Skilled Migrant Professionals Spring 2016 | Page 17

the most important things you can include on your resume and by using
bullet points and concise sentences, you will help the reader navigate
through these easier. Don’t forget to use statistics and facts to support
your achievements, such as ‘increased customer satisfaction rating by
five per cent’.

7. Keywords
Using keywords ensures you understand the job description and selection criteria. By using keywords, your resume can pass through the recruitment agencies Application Tracking System (ATS), which is often
used as the initial filter in the application process. If you’re applying
for multiple positions, create a number of resumes tailored to different
roles, with each highlighting the required keywords.

8. Cover gaps
Don’t add mystery to your resume; keep it honest and transparent by
covering any gaps in your career. Gaps may include ‘full time carer for
my children’, ‘took time out to travel’, ‘took time out to renovate my
house’ or ‘moved to Australia.’ Remember to order your professional
experience in reverse chronological order (most recent role at the top).

9. Clear fonts
On average, your resume will be skim-read in less than 30 seconds. It will
be a lot harder for the reader to absorb your resume if your font is not
easy to read. I recommend using Arial or Calibri and avoid using underline or italics for your headings or blocks of text. If you need to make a
heading stand out, simply enlarge the font or use bold.

10. Birth date, marital status & references
In Australia, candidates are not legally obliged to provide their birth date
or marital status information. For references, use the sentence ‘References will be provided upon request,’ so you don’t expose your referees
to unsolicited sales calls from recruitment agencies.
If you’re still unsure as to whether your resume is ready for the Australian market, feel free to send it to a well-known Australian recruitment
agency and request feedback. There are also many resume templates
readily available online. I suggest using one that is easy to read, clearly
outlines your career summary, provides a quick snapshot of your career
history and details your key responsibilities and achievements.
Remember to market your key skills, strengths and abilities, keep your
resume concise and most importantly, sell yourself!