Crafting Your Resume

Quickly grab recruiters’ attention by effectively communicating why you are suitable for the job.

Customise each and every resume sent out

First and foremost, tailor your resume to the firm and role you are applying to. Make it obvious that you have made a genuine effort to think about what the company is looking for, and what makes you their best candidate. Conduct your own thorough research and do not forget to check individual employers’ application procedures – some may have specific requirements. For instance, HSBC’s website details the specific format, sections and details applicants are to include in their resume.

If you are indicating a career objective at the top, pay special attention to it. Remember to keep it simple and state your ambition like: “Valedictorian from Nanyang Business School with strong analytical skills seeking an internal audit position at a leading MNC.”

Specify your skills and areas of expertise

Instead of a career objective, you can opt for a section on technical skills or your main areas of expertise. While recruiters do not always have the time to look through what you did in your previous internships or positions in detail, they keep an eye out for specific skill sets, which you can show through a skill set summary.

Alternatively, you can also describe your core skill set under each work experience you have. For example, if you listed working experience in marketing, take a line or two to highlight the key areas of expertise you have gained and honed, such as market research, market sizing, interviewing, public relations and business development.

On the other hand, if it was a business management position, point out the relevant areas of expertise such as executive-level communication, strategic planning, business analysis and client management.

Highlight relevant experiences

Think through the experiences you have had and how they might be relevant; do not miss out on any related experiences, even if they are just short-term gigs or unpaid positions. You should also mention any work experiences with transferrable skills, especially if they resonate with the job requirements.

For instance, waitressing at a café can be relevant in showing recruiters that you are able to manage and cater to different customers’ needs. This, in turn, can be helpful if you are applying for a client-facing role, such as a fund manager, insurance broker, or bank teller.

Do not neglect unique experiences that can help you stand out from the crowd, even if they seem unrelated to finance. Did you spend a summer taking care of elephants in Thailand before the coronavirus outbreak? Put that in, and be prepared to talk about cross-cultural experiences compatible with investment and financial services careers.

Remember to highlight your job rank along with the job descriptions. Recruiters tend to take note of such roles in hierarchical industries like investment banking. Likewise, state if your previous role was on a short contract term to prevent misunderstandings about your job-hopping tendencies – something usually frowned upon in the financial sector.

Quantify your achievements

Numbers matter in your resume. How else can you measure your impact and the difference you made as an employee elsewhere, or even as an intern? If you were expanding the client pool in your previous position, express how many new clients you brought on board within a specific time period.

If it was a sales role, specify the growth in revenue under your purview. If you led teams, show their sizes and again, include details of growth and time period. This will give recruiters a good impression of what you have handled and attained before.

Show your strengths and interests

As Singapore is a global financial hub, knowledge and competency of at least one foreign language would come in handy when servicing clients or dealing with partners from another part of the region or corner of the globe.

Do not shy away from briefly including your personal interests at the end of your resume. Particularly, participation and leadership in team sports indicate high potential for success in a corporate environment, while sharing that you can play a musical instrument demonstrates your ability to focus with discipline.

Play up other skills you have as well. For example, if you won an app-building contest or were involved in the robotics club during your school days, you can emphasise your proficiency in IT and coding.

Do not delay your submissions

Last but not least, try not to wait until the last minute to apply. On occasions, deadlines are brought forward due to overwhelming responses. First impressions are not everything, but they definitely make a difference. Likewise, presenting a strong resume will help immensely in the process of landing your dream job in the financial sector. Good luck!