Your résumé will literally make or break your chances of securing an interview. A résumé creates an image of who you are, so it’s to your advantage that yours demonstrates your experience and precisely why you are a suitable potential employee for the company. The reader needs to recognise your skills and competencies immediately and how they may match the role.

A résumé is generally between two-to-three pages and includes the following sections:

• Personal details
• Education and qualifications
• Employment history – including job title, company name, dates of employment, responsibilities and achievements
• Personal interests
• Key skills/achievements
• References

It’s also helpful to remember the following:

• Always list your work history in reverse chronological order starting with your current or most recent position.
• Explain any gaps in your work history. If you’ve been travelling for a year, make sure you mention it.
• Use a common program such as Microsoft Word and avoid using unusual fonts as they may not be compatible with all computers.
• Always, ALWAYS spell check and proof your résumé before sending it on. You don’t want to ruin your chances of being invited for an interview because of one careless spelling mistake.
• Customise your résumé for each job you apply for by tailoring your experience and/or skills to the advertised role. You could even use similar terminology to the advertisement.
• Adapt your core letter for each role you are applying for. Your cover letter should not be a regurgitation of your résumé and keep your cover letter succinct – generally no more than three or four paragraphs.
• When it comes to your personal e-mail address (which recruiters and potential employers alike will use to contact you), something professional such as abigail.wyburn@gmail.com will create a far more positive impression than littlemissnaughty@yahoo.com!