6 steps to a resume that stands out among ‘hundreds’

Have you ticked off these essential resume steps? Image: Getty

The JobKeeper subsidy and JobSeeker payments have both been reduced amid slightly improving unemployment figures, but the jobs market is still difficult to navigate, employment experts have said.

That means it’s more important than ever that job seekers know how to put together a winning application, and a resume is a critical part of this.

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“There’s no denying that the job market is crowded,” SEEK’s head of customer insights and strategy Elyssia Clark told Yahoo Finance.

“You need to highlight key responsibilities and unique selling points in your resume to stand out from the crowd. Keep in mind, some recruiters and potential employers can receive hundreds of resumes a day.”

What you must include on your resume

These are the six things you must have on your resume:

• Personal details - but not too much:

You should provide your full name and contact details, including your email and phone number. But, Clark added, don’t provide any information beyond the basics. “For example, no passport details or credit card numbers. No legitimate employment opportunity should be asking for these.”

• Skills, strengths and interests:

Highlight the skills that are tied closely to the role at hand, along with any relevant professional memberships too.

• Career objective and summary:

This is where you describe your career experience so far, and where you’re looking to head next.

• Education:

In this section, include details of any qualifications you’ve received, where you studied and when, any awards and achievements or special areas of summary.

• Work experience:

Use bullet points in this section to provide a quick overview of your responsibilities and achievements, “weaving in the skills you used”, Clark said. Here, it’s also good to mention any pertinent volunteer or interning experience.

• References:

If you get to the next level of the recruitment process, the employer or recruiter will want to talk to people who have worked with you. It’s a good idea to either provide contact details for a former employer, manager or academic adviser who has agreed to be your referee, or simply write: “References available on request.”

Bringing your resume to life

Clark said it all comes down to identifying your unique selling point. That means picking out what you can bring to the role, and what makes you stand out among everyone else.

Then, highlight leadership. “Recruiters and employers are often impressed with leadership skills so make a note of this in your application,” she said.

And make sure you back these arguments up with examples and tick all the required boxes in your application.

“Don’t leave any stone unturned.”

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