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Your resume gives you a chance to make a positive first impression on potential employers by highlighting your skills, personality, and passion for the role you’re applying for. Whether you’re new to the workforce or looking to advance your career into a more senior role, having a great resume can set you apart from other applicants. That’s why we’ve created this article to give you the essential tips for improving your resume.
Don’t Waste Your Personal Statement
At the top of every resume is the opportunity to show off your personality with a personal statement. This is where you can tell a potential employer who you are and what your purpose is, for example,
“I am an experienced carpentry apprentice dedicated to best carpentry practices. I am eager to apply my existing knowledge and develop new skills on site.”
The recommended length of a personal statement can be anywhere between 50 and 200 words, or 3-4 sentences, but we believe that getting to the point as quickly as possible and keeping it relevant, is best.
Double Check Your Contact Information
The contact information you will put on your resume is your phone number, email address and the city or suburb you are located in, plus the postcode. Having the right information is key because without or it hasn’t been updated, an employer will not be able to contact you. So, it helps to do away with that old email address you’ve had since high school and go for a more professional one.
Show Relevant Experience
The ‘education’ and ‘past experience’ sections of your resume are among the most important and should include all the relevant qualifications you’ve earned and jobs you’ve had in the past. It’s an opportunity to share how you excelled in these positions and include any extracurricular activities you participated in during your studies as well as any results you’re proud of. You should also explain what each role involved and the kind of skills you acquired as result, making it a great chance to highlight your key achievements.
Gain More Experience with an Industry Short Course
If you don’t have much experience or any qualifications to showcase, don’t worry! You can stand out from the crowd by completing an industry short course with Major Training to help strengthen your resume.
Highlight the Right Skills
When filling out your past experience, you may find that you acquired a lot of skills but instead of listing them all, pick the ones most relevant to the job you are applying for. Employers will be looking to hire a tradie or apprentice to do a specific job, that’s why you need to communicate that you can do the role and excel in it. For example, if you’re applying for a carpentry job, list specific skills such as ‘accurately measure cuts’ or ‘use a wide range of tools and equipment’.
Sometimes, especially if you’re applying for your first job, you won’t have the specific skills called out in the job description (e.g., if you have an apprentice resume with no experience). If that’s the case, add similar or soft skills that are relevant to the role, such as leadership skills.
Use Proper Formatting
Formatting a resume so that it looks professional is important because it’s the first thing an employer will notice about your trade resume. While there’s no harm in giving your resume a unique format and design, you’re first priority should always be to make it simple and legible for the person reading it. You can do this by:
- Using a clear, professional font
- Checking for typos and grammatical errors
- Proofreading for readability
Sometimes, it’s the little details that can make or break a resume, so always ensure it is presentable.
Tailor It to the Job You’re Applying For
If your first job was working in an ice cream shop when you were 16, consider omitting that information when applying for professional trade jobs. You should only include skills and experience that are relevant to the role and tailor everything that was listed above to the job you are applying for. If you fail to follow all the specific requirements included in the job posting, it increases the chances that you could be overlooked.
Searching for new jobs can be tough, but if you apply these useful tips, you’ll have the best chance at landing that dream position. For more helpful advice, be sure to check out our article on 10 Resume Tips to Help You on Your Job Hunt.
