Showcasing yourself - Preparing your Resume

Over the years I’ve often been asked how to put together a Resume or CV and over this time my responses have changed to reflect the latest recruitment ideas and advice that I have found valuable. I thought I’d share with you my current thinking in this area.

Resumes have two sections. The first part is where you can make assertions about your abilities, qualities and achievements. The second section, the evidence section, is where you back up your assertions with evidence that you actually did what you said you did. This is where you list and describe the jobs you have held, your education, etc. This is all the stuff you are obliged to include.
 
Start your resume off with your contact details. (I know this is pretty obvious, but in the spirit of being thorough......).
 
After your contact details providing a career objective can help recruiters quickly see your ‘fit’ with the position.
 
A career objective outlines what you are trying to accomplish and what your overall professional aspirations are. This should only be one or two carefully worded sentences. For example:

• To use my skills and knowledge in a stimulating and rewarding environment that contribute to the effective management or our natural resources.     

 
Next comes the Summary which consists of several concise statements that highlight the most important qualities, achievements and abilities you have to offer.  This may be the only section fully read by the employer, so it needs to be very strong and convincing. The Summary is the one place to include professional characteristics (extremely energetic, a gift for solving complex problems in a fast-paced environment, exceptional interpersonal skills, committed to excellence, etc.) which may be helpful in winning the interview. Gear every word in the Summary to your targeted goal. Here are some examples

• Experienced strategist in the agricultural sector who can align strategic direction with operational delivery to produce effective outcomes: developed industry development plan, secured $XXM to support its implementation and managed the delivery of XX projects aligned with plan targets.
• Outstanding communicator who can effectively engage and consult with stakeholder groups to inform strategy development and enhance implementation of plans: developed and implemented engagement strategies for 6 rural communities affected by national water resource management initiatives delivering 5 Gigalitres of water savings.

 
The Evidence section is the factual end of the resume and doesn’t need lots of description. Basically you are providing lists of things that you are doing or have done..

• Experience
• Education
• Awards
• Professional associations
• Community leadership

 
For every person you ask, you will get a different approach and ultimately it will be up to you to decide which format and style is going to present your skills, achievements and qualities in a way that leaves the best impression possible.
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I hope my input has helped you think about the best approach for you.