Preparing a resume and cover letter that will actually get read

Cover Letter

Many job advertisements request applicants to apply by submitting a resume as well as a cover letter. The cover letter should be an introduction to your resume and be tailored to the individual recruiting the position, as well as including the specifics of the role and organisation outlined in the advertisement.

A cover letter should be short, sharp and to the point. Our suggested structure is:

� Introduce yourself;

� Identify the job you are applying for and how you heard about the role;

� State your qualifications for the position;

� State your knowledge of the employer – capture the employer’s attention and stimulate interest in the attached resume; and

� State your availability to attend an interview.

Do ... Don’t ...

Use titles Use “To whom it may concern” or “Dear Recruiter”

Appropriate font Address your letter to the wrong organisa-tion

Specify the organisation and company you are applying for

Use a variety of fonts, colours, images or unusual fonts

Be enthusiastic and positive Be negative or derogatory

Edit and spell check Mistypings, or grammatical errors

Include your contact details Use an inappropriate, or work, email ad-dress

Preparing a resume and cover letter that will actually get read

Resume

The aim of your resume is to obtain an interview or get through to the next round of shortlisting. This document, often coupled with viewing your LinkedIn profile, is the first impression a potential employer has of you, so you want it to be a positive one.

So, what should be included?

� Personal details – name, address, phone number and email, and (if applicable) visa status

� Personal goals or career objective - make sure it’s relevant to the role you are applying for

� Education History - details of any qualifications, including the institution and year attained

� Employment Overview – your career summarised

� Employment History – previous employers or clinical placements and job summary. This section will form the bulk of your resume. Start with your most recent job, and outline all relevant positions in reverse chronological order. It’s a good idea to include a short overview of the company, your job title and dates of employment, as well as your key responsibilities and achievements.

� Referee details – identify relevant people to act as referees. They should have ideally witnessed you working in your last place of employment and have directly supervised you. It is courtesy to ask referees if they are willing to provide a reference and to ensure that they know you are applying for a new position. Written references are not widely accepted; most employers prefer either a verbal reference or one obtained via email. Therefore, be sure to include their contact details, phone and email (if possible) as well as their current job title. Ensure your referees are aware of roles you are applying for, in case they are contacted.

� Professional Memberships - any relevant professional memberships, i.e. industry associations Australian Institute of Management, CPA Australia, etc.

� Special interests / hobbies – to provide insight into team fit

� Special accomplishments – awards, educational results, foreign languages, community service

� Additional skills and training - this section may include training courses and workshops you’ve attended, computer skills, languages etc.

� Licence and certification information.

Remember, everything in your resume must be relevant to the role you are applying for. Be succinct and use bullet points. Make sure you spell check and review your resume more than once. Lastly, definitely don’t give false information.