RESUME GUIDE PARTS 4 & 5

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Part 4 - Education

Do not include every qualification you have- keep it relevant and impressive. Some qualifications, like university degrees are regarded as relevant information. Your age will also help you to determine what to include. For people in the first five years of work, education is important and should be listed in reasonable detail. After those five years, be more selective about what you use. Remember some qualifications can become outdated.

The order in which qualifications are presented:

  • Highest postgraduate qualification: Masters or PHD, the subject, and university where degree was taken/ date (thesis topic- if relevant).
  • Highest undergraduate qualification: the degree, the subjects and university where degree was taken/ date
  • High school qualification

You may also like to include any academic achievements you have or short courses you have recently completed that are related to the position you are applying for.

When applying for a job in another state or country, don’t assume employers will understand what your qualifications mean. Explain your grades in the employers local system.

Part 5 - Employment History

You need to note the following in your resume:

  • Name of organisation
  • Dates attended
  • Brief description of what company does (optional)
  • Job tile
  • Key duties/ responsibilities
  • Achievements/ promotions/ awards with a focus on competencies

This is where you have the most scope to influence the reader through your writing style, the words you use and the way you describe yourself. List your most recent job first and move onto the previous one and so on. If you have a long work history with many different jobs, then restrict the listing of full details to the positions held in the last ten years.

Achievements

Always emphasise your achievements for each different job.

Examples:

  • Achieving high results in exams or assessments
  • Being in charge of a project to change something in the company
  • Being part of team that….. (what did the team do?)
  • Gaining qualifications (degree, advanced driving qualifications etc)
  • Improving staff efficiency or overhauling procedures
  • Increasing sales figures during time of employment
  • Receiving promotion
  • Winning customer service or quality award
  • Implementing or designing of systems / processes

Choosing referees is critical, so deciding on your choices before the question arises is important. Choose people who are prepared to speak positively about you, or at the very least refrain from making negative comments.