You can have all the qualification and skills for your an advertised job but distilling that down into a few pieces of paper can be stressful. We have some advice to help you write up a resume and cover letter that will aid you in your quest for your dream job.
Man with resume image from Shutterstock
Over at Start Smart, human resources expert, Amanda Meredith, has five tips for putting together a resume and cover letter that will help you land the job you want. She is the global talent and development consultant at GM Holden and has spent countless hours going through resumes from a swathe of job applications, so she knows a thing or two about how to write a good one.
Here are her five dos and don’ts for a good resume and cover letter:
- Make a recruiter’s job easy by making your resume easy to read
Ensure you break information up with headings and include lots of white space so it doesn’t look cluttered to the person reading it. - Attention to detail is paramount so carefully proof read what you write
Spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and inconsistent font size and styles will work against you. Also make sure you address the correct person when you send the documents off. Meredith notes that it is important to tailor your cover letter according to the job you are applying for so don’t copy and paste when you send it out to different recruiters. - Cover the basics
Include information such as job history and dates, relevant skils, qualifications and education as well as your contact details. Adding in an objective can help as well. The order in which the information is presented is also something to consider.
According to Meredith:
“I’ve seen people put their high-school qualification at the top of their CV – even primary school! Think about the recruiter and what’s going to grab their attention more: your relevant skills or the fact that you’ve graduated from primary school.”
- Gaps in your work history is a no-no
You should include all your previous roles and be prepared to explain them to the recruiter, even if you did leave a job under bad circumstances. Being able to address it demonstrate maturity and self-awareness, which may even give you a leg up in the job application process.
- Leave out the irrelevant information
These include age marital status, awards you received in school that is completely unrelated to the job you’re applying for. Hobbies sit in the grey area so only include them if they are somehow relevant.
[Via Start Smart]
Comments
4 responses to “Five Tips For Writing A Killer Resume And Cover Letter”
“… include lots of white space so the person reading it doesn’t look cluttered.”
So the PERSON doesn’t look cluttered? Might be better as “… include lots of white space so the page/resume/document/thing being read doesn’t look cluttered.
I know, grammar or whatever. Not trying to be a dick, it just struck me as odd.
Sorry mate. That was my bad!!! I have fixed the sentence now! 🙂
In your cover letter, state what caught your eye about the job you’re applying for and what value you can add to the client.
Martial status?? So not including your black belt. How about marital status?