Authorised by Rob Bonner Manager: Industrial and Education Services

A resume is a marketing tool to promote your knowledge, skills and talents. It provides the reader with an immediate sense of who you are and what you have to offer. A resume creates a first impression and its main purpose is to get you shortlisted for an interview.

First of all, you need to choose a format that fits with your personal style and career goals. There are two basic resume styles, the chronological and the functional styles. The chronological format is the most common and more traditional type of nursing resume. In a chronological resume, work history and education are described in reverse chronological order with the most recent experiences appearing first. Chronological resumes highlight dates, position titles, key responsibilities and achievements, and the names, specialties and locations of employing organisations. This style is most often used to indicate career advancement by showing positions of increased responsibility or preparation. Chronological resumes may include headings such as: Career objective/ Career overview Education Employment history Professional memberships Publications Continuing education or professional

development Community activities or voluntary work

A functional resume highlights an individual’s skills and accomplishments using various categories. This format is often used when making career changes of if there are large gaps in employment history. This format allows the opportunity to emphasise transferable skills. Less emphasis is on the positions held and more on the skills acquired. Headings for a functional resume may include:

Career objective Achievements/key competencies/skills Work experience Education Professional memberships Publications Continuing education or professional

development Community activities or other interests

It is important to include all your contact information on your resume so employers can easily get in touch with you. Include your full name, street address, city, state, and postcode, home phone number, mobile phone number, and email address. After deciding on the format, it is important to think about how you want to market yourself to potential employers and also to choose a style that you feel comfortable with. In other words, how do you want to present yourself to potential employers? Sample resumes are available in many career planning books. Remember that samples are only guidelines and you can modify components to fit with your individual needs and preferences.

Employers may only take 30 seconds to determine from your resume whether or not they will give you an interview. You want them to see right away that you are qualified for the position. Mention the skills or transferable skills that you have and give quantifiable examples on your achievements. Your goals are to make the reader interested enough to want to talk to you in person.

This should include your name and contact information. The employer shouldn’t have to search for this information in order to contact you.

Start with the most recent. Your most recent experience is always the most important.

Proofread your resume numerous times. Use the spellchecker on your computer, but don’t rely on that alone; get someone else to read it over too. One mistake could give a potential employer the wrong impression.

They don’t need your life story. Include only experiences and information that are crucial to the position.

Don’t lie about your past experiences or exaggerate about your involvement.

Under each heading use bullet form to outline your responsibilities and experiences.

If you are applying for a position in accounting, you need not mention in detail your background as a classical pianist.

This may include computer and typing skills, language and proficiency.

This looks very unprofessional.

Your interviewer may make a subconscious judgement that could affect your chances of getting the position.

You can include references or state “referees available upon request”. Make sure your referees are aware you are using them so they are prepared to talk about you. Find professional referees and referees with credentials such as past employers, line managers, teachers and professors as opposed personal referees like friends and neighbours.

Simply saying that you worked for a hospital, health service or private provider in a certain year is not enough; it could mean that you worked there for the entire year or that you worked there for only a day in that year.

If you’ve graduated from university, you do not need to mention your high school. The same is true for employment experience; you don’t necessary need to go all the way back to your days as a babysitter.

Although you may want to change it to suit different positions, many aspects of your resume will remain the same. Keep a copy or save it on your computer.

Use formal language and avoid contradictions (i.e. can’t, doesn’t, its) and abbreviations. Do not use slang.

If specific skills are mentioned, you want the employer to know you have them.

Your resume should be easy to read. Choose a font that looks professional and keep it at 10 to 12 point type.

Do not try to sound smarter or older than you are, this will be immediately obvious to the person reading your resume. It is better to use simple and plain language.

Many word processors have layouts already set up for you – all you need to do is fill in the blanks.

Resume Do’s:

Print on good quality paper using a laser printer

Preferred colours of paper – ivory, white or pale grey

Font size 10 or 12 point Times New Roman or Arial 2 – 3 pages in length Always send a cover letter on the

same paper If faxing, always send a hard copy Customise for each position you are

applying for Resume Don’ts:

Do not enclose a photo Do not include birth date, nationality

or religious affiliations Do not mention salary Do not repeat job description Do not send on current employer’s

letterhead Do not send out your resume

indiscriminately

The purpose of the cover letter is to:

Make a good case for the match between you and the position for which you are applying.

Show how you are unique in your ability to add value to the organization.

Focus on your qualifications for the position. Provide an example of your writing abilities. Convey interest in the position and an

eagerness to be considered.

Cover letters should be tailored specifically for the position to which you are applying. Bear in mind that the letters you write not only convey your interest and qualifications, but also give the employer an opportunity to observe your attentiveness to detail, spelling, grammar and the overall quality of your written communication.

How you format your cover letter, both from content (the information you include) and a presentation (what your cover letter looks like) perspective is important. Even when applying online or via email, your cover letter needs to be properly formatted, readable, and without any mistakes.

Take the time to review cover letter examples, and then make sure that your letter explains how your skills relate to the criteria listed in the job posting.

It's important to include skill, results and recognition keywords which match the description of the job for which you are applying and attest to your credentials in your cover letter to increase your chances of getting selected for an interview.

It can be time consuming to write a custom cover letter for each job you apply for, but it's important to take the time and effort to show the company why you are a good match.

When it comes to cover letters, taking the time to get personal is really important. Find out as much as you can about the organisation, the specialties and the hiring manager. Personalise your cover letter and, if you can, address it to the individual responsible for hiring. If need be, research online or make a phone call to find out whom the hiring manager is. When you are writing a cover letter, there is specific information that needs to be included. Your cover letter will include a contact section, a salutation; the body of the cover letter will give information on why you are qualified for the job, an appropriate closing, and your signature.

It's important to include an appropriate salutation at the beginning of the cover letter or message. If you have a contact person for your letter, be sure to include their name in your letter and don’t put “to whom it may concern”.

Including keywords, in terms of skills, achievements, personal attributes, related to the jobs for which you are applying in your cover letters can help you get shortlisted for a job interview.

When you're writing a cover letter to apply for a job it's important to close your letter in a professional manner.

What is included in a cover letter signature depends on whether you are sending or uploading a cover letter document or using an email message as your cover letter.

There is some information that you shouldn't include in a cover letter. Including too much information can hinder your chances of getting an interview.

The most important part of sending an email cover letter is to follow the employer's instructions. If the job posting says to include your cover letter and resume as an attachment, attach Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF files to your email message.

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Cover Letter Do’s:

Create a personalized cover letter for every company and position.

Take the time to find out the hiring manager's name, and open the letter with a proper greeting.

Identify the position you're applying for, including the job code or reference number (if there is one).

Maintain a confident, enthusiastic tone. Proofread repeatedly (typos and

grammatical mistakes are a huge turn-off)! Ask someone you trust to critique and

proofread your cover letter. End with a statement of intent (e.g., I will be

in touch on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of an interview).

Cover Letter Don’ts:

Don't forget to change the recipient's name and company name for each cover letter you write!

Don't go beyond two pages. In most cases, one page of three or four paragraphs is enough to tell your story.

Don't simply repeat claims you made in your resume. Instead, highlight the most impressive accomplishments from your resume and describe the story behind them.

Don't try to be cute. Humour is subjective; it can make you seem unprofessional rather than personable.

Don’t assume spell-check will catch all errors!