Get smart and get short listed.

Key word and clause resume tips

As an Adelaide resume writer, I know a few tricks which may help you get short listed, especially if recruiters use scanners. Try using key words or terms. We list them as clauses in a section we call Professional Capabilities on the first page and throughout the resume.

Only list those that apply to you – NOT ALL OF THEM. In a resume, you’d expect to include four or five of these areas. Here are a couple of key areas:

ORGANISATIONAL SKILLS

These are the skills that help you to plan, prepare, and get things done in the workplace.

Time management: managing your own time to get the job done. Especially useful in fast-paced work environments.

Research and analytics: researching and collecting data, analysing, reporting on findings and making recommendations.

Administration and clerical: efficiently handling tasks like filing, paperwork and communications including phone or email, plus managing calendars and appointments.

Financial management: developing and managing budgets, keeping financial records, fundraising or project managing.

Sales and marketing: marketing and selling a product or service, or influencing behaviour.

Creative thinking: generating new ideas and coming up with innovative solutions to problems.

Planning: managing yourself, others and available resources with a goal in mind, and creating plans for projects or events.

Technology or digital literacy: being able to use and quickly adapt to new technology, programs or tools.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Workplaces rely on communication for things to run smoothly, so skills you have here will be a benefit to them.

These skills can be used when communicating within your team or company, as well as externally – for example, to customers.

Writing: it’s any kind of interaction that involves the written word, such as reports, emails, letters, sales materials and articles.

Face-to-face: communicating in person, including facilitating meetings, interviewing, persuading, negotiating, expressing ideas plus speaking in public or to groups.

Put your best foot forward

Malcolm builds expert resumes, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles, which unleash an unbeatable business case to promote you as a ‘must have’ asset to an employer.