How to write a resume: Comprehensive guide [Example 2024]

What is a resume?

how to write a resume

A resume, also known as a curriculum vitae, is a document that briefly summarizes an individual’s personal information, education, work experience, and skills. The primary purpose of a resume is to introduce yourself and attract the attention of potential employers.

A resume usually includes main sections such as contact information, career goals, work experience, education, skills and other outstanding activities or achievements. Resume format and presentation can vary depending on the industry and specific requirements of each job. However, an effective resume is usually written concisely and clearly and focuses on the most critical information, helping employers quickly evaluate a candidate’s abilities and suitability for the job position.

The significance of understanding how to write a resume

Knowing how to make a resume is essential because it introduces yourself and demonstrates skills and experience that match the employer’s requirements. A well-written resume highlights your skills and knowledge and increases your chances of being invited to an interview and landing your desired job. By professionally presenting your skills, achievements and career guidance, you create a strong impression of your suitability and professionalism. This makes it easier for employers to evaluate your ability to contribute to the organization and increases your chances of being selected for an interview. In short, mastering resume writing skills is critical to making a positive first impression, demonstrating your value to employers, and positioning yourself favorably in the job market.

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Types of Australia resume formats

There are three common types of Australia resume formats: chronological format, skills format, and combination format. Each format has different arrangements and emphases to suit the candidate’s goals and needs.

Chronological

how to write a resume

The chronological resume format is the most common way to organize information about a candidate’s work experience from newest to oldest. This helps employers easily track candidates’ career development and evaluate continuity and accumulated experience through past jobs and projects. This format is often used in fields that require clear career progression and development, such as management, engineering, and other specialized occupations.

Functional

The functional resume format focuses on the candidate’s technical skills and career achievements. Instead of simply arranging information chronologically, this format emphasizes the specific skills the candidate has developed and applied on the job.

This makes it easier for employers to recognize candidates’ suitability for specific job requirements rather than just relying on work history or working time. This format is often applied when candidates need to change careers, change roles or want to focus on the most important professional skills they have accumulated.

Combination

The combination Resume format combines a chronological format and a skills format. It synthesizes both methods to provide a comprehensive view of a candidate’s work history and technical skills. This helps employers recognize career growth and evaluate the specific skills a candidate can bring. This format is often used by people with diverse work experiences who want to emphasize their work history and key technical skills.

Components needed in resume

The required components of a resume include personal information, career goals, educational history, and work experience. These components help create a comprehensive profile, giving employers a detailed and clear view of the candidate’s capabilities and suitability for the job position.

Contact Info

Contact information is an important component of a resume, including the candidate’s full name, address, phone number, and email address. This information makes it easy for employers to contact and update on the recruitment process. In addition, providing accurate and detailed contact information also demonstrates the candidate’s professionalism and readiness during the job application process.

Statement of career goals

how to write a resume

The career objective statement is an important part of the resume; it shows the candidate’s career goals and objectives for the job. Typically, this statement should be short, pointing out the field or position the candidate is aiming for and the values ​​and skills they can bring to the organization.

Skill

Skills are one of the core components of a resume, helping employers evaluate candidates’ abilities and suitability for the job. Skills need to be listed in detail and clearly, including both technical skills and soft skills such as communication, time management, and teamwork. Organizing and highlighting appropriate skills helps candidates make a strong impression and stand out during the recruitment process.

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Educational background and accomplishments

Academic history and achievements are an integral part of the resume, showing the candidate’s academic journey and significant achievements. Typically, it includes information about degrees, certifications, and scholarly activities such as research projects, articles, or awards earned. This helps employers evaluate the candidate’s educational background and ability to apply knowledge in the work environment.

Work experience

Work experience is an important resume component, providing an overview of a candidate’s work history and career achievements. Typically, it includes information about previous positions, working hours, and main tasks performed. A detailed and clear description of work experience helps employers evaluate a candidate’s ability and suitability for a specific job position.

How to write a Resume

How to write a resume includes organizing information systematically and logically, from personal information to career goals, educational history and work experience. This is the candidate’s opportunity to introduce themselves clearly and professionally, to attract the employer’s attention and to lay the foundation for a successful interview appointment.

Step 1: Collect relevant information

The first thing to do when writing a resume is to collect detailed and relevant information about yourself. This includes collecting personal information such as full name, contact information, and details about education, work experience, and technical skills. Having complete information will help you create an accurate resume that meets the employer’s requirements.

Step 2: Choose the most suitable format

Step 2 in writing a resume is choosing the format that best fits your experience and career goals. Popular formats include timed, skill-based, and hybrid. Choosing the right format helps highlight your skills and experience and makes the resume more appealing and easier to read for employers.

For example, a chronological format may be a good choice if you have a clear work history and want to emphasize career progression. Conversely, a skills-based format is more appropriate if you want to focus on professional skills and achievements. The hybrid format will be ideal if you combine the two to provide a comprehensive view of your capabilities.

