Step 5: Create your resume
An up-to-date resume is a very important tool for finding cadetships, and other jobs all throughout your career.
What is a resume?
A resume is a description of your education, paid employment, volunteer activities (including school activities), general interests and personal strengths. Each resume will be slightly different depending on to whom it is written and which style of resume suits your needs. It should be kept up-to-date. Resumes can be submitted on paper or electronically.
What to include
What you include in a resume depends on your individual career goals and the needs of the employer. A resume provides: > > > > initial information to an employer to get you an interview a summary of your work history, skills, achievements and experience information about how you perform in different work situations information about what you have accomplished.
A resume should answer the employer’s question: ‘How will I benefit from employing this person?’
Your resume is a tool that you will use across your working life to entice people to hire you.
Finding yourself a cadetship: A GUIDE FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS
What not to include
> > > Don’t say you have done something that you haven’t. Don’t include anything that relates to your personal life (except contact details). Don’t include age, height, weight, marital status, number of children, condition of health, or religious or political beliefs (except where religion or political beliefs are important to the position). Don’t include negative reasons for leaving previous employment such as ‘asked to leave’ (fired) or ‘sick of travelling’. Don’t focus on any barriers to getting a cadetship. Don’t make the resume too long.
Handy hints
> > > > > > > Modify your resume for each cadetship you apply for and include your relevant skills. Use a simple layout, headings and basic fonts such as Arial. Use good quality A4 paper. Don’t put too much information on one page. Have someone check your resume before you send it. There are lots of Internet sites which help, such as www.myfuture.edu.au. Use a spell/grammar check.
What you need to get started
Before you start writing, collect all the resources you need. Resources checklist Use this checklist to prepare for writing your resume. You’ll need: job descriptions of past jobs you’ve had, including part-time work or work experience an action word list to help you write your resume (go to www.myfuture.edu.au for an action word list) copies of performance reviews or reports about tasks you’ve undertaken records of your educational achievements certificates or records of seminars/conferences you’ve attended. Include courses undertaken out of school hours (e.g. swimming instructor, or computer courses) letters of appreciation you’ve received. Don’t forget thank you letters or cards.
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Finding yourself a cadetship: A GUIDE FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS
Sections of a resume
The section headings of a resume match the job/cadetship advertisement. The most common headings are: > > > > > > > > contact details objectives summary of experience competencies education and training work experience activities and interests referees.
Types of resumes
There are three types of resumes: > > > reverse chronological functional combination.
The table on the next page sets out the characteristics, advantages, disadvantages of each type of resume, and gives you some tips on when and when not to use them.
However, there are alternative names that you can use, such as ‘career goals’ for ‘objectives’ and ‘employment history’ for ‘work experience’.
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Finding yourself a cadetship: A GUIDE FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS
Resume comparison chart
Examples The example on the following pages shows a ‘combination’ resume.
Reverse chronological Characteristics
> > Most recent work history is listed first. Provides a short and snappy picture of where you’ve been and what you’ve done.
Functional
> Work experience and skills listed in a way that relates to the strengths important to the employer. Focus is on what you have done, not where and when.
Combination
> > > > Combination of reverse chronological and functional resumes. Focus is on skills, accomplishments and work history. Usually begins with a profile or key skills followed by work history. Highlights relevant skills that are supported by a strong employment record. Emphasis is on transferable skills. Highlights accomplishments.
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Advantages
> > >
Easy to write. Shows employment history. Most commonly used.
> > > > >
Brief. Highlights accomplishments. Groups together similar jobs. De-emphasises unstable work history. Can use headings featured in a job description. Doesn’t provide a work history. No emphasis on loyalty, continuity or recency of experience. Entering the workforce for the first time or after a long absence. Work history is varied or unrelated. Changing fields. Emphasising skills not used in recent work. You want to highlight career progression. Your recent jobs have had limited responsibilities and functions.
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Disadvantages
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Emphasises gaps in employment. Doesn’t effectively reveal skills. Showing career progression. Showing continuity in a particular career path.
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Longer than other formats. Work history is usually on the second page. Each position you have had involved a different job description. Demonstrating a depth and range of skills.
Use when …
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Don’t use if …
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You’re looking for a job for the first time. You have employment gaps. You’ve changed jobs often. You’re changing careers and your work history does not relate to the job you are applying for.
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> >
Experience is limited. There are large gaps in your employment.
Finding yourself a cadetship: A GUIDE FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS
Career Objective
Kathy Porter 1 Looking Street North Adelaide SA 500 6 Phone: (08) 8555 555 5 Own Car and Driver’s Licence
Objective tells an employer what position you are seeking , the kind of work that you are looking for and the next step of your career path. This section is optional.
