Basic resume tips from Hudson recruiters

When writing a resume, consider avoiding long lists of responsibilities or duties. Instead, focus on achievements.

Begin each with a dynamic action word or phrase like ‘designed’, ‘coached’, ‘assessed’, ‘undertook’, ‘supervised’, ‘organised’, ‘managed’, ‘transformed’, etc.

Keep your resume succinct. Include the necessary information but do it concisely, using only relevant details.

Avoid using any unusual fonts that might be difficult to read or that might not display correctly on someone else’s screen: Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri are best

Address any major gaps in your work history by writing a brief explanation where, (perhaps you were travelling overseas, had a child or went back to university).

Many recruitment agencies use special software to scan applications for certain words and phrases, which are called ‘keywords’.

It’s a good idea to make sure your resume contains keywords from the job description, or from your role and industry, to ensure it passes the first round of checks.

Common keyword examples include ‘project management’, ‘business development’, ‘customer service’, ‘account manager’, ‘software development’ and ‘leadership’, amongst many others.

Look at the job listings to see which words are repeated, and weave them into your resume and cover letters (but not to the point of overkill).

Get the fundamentals right: just one or two spelling errors in your resume could mean that your application is rejected by a potential employer.

Don’t include confidential personal details except for your contact number, address and email address.

 

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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.