Crafting Effective Resumes

Here is a guide to writing effective resumes and putting together applications that work.

Resumes can come in a variety of formats, such as the chronological, skills-based, combination and alternative resumes. The most commonly used format is the chronological resume as it is reader-friendly and easily customisable. Each format has its pros and cons, so do your research and find out which one best serves your needs before deciding on one.

Regardless of which type of resume you choose to use, the idea behind its presentation remains the same. What is more important is to adapt the various elements of the format and tailor its contents to highlight your skills and distinguish yourself from other applicants.

GOOD SAMPLE

DAVID SUM

1

+65 9876 5432 | david.sum11@gmail.com | www.linkedin.com/in/davidsum11 | davidsum.wixsite.com

EDUCATION

SIM Global Education – University of London

BSc in Business and Management • Recipient of Commendation Award for excellent academic achievements in 2020

Singapore Polytechnic

Diploma in Business Analytics

Aug 2019 – May 2022

(expected graduation)

2015 – 2018

WORK/PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

FeynM Company Nov 2020 – Present

Customer Service Officer • Provide support in several investment projects • Liaise directly with customers in order to assist in better understanding their needs • Assist customers with relevant queries on products • Conduct market research on client portfolios • Prepare service and product recommendations reports for clients

MNF Company Jun 2019 – Dec 2019

Intern • Assisted on customising investment analytics suites for clients • Coded programmes to filter and analyse gathered data 2 • Communicated directly with senior management during the customisation process

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

Singapore Institute of Management

Team Captain, Soccer • Represent SIM in the first division and lead the team to win the inter-university Lion Cup in 2021 • Lead and conduct bi-weekly training sessions for 30 members, motivating team members and ensuring their welfare • Liaise with team captains at other universities to coordinate practise and friendly matches • Oversee the recruitment and selection process of new members

Singapore Institute of Management

Secretary, Economics Society • Led a group of 8 committee members to publicise events, which successfully increased club membership by 20% 3 • Encouraged club members to actively participate and help out in club events • Managed the club’s budget and resources

Feb 2020 – Current Aug 2020 – Mar 2021

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE 4

Youth Corps Singapore

Youth Leader • Mentor and provide guidance for new batches of youth leaders • Initiate, propose and execute workshops and events to increase awareness of mental health amongst youths

May 2018 – Current

SKILLS/CERTIFICATIONS 4

• Proficient in Microsoft Office • Proficient in Excel VBA and pivot tables • Knowledge in programming languages such as C++, Python, SQL, R Programming, Java • Basic knowledge in Tableau • Certified in Basic First Aid + AED • Fluent in written and spoken English and Chinese • Currently self-learning Korean • Enjoys outdoor sports, particularly soccer and Ultimate Frisbee. Actively participates in marathons

1

Make your name stand out

David used a different font size for his name, and enlarged and bolded it. This ensures that it is the first thing a recruiter sees when they pick up his resume. Putting it in uppercase was a good move too, as it will make his resume easy to find amidst a stack of other documents.

2

Verbs are your best friends

David used action verbs and focused on his role and the results he achieved.

3

Results speak for themselves

David’s resume is effective in that it lets his results speak for themselves in solid terms (i.e. numbers and percentages).

4

Be more than a worker

David also used his resume to reveal the breadth and depth of his skills, interests and hobbies that frame him positively. He also did not let his resume exceed two pages.