Summary
I am looking for emplo yment as a cadet in my current studies in the psychology. I enjoy wor human resource management field to to give 100 per cent complement will be an asset to you king with people. I believe my positive attitude and willingnes r business. s
Contact details say who you are and how you can be contacted. Make sure they are up to date and accurate.
Key Competencies
I am computer literate , skills are of an excelle have typing skills and experience in filin g and reception duties. nt standard. I am flex ible, reliable and hig hly motivated to suc My communication ceed.
Summary gives the ‘big picture’ very briefly, of what you do.
Competencies are about your abilities and are targeted to the job you are applying for. This section convinces the employer that you are capable of doing the job.
Administration/Clerica l Skills > Experienced in handling profit and loss reports. > Knowledge of ma nual pay (taking out tax and doin roll duties g pays for employee s) as well as using MYO > Able to work und B. er pressure and prio ritise tasks. > Knowledge of com puter packages, MS Windows, Word, Pub > Sound typing and lisher, Internet and keyboarding skills. e-mail. > Able to handle cou nter enquiries in an efficient and profess > Experienced in ional manner. writing letters and typi ng up invoices. > Highly developed organisational and tim e management skills. > Experienced in general bookkeepin g and records keepin > Able to carry out g. general office functio ns. > Knowledge of con fidentiality practices. > Experience with the use of multi-line phone system. > Confident telepho ne voice and manne r and experienced in > Neat and legible taking accurate tele handwriting. phone messages. > Able to fill orders and forms. > Able to use variou s office equipment incl uding fax and photoc Communication Skills opier. > Ability to commu nicate with a variety of people from all leve > Ability to use com ls. mon sense and wor k through problems > Experience in trai . ning new staff. > High standard of written and oral skil ls.
Education and training show you have the educational requirements to do the job. Include your most recent educational qualification and subjects you have studied that are relevant to the position.
Education
Tertiary 2004 - current I am currently in my second year of a Bac helor of Psychology at Flinders University Secondary Senior Cer . North Adelaide High tificate 2003 School > Business Maths > Child Studies > Dance > Nutrition and Lifestyl > English e
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Finding yourself a cadetship: A GUIDE FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS
Work History
Work experience explains past and present work activities. It should include full-time, part-time, casual, contract and temporary jobs; self employment; and positions you have held as a volunteer or student.
(casual): 2002 – current Replacement Receptionist ts Hoover Home Improvemen ices > typing letters and invo MYOB > assisting in payroll—
taking messages > answering phones and keeping and banking > filing, book
– current Kitchen hand (casual): 2002 rs Mama’s Pizza House phone > taking phone orde face to face and over the > customer service both > money handling a dough > making pizzas and pizz > general cleaning transactions > EFTPOS and credit card t (on call): 1999 Customer Service Assistan Jay’s Catering > taking orders > handling money > collecting glasses – 2003 > serving food and beverage > washing dishes s
Jan – Sept 2002 Clerical Assistant (casual): Protocol Crash Repairs ying > filing, sorting, photocop > money handling > office cleaning > general bookkeeping
> reception duties ents, writing cheques > banking, accounts paym sorting out tax and > doing the payroll— pays for employees
Referees are people who can provide details of your experience and can comment on your personal qualities. It is common to include three referees. Provide accurate details of their name, employer, phone number and email address (if available), along with a brief statement explaining how the referee knows you. Make sure you have the referee’s permission to provide their name and contact details.
Activities and Interests
> > > Treasurer – North Adelaide current Hockey Club: Sept 2003 going to the beach cooking
> > > >
reading looking after young children listening to music going out with friends
Activities and interests help an employer build a picture of you. Activities and interests also highlight initiative, communication and organisational ability and skills you have gained which may be important if they are relevant to the job. Activities are structured pursuits (e.g. clubs and voluntary organisations). List the organisation, your role and years of participation. Interests are unstructured individual pursuits (e.g. sewing, reading, running, football). List the interests and your involvement (i.e. writing poetry is different from reading it).
Referees
loyer Brian Dash – former emp Owner Protocol Crash Repairs Phone: 8922 2222 .au Email: b.dash@protocol.com rvisor Ryan Morris - current supe Manager ts Hoover Home Improvemen Phone: 8333 3333
rvisor Josie Plack – current supe Manager Mama’s Pizza House Phone: 8999 9999 Email: j.plack@mama.com.au
Finding yourself a cadetship: A GUIDE FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS
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