Creating a winning resume

• 10 Nov, 2024

Writing your own resume can be a daunting task for some. Perhaps you struggle to identify or communicate your key skills? Or maybe you are unsure of what layout to use? Talent Solutions Australia has written 1000’s of resumes for people from all walks of life. In this article we will provide you with a general structure and tips to create a winning resume guaranteed to get your application to the top of the pile!

Structure

Hiring managers are often short on time, therefore resumes need to be concise yet sufficiently detailed to give clear insight into your educational background, and unique set of skills and experience.

The standard structure includes in this order:

• Your name
• Contact details
• Professional summary
• Education and training
• Technical and soft skills
• Career history
• Personal interests

Professional Summary

Your professional summary should include 2-3 paragraphs on your educational background, number of years of work experience, the industries or sectors you have worked in, a paragraph relating to your technical and soft skills, and finally a sentence detailing what you are looking for in your next career move.

E.g. I am a Senior Civil Engineer with a Bachelor Civil Engineering and five years’ experience in land development working on a wide range of projects across marine, residential, commercial developments and public infrastructure.

I am an accomplished project manager with experience in delivering projects up to $5 million. I have led multidisciplinary teams and been responsible for design review, managing internal and external stakeholders, project planning and delivering projects on time to budget.

At this juncture in my career, I am looking to join a multinational engineering consultancy where I can step into a leadership role to expand my managerial skills and contribute to the continual success of my employer.

Technical and Soft Skills

The skills section is a vital part of your resume. Not only does it showcase to hiring managers your unique set of skills at a glance, including these keywords will help rank your resume highly against the job criteria in an ATS (an applicant tracking system, an application management system used in large employers and online job boards). The more often these keywords are included in your resume, the higher you will rank amongst the applications.

Career History

When creating the career history section ensure your employment dates and employer names are correct, and only include experience you have actually gained as this will form the basis of discussion at interview and referencing details. Tailor your resume to the role you are applying for including all relevant experience, omitting irrelevant information and include at least one of two achievements to show how you went above and beyond in your role. Remember to use the keywords again, avoid repeating responsibilities.

Personal Interests

This purpose of this section is to highlight your favourite past times, any volunteering experience you have and interests to demonstrate a well-rounded individual. Omit past times or interests that could be seen as divisive. Ideally, this section will create conversation around mutual interests with the hiring manager, building a connection. Alignment to corporate values is key in assessing candidates, therefore this section is an invaluable tool for you to demonstrate that alignment, particularly through including any volunteering experience you have.

Projects and Contract Roles

Resumes should be no more than 3-4 pages long and do not need to include work history over 10 years old. For candidates who have worked on a lot of projects, it is best to create a separate document containing project summaries. For candidates who have done a lot of contract roles, it is best to just list the contract date and employer name with a brief summary of the role.

Tips

? Use pdf format for a more polished look

? Do not include personal details such as your date of birth and address, location is sufficient

? Always spell check

Why use a professional resume writer?

A professional resume writer is skilled in the art of resume writing. They know what employers want to see and how to create impact in your application. They will work with you to define your suite of skills and tailor your resume to suit your application. A professional resume writer sees you in a different light to how you see yourself which is vital for presenting the unique you and crafting a winning resume!

If you need professional resume writing services, reach out to Talent Solutions Australia today!