A resumé is a crucial document with which employers can assess an applicant’s experience and suitability for a role. But what if you’re a recent college graduate or an entry-level job applicant with little to no experience?
The good news is, there are ways to showcase your capabilities without a history of paid work. Here’s how you can capture the attention of any hiring manager.
1. Prioritise the order of things
You have to make a quick first impression, so start off with a quick summary of who you are and your goals, followed by your key skills. Then highlight your education and add other relevant sections to emphasise how you can be an asset to the company.
All in all, make sure your resumé is well-organised and concise to ensure the recruiter doesn’t lose interest – nobody likes a verbose CV!
2. Consider your goals
Your resumé should include a section that demonstrates your goals and willingness to learn and grow as an employee. Briefly describe how a position in the company would align with your professional – and to a lesser extent, personal – objectives.
3. Tailor your resumé to the job
Of course, your professional goals should also align with the job description or company mission. Mention, for instance, how your desire to put into practice your accounting skills learnt in school or university can benefit the organisation’s financial or administrative team.
List – in chronological order from the most recent – qualifications, skills or achievements relevant to the job you’re applying for, to reinforce the impression that you are a suitable candidate for the position.
4. Showcase your strengths
As your resumé allows you to highlight your skills and achievements beyond paid jobs, use it to showcase accomplishments and unique qualities.
You could include volunteer work, certificates and licences, internships, extracurricular activities, training and workshops, projects and freelance work, professional memberships and development, special skills, and hobbies and interests.
5. Use the right language and design
Regardless of your qualifications, a resumé should be written in a professional manner and not in a way that immediately lets the hiring manager know you’re not suitable for the job.
Stick to a clean and organised layout without too many bells and whistles. Decorative elements should be used sparingly – though don’t underestimate the power of bold typeface, bullet points, and simple section dividers.
When in doubt, share your resumé with your parents, mentors or experienced peers to get their feedback on improvements you can make. Good luck!
This article was originally written by Hanis Izzatul for jobstore.com, an online job site that specialises in providing jobseekers with the latest job opportunities by matching talented individuals with reputable companies in Malaysia. Find your dream job with over 40,000 job vacancies in Malaysia.