Post on 06-Apr-2017
One recent study showed that recruiters spent only
6.25 seconds looking at a candidate’s résumé
before deciding whether he or she is fit for a job.
~Forbes.com
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Résuméa concise outline (1-2 pages) of your skills,
education and experience.
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Click Here for some useful
templates:http://is.gd/resumetemplates
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Layout: The Basics Stick to standard paper size (A4) and
use left or justified alignment.
Use neat and professional layout (not
too fancy/creative)
Use suitable font types and font size
(10-11pt).
Use proper headings for each
section/part
Stick to maximum of 3 colours (if you
plan to use colours)
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Layout: Best Fonts
• Arial
• Verdana• Calibri• Garamond
• Georgia
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Layout: The Standard PartsUse headings to indicate:
Contact Details (No fancy email)
Career Objective (Precise)
Education
Work Experience
Skills
Achievements/Awards
Activities and Interests
References/Referees
Don’t forget your Portrait Photo.
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Education Use Timeline (list the latest first).
Highlight your achievements or key
skills learned instead of results
alone.
If needed, highlight key courses
taken too (related to the job). -
Optional
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Sep 2011 – Sep 2015
Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons.) Marketing
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
• Graduated with a CGPA of 2.90 and advanced competence in strategic marketing.
• Key courses taken with valuable skills learned: promotion, online marketing and managerial finance.
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Use the quadrant rule to check.
Make sure each quadrant is balanced.
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Portrait Photo (Headshots) matters!
Get help to shoot a nice once. Smile, clean background, with professional attire and keep it recent. (Not too “passport-photo” like).
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Sample pictures only. Google Images
Language Tips #1
Use strong action verbs when writing your
experiences or achievements.
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Overused Best Words
Best of breedGo-getterThink outside of the boxDynamicSynergyThought leadershipValue addResults-drivenTeam playerBottom-line
AchievedImprovedTrained/mentoredManagedCreatedResolvedVolunteeredInfluencedIncreased/decreasedWon
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Language Tips #2
Be specific and concise when writing your key
activities or tasks
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Example
April – June 2014
Marketing Intern – (EverDrop Sdn Bhd)
• Attended group meetings and recorded minutes.
• Updated departmental files.
Not good enough!
Preferably “Quantifiable Evidence”
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Good Example
April – June 2014 (3 months)
Marketing Intern – (EverDrop Sdn Bhd)
• Recorded weekly meeting minutes and compiled them for future organizational reference.
• Reorganized 10 years worth of files, making them easily accessible to department members.
Action words are used to describe each task done clearly.
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Language Tips #3
Keywords are the key
(use those keywordsmentioned in the ads)
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Top KeywordsProblem solving
Leadership
Oral/ Written Communication
Team building
Productivity
Adaptable
If these keywords appear on the ads, do include them in your resumeif you have such qualities/capabilities.
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Language Tips #4
Avoid “bombastic” words, keep it clear and
concise.
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Customise Your Resume!
Make sure you modify your resume to fit the position.
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Customisation Example:
Move specific parts up according to the job. E.g.
Move up skills if your work experience is limited.
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Top 5 Most Wanted skills for Economic/Business/Finance Graduates
1. Verbal Communication
2. Commercial Awareness
3. Teamwork
4. Analysing and investigating
5. Time Management
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Emails1. Subject Line
2. Proper Opening
3. Impactful Ending
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Phone Calls1. Greet and Introduce Yourself
2. Go straight to the point (politely)
3. Impactful Ending
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Do a “self-test”Be sure what the company wants really fit your
skills, career track, beliefs and experiences.
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Be fully prepared.Do necessary check on the company and also
prepare your “weapons” (attire, resumes/cv, portfolios)
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Be there earlier25% of candidates failed job interviews
because they were late. 85% of those were merely 5 minutes late.
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Breathe DeeplyRelax your mind by breathing deeply. Treat the
interview like a conversation.
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Be ConfidentFrom the moment you walk into the room, until the last word you said. But how? Be prepared
and be honest!
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Be careful of your intonation when answering
questions.
o Be more authoritative in answering.
o Don’t turn all answers to sound like you are not confident.
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Be Humble The best way to get what we want is to meet
the needs of the interviewer. Follow the “flow”.
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Be FocusedListen attentively to the questions asked. If it’s not
clear, say it, don’t pretend to understand. Stay focused on your qualities when answering.
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Be careful of these questions during interviews
o “Tell me more about yourself”
o “Why do you want this job?”
o “Tell me your biggest weakness”
o “Why should we hire you?”
o “If we offer you lower pay, will you accept this post?”
o “Are you willing to be relocated?”
These are “trick” questions to test your passion and sincerity.
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Be Goal-OrientedWhere do you see yourself in the next 1, 5 and
10 years? Chart your goals clearly and in a realistic way.
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Use action verbs when explaining your skills
and experiences. Avoid “clichés” or overused
words.
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Language Focus during Interview
o Use active voice more instead of passive voice. (e.g. I conducted the project)
o Use more first-person pronouns (e.g. I, we)
o Avoid using run-on sentences. Pause at the right time to highlight keywords.
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Over-used Statements
o I’m a team player
o I’m a perfect fit for this job
o I’m a perfectionist
o I’m a workaholic
o I have good leadership skills(Be specific, get ready the facts)
E.g. If you are a team player, say “I led my teams during undergraduate years in two important projects namely….”
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It's competitive out there,
but the best may not always win.
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Because in a fight, it’s not the best fighter who
wins, it’s the fighter who fights the best.
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