Write a Winning Resume

1. Make it very clear exactly what your skills are. Outline these under specific headings. e.g. Project Management, Human Resources, Change Management


2. Then give examples of your highest achievements against these headings. No need to mention every little example as the higher achievements demonstrate that you have capably managed the lesser ones


3. Dot points are acceptable, no need for very long, verbose sentences but be sure that the dot points clearly and concisely show what you have done


4. Use lots of “white space”, to make it easier for your skills to be picked out immediately.


5. Do not ‘waffle’ or use sentences that say nothing or sentences plucked from the Net which still say nothing


6. Resumes are about your skills and experience and achievements. They are not about words!


7. Resumes can be in a font and format that stands out and looks interesting but keep it professional


8. There may be numerous resumes that need to be read by interviewers to decide who to interview. They do not have the time or motivation to minutely screen all resumes to pick out your skills. Make it easy to get to an interview!

Some ways to help you go about it

How to present your resume to best advantage is a big issue and of course a subjective one. But following are the components of an all-purpose layout that Windsor Consultants agree will work harmoniously for most situations.

It’s clear, easy to read, employs lots of white space and gets to the point clearly and concisely.

1. Contact details.
   Centre these at the top of the page. Write your name, address, contact numbers – landline and mobile and your email address. Keep the email addresses professional sounding: change them if they’re personal and too cutesy.
   
   Set up a header or footer so that these details appear on each numbered page of your CV – perhaps in a font that’s smaller than the original.


2. Layout
   Set up your page with a vertical margin down the left hand quarter of your A4. sheet.
   
   Headings go to the left of this, with the wide right hand column housing your short sentence descriptions and dot point lists.


3. Career overview
   This is your executive summary or sales pitch (sometimes known as an elevator pitch). It says who you are, what you are and where you’ve been in 80 words or less.
   
   Here’s an example:
   Professionally I’m a rare hybrid with unusual competencies.
   
   A qualified journalist and advertising copywriter, I have specialist skills in writing corporate documentation for non-profit organisations and across the building and construction industry. A five-times published book author, accredited researcher and television writer/director, I have made major contributions as a conceptual writer to many top rating Australian websites.  (57 words)


4. Key skills/qualifications
   List them - up to 8 (no more)
   • Multi-disciplinary, multi media creative & corporate writer
   • Acknowledged corporate scribe across numerous industries
   • Television producer, direct or & writer – advertising and commercial.
   • Conceptualiser and writer/director of award winning radio campaigns
   • Direct mail expert with specialty in non profit donor appeals
   • Accredited & published social researcher


5. Core strengths
   List 6-8 of these (maybe more if you’ve had several careers). Make them specific & take a sentence for each one. Use power words.  Change these points or their order to target each job that you apply for. The most relevant goes at the top. You should be thinking about your personal skills and characteristics here as well.
   
   Think about descriptive words & phrases like Team leader, unflappable organiser, naturally methodical, relaxed and approachable. Steer clear of meaningless jargon. Make these little arrows mean something. You get the idea.


6. Job history
   List the latest first and don’t go back more than 10 years unless that experience is directly relevant to the role.  Even then, you may consider how anything prior to that time could be dot pointed as ‘Noteworthy Achievements from Earlier in my Career’ or some similar heading. You can also add a note offering a ‘full resume on request.’
   
   
   1. Job title, employer name and general location
   
   
   2. Dates you were there
   
   
   3. One  sentence about the employer if it is not a well known brand
      e.g. John Greene & Associates was a small, family owned, hands-on advertising agency & marketing consultancy that provided multi media service to a wide range of clients
   
   
   4. Your responsibilities
      Broad based – only a couple of sentences. No more than one paragraph.  Make it clear exactly what YOUR role was, not the general role.
   
   
   5. Achievements
      Maybe 3-4 of these – always using power verbs to begin the sentence e.g. utilised, orchestrated, organised, controlled, produced...
   
   Continue on in the same format to cover those positions you’ve held during the past decade.
   
   As you do this you may find you unearth some ‘new’ core strengths, skills or achievements. Go back and work them in where they will do most good.


7. Professional development & certifications
   List these briefly. You may want to bracket the dates after them.


8. Committees & Community Service/Awards
   List these (again only from the previous 10 years) but be sure to include ‘private’ service such as ‘Rural fire volunteer’, QAS local committee, Churchwarden etc. Mention any specific Awards that you have achieved e.g. School Dux, OBE!


9. Tertiary qualifications


10. Additional personal qualities
    These need to be outstanding achievements that mean something.
    
    e.g. I have represented Australia as a wrestler in three successive Olympic Games
    or
    You will observe that I have previously lived and worked in China. So although I am Australian born of English origins I am extremely fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and fifteen southern dialects.


11. Add your referees
    Full current contact details for 2-3 referees are essential. Ring them personally first – make sure they’re OK with providing a reference for you. Keep them updated and well informed on when they might expect a call and from whom.
    
    Note: There’s been a recent trend towards candidates in extremely senior positions not printing out referee names on their CV’s. This is fine – just so long as you:
    1. have those permissions to contact, and
    2. remember to bring all details with you to each and interview you attend.


12. Read your resume through for corrections
    Use a Thesaurus to change words to become more expressive or interesting. Use your spell check button and ensure your dictionary is in Australian English.