Audio files
Top Ten Tips for Developing a Graduate Resume
Your resume is a potential employer's first impression of you. It can be compared to a personal sales brochure and so it should positively reflect your skills, knowledge and professionalism in a clear and concise way. Here are ten important tips to ensure that your resume gives a good first impression and ultimately, an interview.
1. Target your resume
Don't expect the employer to work out how you fit the job requirements. Employers tell us how important it is to target each resume to the position advertised. Don't send the same resume to each vacancy, employers can tell if you haven't made an effort! Look at the selection criteria and job description and use this information to match the resume to the requirements of the job. If the selection criteria are not available, do your research to find out which skills, experience and personal attributes are generally required by the job and the organisation. For example, you could review the selection criteria of similar positions and research the occupation by speaking with people in the industry.
2. Make it easy to read
Your resume should be reader-friendly - easy to navigate by using clear headings and by organising your information so that the most recent and relevant information is prominent. Most employers will only scan resumes very briefly in the first cull, so you need to ensure that your most relevant information is not hidden in a whole lot of text or on the last page. Your headings need to stand out by being one size larger than the body text and using bold also helps.
3. Be concise
At a graduate level, your resume should be around 2 to 3 A4 pages. It may be longer (3-5 pages) if you have had considerable professional experience. Being concise means getting to the point in as few words as possible. Show how your capabilities have benefited a previous employer or would be useful to a prospective employer. Be clear about the contribution you have made and use examples to support what you have written. One page resumes are common in other countries but in Australia employers tend to expect more detail.
4. Layout
Use a generous margin and plenty of space between section. Recruiters like to make notes. Common headings in a resume include a career objective, education or qualifications, a skills summary, work history and any other relevant information such as membership of professional associations, extra curricular activities and interests. Find a layout that suits your situation. Your name should be the heading in a large font. Put your contact details (address, email and phone numbers) in smaller font just below your name. Drop the fun email address and keep it business-like for job applications. Keep formatting consistent throughout the document. Use a plain font and avoid the temptation of fancy effects such as borders and images. In your final draft, check the page breaks don't occur in the middle of a section of information. If you are completing an on-line applications read the instructions carefully and complete the application processes exactly as indicated.
5. Make the most of your degree
As a new graduate, your recent studies are a key marketing tool. Place education before employment in your resume and include the course name and majors, list the relevant subjects, and indicated when you completed or expect to complete. If you've received good grades then you could include your averaged result. List any awards, special achievements and projects. Don't attach academic transcripts or other details regarding marks, unless specifically requested.
6. Include a range of experiences
By including all your experience, you provide the evidence that you have developed transferable skills. Your range of work and extracurricular experiences will also help to make your resume unique. Give yourself a competitive advantage by including the skills you've gained that are relevant to the position. You can include paid work (this could be full-time, part time and casual jobs) as well as unpaid positions (including internships, work placements and voluntary roles). You could also mention travel, as valuable skills can be developed while having to be resourceful. Employers are interested in activities where you can demonstrate teamwork, communication and leadership skills. Which skills have you developed and are they evident in your resume?
7. Highlight your achievements
Clearly state any achievements you've accomplished in the workplace, at university and in community activities. Don't be too modest but also you shouldn't overstate your case. This is your chance to let the employer know what you are capable of achieving by providing examples to demonstrate your skills. Don't assume your degree or your previous job titles speak for themselves. Indicate the outcome of the work you've done or any projects you've completed. Quantify any achievements where possible. Did you increase sales margins and by what percentage? Did you decrease turn around time for delivery of orders and by what length? Did you make recommendations in a report and how many were adopted by the organisation? Did you train new staff and how many in the last 6 months? Did you receive any awards and what were they called? Make sure you have the evidence in your portfolio (such as awards as certificates).
8. Use action words
Use bullet points when listing job responsibilities and achievements in your work history section. Try and keep each bullet point to a single line and there's no need to use a full stop at the end of each point. Begin each bullet point with strong action verbs such as created, developed and researched. For example:
- Managed a team of 5 front-line staff
- Designed a program which automated test marking
- Prepare a business case to establish a new product market
- Implemented a new filing system which reduced double-handling
9. Using referees
It 's not necessary to include written references with your job application. At the end of your resume you can list 2-3 referees. These are people who can speak about your work skills. You need to include their name, current job title, organisation and contact details. It's essential that you ask permission from each referee before you list them. Let your referees know each time a potential employer may be calling for their comments about you and provide them with your current resume and the job description. This way they have your details at hand. It's also okay to state 'Referees available on request' and this allows you some control over when and who the employer contacts. It also provides greater privacy for your referees. If you're applying for a role via a recruitment agency, it's preferable that you use this method rather than listing your referees and their details.
10. Always proof read your resume
Don't blow your chances. Minor errors can result in your resume landing on the reject pile. Employers look for reasons to cull the number of applications. In particular, look for problems with spelling, repetition, misuse of words and poor grammar. Don't rely on spell check! Ask several other people to check your resume as a fresh eye may pick up errors you've missed. Also, make sure your cover letter is addressed to the correct person and organisation.
Some final words
It takes time to write a quality resume. Invest some effort in developing and improving your resume. Can you be more concise in some sections? Can you clarify any wording? Have you mentioned your best examples to demonstrate your skills? Have you included your most recent experience and achievements? Also, you'll need to answer the phone number that you have given on your resume in a professional manner once you start sending out resumes. If an employer calls to follow up on your resume and you answer your phone too informally, you may negate the good first impression that your resume made!
Make sure you check out the UTS Careers Service website www.ssu.uts.edu.au/careers. The website provides information about current vacancies, employer sessions, career fairs and workshops throughout semester as well as advice on job applications, resumes, cover letters, interviews and many other topics. There is excellent information under Net That Career and 'Where UTS graduates Go' where you can search specific information by faculty. The UTS Careers Service offers a resume review service and current students and recent graduates can book in for an appointment with a careers counsellor. You can access all this information from the website www.ssu.uts.edu.au/careers.
