| Your résumé is a document that | | | | The employer wants to know what you can do for |
| 'SELLS' your skills and experience to potential | | | | them, not what you've achieved for yourself. They |
| employers - it is not your autobiography. | | | | don't care that you've reached your personal goals. |
| When writing your first résumé, it is | | | | Instead, focus on what you have achieved for current |
| difficult to know what to put in... and what to leave out. | | | | and former employers to show prospective employers |
| Here are a few tips to get you on the right track: | | | | what you can also do for them. For example, |
| Personal Info - OUT | | | | employers want to know about how you've increased |
| You are not required to provide personal details other | | | | sales, increased the client database, increased profits, |
| than your name and contact details. Make sure you | | | | developed new systems that have increased |
| include your email address and mobile phone number, | | | | efficiency, etc. |
| so that it's easy to contact you. Leave out personal | | | | Explanation of gaps in time of unemployment - IN |
| information such as your date of birth, marital status, | | | | Gaps in your employment history may generate |
| number of children and hobbies. | | | | questions in the employer's mind about your work |
| Details of citizenship - IN for certain roles | | | | stability. To overcome this problem, anticipate questions |
| For certain Federal Government and international roles, | | | | the employer may have and answer them in your |
| you may be required to undergo security checks and | | | | application. For example, if you finished one position in |
| need to provide details of your citizenship and right to | | | | 2006, stayed home as the principal carer of your |
| work in a particular country. | | | | children for three years and want to apply for a new |
| Date of Birth - OUT | | | | position now that your children are in day care, it's |
| If you are a mature-aged applicant, it is wise to omit | | | | better to be honest and state what you did in that |
| any reference to age to avoid age discrimination - yes, | | | | time. |
| it does still happen. It's illegal for an employer to ask | | | | Career Summary - IN |
| your age, so don't inadvertently give it away by | | | | If you have an extensive career, it's a good idea to |
| statements such as 'I have 25 years' experience in | | | | include a career summary at the start of your resume, |
| sales...' | | | | so that the employer can see your work history at a |
| Listing every job you've ever done - OUT | | | | glance. |
| The last five years are the most important, but it's | | | | Writing a resume isn't rocket science. The main thing to |
| acceptable to list relevant positions going back ten | | | | remember is to keep your information under relevant |
| years. If you wish, you can list key roles prior to this | | | | headings and to make it easy to read by using a 12 |
| time with just headings or an employment synopsis. | | | | point font, bullet points and white space. |
| Personal achievements - OUT | | | | |