Whether you are just entering the workforce or looking for a fresh start, there are several dos and don’ts you should keep in mind when you are creating your resumé.

This document is crucial for painting a positive and lasting first impression, helping you stand out in the eyes of hiring managers who have to deal with numerous applications for any vacant position.

Here are some tips to help you land your dream job. Good luck!

1.Formatting

Whether you’re applying for an entry-level job or a more advanced one, there are several different ways to format a resumé. Here are three of the most popular styles:

• Reverse-chronological

The reverse-chronological resumé allows you to highlight your most recent achievements. True to its name, you list your relevant work experience in reverse-chronological order, beginning with your most recent position and proceeding backwards.

This allows prospective employers to see your latest experience and accomplishments at one glance.

•  Skills-based

Also known as the functional resumé, this format allows you to highlight your best qualifications, even if you don’t have much work experience yet. You can also include gaps in your employment history or experience outside of your field.

• Diamond

This type of resumé features a minimalist format that makes it easy to read your work history, and highlight your skills and experience. It features the use of icons to create subheadings, again allowing hiring managers to learn about your background at one glance.

2. Fonts

It’s important to use the right fonts on your resumé. Basics such as Arial, Helvetica, and Calibri are easy to read.

Be sure that the point size is appropriate for your document – 10 to 12 points is ideal. Also, you should aim to use line spacing of 1.5 points.

3. Margins

This is another important element: aim to use 2.5cm on all sides of your document so your text fits comfortably within a readable range.

Reduce this to 1cm if you have a lot of information to include, but don’t overdo it! If you’re applying for an entry-level job, you should probably not go beyond one page.

4. Education

Include an education section to demonstrate your qualifications, as having a strong educational background can help you get your foot in the door of the industry you wish to work in. In fact, employers usually look for this section on resumés.

Include a variety of different qualifications, including degrees, supplementary certifications, study-abroad programmes, volunteer work, language proficiency, and more.

This section should be tailored to your individual profile, and should contain information relevant to the job you are applying for.

You can place the education section before or after your work experience, with as much information as you feel is necessary – provide a full list of your achievements, or just the most relevant.

5. Bullet points

Bullet points are important as they help hiring managers scan your document quickly and understand your work history. They can also help you highlight key skills and accomplishments related to the position.

The number of bullet points on your resumé should be based on your experience level; some experts recommend two to four bullet points per subheading. Too many can overshadow your resumé, so try to be modest.

6. Subheadings (like this one)

Use subheadings to organise your information, so that it’s easy for the prospective employer to understand your key qualifications.

Subheadings, while not mandatory, can help you separate sections. For example, you may want a section on technical skills, and another on hobbies and interests.

In general, headings should be clear, professional, and easily scannable.

7. Applicant tracking systems

Your headings should be easily parsed by applicant tracking systems (ATS) – computer software that manages the hiring process. These programs are able to scan your resumé and recognise work experience, education, and other relevant information. They are also able to identify key skills and keywords.

Many employers these days use ATS to cut down on effort and time.

Other points of interest

If you’re not sure what to include in your resumé, ask a friend or mentor to read it and offer you some feedback. Your contacts may also be able to provide leads on people within the industry you’re applying for, with whom you could then get in touch to submit your resumé.

It’s also helpful to spend some time on the employer’s website to get a better idea of what they’re looking for in a candidate. There are often well-detailed career sections on corporate websites, and you can also use social media to find out more.

The hiring ad itself is a good way to determine what keywords you should include in your resumé, so read the job description thoroughly.

When preparing your resumé, make sure you include enough information to give employers an accurate picture of who you are, but not so much that it overwhelms them.

Make sure it is clear and concise, as well as easy to read. And, be mindful of layout/design and grammatical accuracy, which all play a part in painting a good first impression.

This article first appeared in 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.