Step 3: Add contact information

how to write a resume

Contact information is integral to your resume, including your full name, address, phone number and email address. Ensure this information is current and accurate so employers can easily contact you when necessary. In addition, you can also add other information, such as links to your LinkedIn profile or personal website if you have one.

Step 4: Write a summary or career objective

The summary or career objective is an important part of the resume, helping employers better understand your purpose and abilities in the job. It should be concise, focus on your strengths and clearly describe your career goals or interest in the position you are applying for.

Summary: “I am a marketing professional with over 5 years of experience in market analysis and digital advertising strategy. My career has focused on applying data to optimize marketing campaigns and increase revenue for businesses.

Career goal: “I seek an opportunity to develop project management skills and work in a creative and innovative environment where I can contribute to the development of groundbreaking products and services.

Step 5: Create a job history section

how-to-write-a-resume-05

In this section of your resume, you should list your work experiences in reverse chronological order so employers can track your career development. Each entry includes job title, company name, location and working hours. Use bullet points to detail key responsibilities and achievements in each position. Here’s how to create an interesting and readable resume:

  • Digital Marketing Specialist
    • ABC Company, City A, Country X
    • January 2020 – Present
    • Manage and optimize digital advertising campaigns across social media platforms and Google Ads, resulting in a 30% increase in revenue from advertising campaigns.
  • Head of Market Analysis Team
    • XYZ Corporation, City B, Country Y
    • June 2017 – December 2019
    • Analyze the market to identify consumer trends and propose marketing strategies, helping to increase revenue by 20% in the first year.
  • Marketing intern
    • DEF Agency, City C, Country Z
    • January 2016 – May 2017
    • Support the implementation of advertising campaigns on media, market research, and collecting feedback from customers to improve campaign effectiveness.
    • Write these sections in a detailed and structured way so employers can easily assess your qualifications and experience.

Step 6: Create a skills section

The skills section of your resume should list the technical and soft skills you have. Professional skills such as project management, data analysis skills, or using specialized tools and software. Soft skills such as communication, teamwork and problem-solving should also be emphasized to show your suitability for the desired job position.

Step 7: List education

how to write a resume

This section of your resume should include details about your educational qualifications such as relevant degrees, certificates and courses. List schools attended, major majors and outstanding achievements during the study process. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your ability and in-depth preparation in your desired field.

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Step 8: Includes optional parts

In addition to the main information sections, such as work experience and education, you can add optional sections, such as volunteer work experience, contributions to publications, language proficiency and personal interests. These sections help enrich your resume, showing you have diverse and rich skills beyond your main job.

Step 9: Proofread and edit before sending

Once you’ve finished writing your resume, you must take the time to proofread and edit it thoroughly before sending it out. Ensure your resume is free of spelling, syntax and formatting errors and matches the employer’s requirements and expectations. This increases your chances of attracting attention and ensures your profile is professional and impressive.

Some notes when writing a resume Australia

Here are some important notes when writing a resume in Australia so you can highlight your professionalism and abilities.

Use professional and easy-to-read fonts

how to write a resume

​​To increase the professionalism and readability of your resume, you should use a clean, easy-to-read font such as Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri. At the same time, choose the appropriate font size (10-12 points) to ensure the text looks neat and easy to follow, helping employers quickly read and understand your information.

Ensure consistent formatting

To ensure consistent formatting in your resume, you need to pay attention to the following points: use the same font and font size for all text, align and line space evenly, arrange sections of information in a logical and organized order, and adhere to the length and formatting rules for each section of the resume. This makes your resume look more professional and easier to read, thereby increasing your chances of attracting the attention of employers.

Use bold and italics minimally to highlight important information

When writing a resume, avoid overusing bold and italics, only use it when necessary to effectively emphasize important information. Instead, focus on using clear text structure and professional language to ensure the resume looks neat and easy to read. This helps you make a good impression and attract attention from employers effectively.

Read again to detect errors

how to write a resume

Proofreading your resume is extremely important to detect and correct errors. This is an indispensable step to ensure the accuracy and professionalism of the document. When writing a resume, pay attention to the appropriate length (about 1-2 pages), avoid using too many complex or specialized words, and make sure personal information and educational records are included. Updated and accurate. At the same time, you should ensure a reasonable and logical arrangement of information sections to increase readability and understanding.

Customize and tailor for each job application

Do not use one resume for many different companies. Instead, you should customize your resume for each specific position you are applying for. This includes focusing on the skills, experience and accomplishments relevant to each job and using language and terminology appropriate to the industry and position. Ensure each resume is tailored to reflect your career goals and value to employers.

Australian resume examples

Impress employers with remarkable resume templates for the Australian work market, from standard templates to creative and personalized designs, helping you stand out in a crowd of candidates and increase your chances of getting invited to interview for your dream job in Australia.

Writing a professional and effective resume is important in impressing employers and setting your chances for a successful interview. Hopefully, this article has answered your initial question, “How to write a resume?”