WRITING OUTSTANDING RESUME

With the increasing competition for good positions, each candidate will have to pay special attention to their skills in writing an outstanding resume and in presenting their best at interviews.  A GOOD and CLEAR resume will get your foot into the prospective Company much easier and faster!  Here are some valuable tips of what information should be included in your resume... 

1. KEEP YOUR RESUME SHORT & TO THE POINT: Normally, 2 - 3 pages are enough for a resume. When you are asked for a "short resume", remember not to submit more than a page. In most circumstances, readers adsorb only 70% of the first page and only 50 % of the second page. The remaining pages will diminish in absorption value. 

2. COVER LETTER WOULD BE APPROPRIATE: A cover letter is suggested to specify the position you are applying for. You may highlight your strength and competitive advantages which are relevant to the position. 

3. TAILOR-MADE YOUR RESUME: You should not submit a "one-size-fits-all" resume to any job advertisements. In fact, you should tailor-made your standard resume for each individual application. It is most important to address specific points relevant to the job. 

4. WATCH YOUR TYPOS: A common pitfall is spelling mistake. Correct spelling should be an easy job by using the spell-checker bundled with most word processing software. Please also spend sufficient time to check your grammar. Many people, however, display incompetence to potential employers due to omission of this step. 

5. WELL STRUCTURED RESUME: The resume should be well structured and clearly presented so that potential employers could instantly find information that they are interested in. 

6. WORKING EXPERIENCE: You should list your employment history in chronological order, with the most recent one listed first. This is the most important section scrutinized by employers. You should specify dates and company names clearly. You should give clear description of relevant technical skills or management skills of projects you have done. If there is relevance between previous positions and the one you are applying for, it would definitely be helpful to provide details of your job specifications and achievements. 

7. NO TIME GAP: There should not be any discontinuity in your work history because this may imply that your are trying to hide something. Be honest about the few months of unemployment, or the year you took off for study. The employer will probably think the worst if there is ambiguity. 

8. NO BAD MOUTH: Many applicants commit a fatal mistake of speaking negatively about their previous employers. This is one of the worst things your could do. 

9. PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION: The order should also be chronological with the latest one at the front. Remember to specify dates, professional organizations, and proper professional qualification names. Don't just give the short forms. 

10. ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION: You should specify dates, academic organizations and the proper degree / diploma names. Take note that your credits earned at high school are no longer relevant after working for one to two years. Your education history should begin with your university (or equivalent) qualifications. 

11. SPECIAL OR TECHNICAL SKILLS: In presenting your technical skills, you can list out the product names, brand names, specific projects, and relevant years of experience. 

12. JOB CATEGORY SEEKING: You should also put down the category of jobs you are seeking, such as permanent, contract, full time or flexible. 

13. LANGUAGE SKILLS: You should specify your language proficiency in both written and spoken basis. 

14. SALARY: The latest salary should be specified in details. However it is recommended to leave your expected salary blank or "negotiable". You have nothing to gain by quoting a figure in your application letter. But you have to prepare for an expected figure based on the market situation, your skills & experience because the employer will definitely ask you during the interview. Be prepared to provide compensation figures for your last job as well as the second last job, especially if your last job is of short duration. 

15. AVAILABLE REFEREES: You should list one or two referees at the end of your resume and add the line "further referees available on request". Make sure to notify your referees when you send out applications. They can, therefore, be well prepared. 

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Increase your success rate at interviews!  Take note of our interview tips here.

1. Spend time to think carefully about the kind of company you want to join and the kind of position your want to apply. Think along the line of your career development! Find out what are your real aspirations and interests! You may need to talk it through with your long-time friends who understand you and can give you good advice.

2. Check with your friends, or Internet, or magazines on the categories of companies and jobs. Ideally, find an appropriate recruitment consulting company to match you with the job & company. Get necessary information from your friends or recruitment consultants to prepare your resume.

3. Once you have identified some companies, research in library or on Internet about the companies' policies, culture, products & services. Prepare answers on how you can contribute as an employee to the company if you get the offer.

4. If you are asked to come to an interview, learn more about the interviewer - his / her position and job responsibilities in the company. Prepare answers for possible questions. Common questions include : projects which you have done, performance awards, your views of the information technology industry, what is your career plan, ...etc. 

5. Get a friend to have a mock-up interview with you, if necessary.

6. Dressed properly for the interview. AND BE PUNCTUAL!!

7. During the interview, be pleasant and present yourself as a professional with positive attitudes. NEVER CRITICIZE or BAD MOUTH any company or person!!

8. Remember to send a thank you email or card to the interviewer(s) shortly after the interview. After one week, phone up politely the appropriate person - may be the personnel staff or the interviewer - to follow up on the result.

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GOOD INTERVIEW & GOOD LUCK!