Résumé Tips

Whether you are looking for your next permanent career move, your next temporary role or contract position, F&H can help you find you the right job.

At F&H we are aware that conducting your job search can be a daunting and time consuming task.  To this end, we have compiled the following tips to assist you in your career journey; 

Writing the Perfect Résumé 

The primary purpose of your Résumé is to get you a job interview. Potential employers spend a few seconds scanning your résumé , so it must be very clear and precise. We hope the following tips will assist you so that your résumé stands out from the crowd.

Get the Basics Right

 Your Résumé should include the following information;

• Career Objective
• Education and Qualifications
• Work History and/or Experience
• Relevant skills to the job you are applying  for
• Your Interests
• Achievements/Successes
• Some References

Be Honest and Factual

Use your résumé to accentuate your skills and abilities and touch on your achievements and successes.  Do not give inaccurate information as it will catch up with you down the line.

Be Readily Contactable

Include your contact details in all the pages in case other résumé pages get misplaced.

Proof Read and Proof Read Again

Always check your résumé for spelling mistakes and grammar.  Use a universal font that can be available on the recipient’s computer.

Let Your Résumé Standout from the Crowd

Focus on Value

Remember that the prospective employer is interested in only two things:

Can you do the job and Will you fit in their Organisation?

• Introduce yourself in a simple manner focusing on your personal and professional attributes related to the role in question.
• Ensure that every statement you make focuses on your achievements and successes and supported by numerical evidence.
• Your résumé should promote your suitability for the role to enhance your chances of success

Use the Right Language

• Your résumé should be jargon free
• Use bullet points and short sentences
• Use the past tense to describe your career
• Outcomes should be quantified to make it easier to read. 

Layout

• The layout should not be cluttered.
• Use a common typeface such as Times New Roman,  Courier, Arial etc
• Print on one side of the paper only 

Structure

Personal Information

Put your name, address and contact details in either the header or footer

Work Experience

• Focus on your last two positions and highlight earlier roles if they are related to the job in question.
• Indicate a Job Title, Start and End Date, company name and brief description of responsibilities, achievements ,duties and skills.
• Explain any significant gaps in your career even if you are not working

Qualifications, Education and Training

• List degrees obtained, Year and Institution and any executive programmes attended.
• Include relevant skills acquired when unemployed or doing voluntary work.

References

Include referees names and references (optional). 

Keep Your Résumé Current 

Its important to keep updating your résumé even if you are not job hunting, it will come in handy when the need arises.