm/yy), following by a description of key duties and key achievements for the position. 
• Only include those roles that are relevant to the one you're applying for. Keep it to 2 pages, 3 absolute max.
• Key Skills: Highlight your key skills (hard and soft) and competencies relevant to the role.
• Education: Brief detail on your education, including institution name, degree, field of study and graduation date. Don't forget to include any relevant certificates or professional development courses as well.
• References: List this if you wish, or simply pop 'References available upon request.'

Style & Formatting

• Choose a style that suits you, but always keep readability in mind. Look at the structure, layout and spacing to enhance this.
• There are a number of easy to use (and free) platforms to find free CV templates, our personal favourite is Canva.
• We recommend a clean and uncluttered structure so the reader can easily focus on the resume’s content.
• Use a professional font, Arial and Calibri are great options.
• Be sure to proofread your resume, check for typos and uniform formatting.

Language & Identity

• Your resume is your pitch and a tool to convey all the information a recruiter needs to know before meeting you. Use emotive language and action verbs at the beginning of each statement, you want the reader to feel like they know you.

Tailor to the Role:

Be sure to tailor your CV for the role you're applying for!

• Research the company values and weave this language into your CV.
• Identify the key parallels in the job description with your experience, and highlight these throughout your work experience.
• Focus on what you can offer, your resume should be straight to the point and concise. A good resume will clearly serve its purpose in a clean and concise way.

Extras Tips:

• Include your LinkedIn URL. But be sure your LinkedIn and the resume content match, an extra tip here is to customise your LinkedIn URL.
• A picture gives us a sense of who you are and how you like to present yourself. If you want to include a professional headshot go ahead, but make sure it is shoulders up, clear, and you alone.
• Don't have a professional headshot? Take one at home against a plain background, or get AI to make one for you!
• Regularly update your resume every 6 months to a year, it’s always worth making sure your resume is up to date and it won’t be as big of a task next time. 

If you have any questions or would like some more tips, don’t hesitate to contact us at connect@brookrecruitment.com.au

Don’t ever let a poorly written resume ruin your chances to the role of your dreams!