​Writing your Résumé


 

The résumé is a brief reflection of you, and serves as a tool for you to market yourself.
Your résumé is your calling card, in any meeting with a future employer and in general. The way in which you choose to present yourself, your skills and your abilities is an inner reflection of how you perceive and value yourself as a person and as a member of the workforce. A résumé that puts across a sense of self-esteem will open doors for you to the next stage: the job interview, other tests and so on.


It has one main objective - to "sell" your knowledge, skills and experience to the employer and obtain a personal interview.
An effective résumé provides the potential employer with information according to his needs and requirements, and indicates a possible compatibility between what you have to offer and these requirements. In order to provoke maximum interest, this information should be special, brief, clear, professional, comprehensive and attractive, with a personal tone.


 

Remember - you are the best person to market yourself.


 

Take great care and attention over writing and editing the content and objectives - and adapting them to each case and to each job application individually.
There is no single, uniform way of writing a résumé.
The role of the résumé does not end in the stages before and during the interview. Even after the interview, this document serves as a reminder for the future, and helps the interviewer sum up his or her impressions from the meeting.


 

What should the résumé include?

  • Personal details - name, address, telephone number (permanent, temporary)
  • Education - starting with the most recent educational institution, including degree, diploma or license, and going back to high school
  • Professional courses - with some connection to the particular field of employment, such as: bookkeeping, tax consultancy, training, business correspondence, etc.
  • Professional/occupational experience - details of your experience, from the most recent to your first professional occupation, in the form of general headings reflecting the field of occupation, scale of responsibility, and experience acquired, a description of the job, and details that might help you get the job you are interested in. If you have no previous professional experience, give details of appropriate practical experience gained in the course of your studies or army service.
  • Army/National Service
  • Foreign languages
  • Computer skills
  • Hobbies, special achievements, special activities that are relevant to the occupation, membership of professional associations, etc.
  • Talents and skills
  • Miscellaneous

Note: These points can be section headings, but it is not essential that they be included by everyone.


 

Important advice for preparing your résumé:

  • It is important to remember that the employer will only spend a few minutes looking at your material before deciding whether to put it aside or read it in depth.
  • The main key is to design your résumé and writing style in such a way as to draw the employer's attention to the words that meet his needs (it will help to do some prior investigation of the employer and identify the jobs or roles required).
  • It is better to start a sentence with a word describing an action and not with a pronoun. In any event, it is recommended to avoid writing in the first person. Start with the important information, emphasizing words and downplaying marginal information. Avoid repeating words and sentences.
  • The résumé should usually be one or two pages - no more! At the same time, it is important to remember that the exact form of the résumé differs for different positions and different job markets (in academic positions, for example, the résumé includes details of research, publications, books and articles, teaching experience and so on, and can contain 20 pages or more).


 

Types of résumé

Chronological résumé - an employment history, organized in chronological order. Give the events in the order of their occurrence, from the most recent back to the earliest.

Information about work experience: bold job title and organization. The demands of the job and personal achievements (including the development of personal responsibility) appear below the job title and organization.
This type of résumé is appropriate for a description of development and growth in a particular occupation, and for those whose career objectives are clear.


This type of résumé is recommended when:

  • Your last place of work or job title is impressive
  • The job you are applying for is in the same field or area of occupation
  • There is professional development in employment


 

This résumé is not recommended when:

  • There are frequent changes in places of work
  • You want to conceal your age
  • There is a break in continuity of employment
  • You want change your career


 

The professional (functional) résumé - presenting yourself by subject or field, with partial or no relation to chronological order. The accent is on skills and achievements that have been developed through occupational experience.


 

This type is recommended when:

  • You want to emphasize personal skills and play down abilities that did not come to the fore in your last job or place of work, together with a long employment history
  • Personal development in the area of occupation is extended and advanced
  • You have varied occupational experience
  • You want to change your career and enter a particular job market
  • Your personal occupation is characterized by temporary work, consultation or freelance work


 

We will be happy to help you with any question or enquiry at the Career Development Center