BAD SAMPLE

DAVID SUM

1

+65 9876 5432 | david.sum11@gmail.com | www.linkedin.com/in/davidsum11 | davidsum.wixsite.com

EDUCATION

SIM Global Education – University of London

BSc in Business and Management • Recipient of Commendation Award for excellent academic achievements in 2020

Singapore Polytechnic

Diploma in Business Analytics

Aug 2019 – May 2022

(expected graduation)

2015 – 2018

WORK/PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

FeynM Company Nov 2020 – Present

Customer Service Officer • Provide support in several investment projects • Liaise directly with customers in order to assist in better understanding their needs • Assist customers with relevant queries on products • Conduct market research on client portfolios • Prepare service and product recommendations reports for clients

MNF Company Jun 2019 – Dec 2019

Intern • Assisted on customising investment analytics suites for clients • Coded programmes that helped in filtering data 2 • Communicated directly with senior management during the customisation process

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

Singapore Institute of Management Feb 2020 – Current

Team Captain, Soccer • Represent SIM in the first division and lead the team to win the inter-university Lion Cup in 2021 • Lead and conduct bi-weekly training sessions for 30 members, motivating team members and ensuring their welfare • Liaise with team captains at other universities to coordinate practise and friendly matches • Oversee the recruitment and selection process of new members

Singapore Institute of Management Aug 2020 – Mar 2021

Secretary, Economics Society • I worked closely with some society members to successfully increase club membership 3 • Encouraged club members to actively participate and help out in club events • Managed the club’s budget and resources

SKILLS/CERTIFICATIONS 4

• Proficient in Microsoft Office • Knowledge in programming languages such as C++, Python, SQL, R Programming, Java • Basic knowledge in Tableau • Fluent in written and spoken English and Chinese • Enjoys outdoor sports, particularly soccer and Ultimate Frisbee. Actively participates in marathons • Enjoys volunteer work

1

Name fails to stand out

David’s name does not stand out on his resume, so there is a chance employers will either overlook it or miss it altogether, especially if it is in a stack of other documents.

2

Lack of powerful verbs

David displays some uncertainty, and shows a lack of action and achievement.

3

Results are unclear

This is just blatant self-promotion on David’s part. There is also no solid indication of results.

4

David presents only one part of himself

David is more than just a potential employee. In this case, he could have used his resume to reveal the true breadth and depth of his skills, interests and hobbies, and use it to frame himself positively.

Other elements you should consider:

Using the right font

While you may think a unique font will make you stand out, it may put off employers instead, unless you are going for an alternative resume. Here are some examples of fonts that you should use and some that you avoid.

Fonts to use

Arial: The standard sans-serif font. Arial’s clean, easy-to-read feel makes it ideal for a resume. The font sizes 10 to 11 work just fine. Tahoma and Calibri are decent substitutes too.

Times New Roman: The standard serif font, Times New Roman is another safe bet that looks slightly more elegant than Arial. Some of the more “easy-going” industries, like IT and media, might find Times New Roman to be too formal, however.

Verdana: Another common sans-serif font. If done correctly, Verdana can be used for a very classy effect even if you plan to create an alternative resume.

Fonts to avoid

Comic Sans MS: The red-headed stepchild of modern fonts, the quirky but dreadfully overused Comic Sans has no place on a resume.

Monotype Corsiva: Unless you are applying for a job as a dramatic actor, Monotype Corsiva’s fancy flourishes are difficult to read and are more likely to annoy than impress a recruiter.

Personal statements

Graduates are often in doubt about personal statements (also known as career aim, profile, or mission statements). What purpose does it serve and should it be included in their resume?

Our answer: A graduate’s resume typically does not need a personal statement because an effective one requires details that fresh graduates cannot provide.

Typically limited to only two to three sentences, good personal statements summarise your career goals as well as unique experiences, achievements and knowledge or skills that you can offer to your prospective employer. These are details that you can only provide after having been in the workforce for some time.

Bridging offline and online

With job search processes and recruiters increasingly moving online, it is a wise move to link your offline resume to your online profile – especially your LinkedIn profile or sites containing your work or portfolio. It allows you to start interacting with potential employers even before the job interview, giving them an early overview of your past achievements.

When including the link of your LinkedIn profile to your resume, make sure to use the public profile’s URL address instead of the link in your browser’s usual URL box when you are logged into your account.

You can also customise your LinkedIn profile’s URL address to build your personal brand and make it more memorable to recruiters and networking contacts. You can do this through the “Privacy & Settings” section of your LinkedIn homepage.