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Useful Resume Tips

A resume is a personal document that is an accurate indication of your work history. It is a marketing tool for you and it demonstrates your career history and aspirations. It is imperative that your resume is a true indication of your work history and it can be seen as misleading or fraudulent to misrepresent your work history in your resume. That being said, it is a fine balancing act of relevant information and factual data whilst keeping relatively concise.

The minimum requirement for a resume should be:

  • Personal information such as your full name and address;
  • A list of your qualifications with year dates that the qualifications were completed;
  • A reverse chronological listing (most recent at the start) of your full work history complete with dates and job titles; and
  • More in depth description of your most recent couple of roles with an emphasis on real examples and projects backing up your skills and expertise in the role.

Covering Letter

A covering letter is sales pitch that supports your resume. It is a way to prove that you have read the job advertisement and from that have developed an interest in the role. It can be less formal than your resume and you can use first person words to describe why you are a good fit for the role.

Some tips for covering letters:

  • Make sure that you have read the advertisement and that your tailored covering letter is actually for the right job;
  • Don’t cut and copy parts from your resume;
  • Describe why you would be good for the role and include examples from past work; and
  • We wouldn’t recommend more that one page for your covering letter.