Yahoo Finance Applying For A New Job? Here Are 5 Important Resume Tips To Consider Before Mass Sending Your Resume
You’ve received your bonus and you think it’s finally time for you to move on to somewhere better (hopefully). Before you hit the ‘send’ button to apply for multiple positions on Jobstreet, here are some important tips to help improve your resume so that you can impress your future employer.
Read also: 3 Simple Way For S’poreans To Stay Ahead In Their Career
# 1 Your Resume Shouldn’t Be More Than A Page Long
On average, recruiters spend 6 seconds looking at your resume. As much as you love to have a 3-page resume that includes everything that has happened in your life, keep those stories for the actual interview instead.
Keep your resume short and concise. Focus on key details such as your education background and relevant job experiences.
Some areas that recruiters will be looking out for include how long you have worked in your current and previous workplace. Include the places you have worked at for at least one year or more. If you are including any company that you have worked in for less than a year, make sure you have a good reason on why you left.
# 2 Make Every Word Count
Some jobseekers like to add in phrases like “hard worker”, “good team player” and “adaptable” in their resume to show their potential employers some positive attributes that they think they have.
Do yourself (and the interviewer) a favour and stop using these overused phrases. Saying you are a “hard worker” means nothing because that is expected in almost any jobs in Singapore. The same applies to being a team player and adapting well to your role. Don’t use such words because it just makes you look like you have nothing else to write.
Instead, focus on hard skills and achievements that best exemplify these attributes. Here’s what you should be doing.
Attributes To Highlight | What You Should Write Instead |
Hard Worker | Involved in community work for underprivileged group. Part of an organising committee for a D&D, or some company function. |
Good Team Player | Involved in a special project team and saw through the successful implementation of the project with your co-workers. |
Adaptable | Take on multiple job responsibilities and some cross department functions Picked up new skills in previous role. |
If you are not able to highlight any of your attributes by focusing on skills, experiences or achievements in your previous job, or during your university days, then it’s fair to say that these attributes you like to think you have had never really been put to the test before. In this case, you should refrain from talking about them unless you have an amazing story to share.
# 3 Prepare A Decent Profile Photo Of Yourself
A picture speaks a thousand words so ensure that your profile photo leaves a good impression to recruiters. Having a bad profile photo is one sure-way to screw up your chances for finding a new job.
Not sure about the kind of pose to go for? Check out Pinterest to find a suitable pose for the industry you are applying for.
# 4 Focus On Your Achievements At Your Current And Previous Workplace
We are not referring to the list of job responsibilities at your current and previous workplaces. Recruiters are looking out for quantitative achievements, such as your ability to manage a million dollar marketing campaign and the results you produced. Or your ability to generate more revenue within a period of time at your previous company.
If you have such numbers to show, include them in your resume. Numbers give recruiters a good perspective of your work performance and to determine if the new job position is within your ability.
If the numbers you manage are not large, try to quantify them in terms of percentage. For example, if the $80,000 sales you achieve appears relatively modest, quantify it by comparing it to what was achieved in the past.
# 5 School Experiences Are Important, But Show Only The Relevant Ones
If you are looking to include grades or CCA achievements in your resume, ensure that these additional details help you sell the story you want recruiters to be thinking about.
For example, if you have top-notch grades and are applying to an investment bank, then including in details of your grades would definitely be an advantage. If you are looking to apply for a digital marketing position, then people want to know about what you have been doing in the past to further that interest outside of your studies. Include in CCA or projects, which showcase these marketing or communication talent of yours.
Don’t include in unnecessary details such as your music or sports achievements unless you are applying to become a music teacher or a sports coach, or if your achievements were really that impressive, such as winning an Olympic Gold.
Read Also: 5 Things To Check Off Before You Quit Your Job Without Having Another Job
What’s Your Best Tip?
Given the competitive job market we are in right now, job seekers should take more time to improve their resume so that they can give recruiters the best possible first impression.
What are some other resumes tips that jobseekers should adhere to? Share them with us on our Facebook Page. We would love to hear from you.
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