Stand out with professional custom resumes

Everything on a CV or resume should be as clear and as easy to read as possible. Ideally, it should include the following:

• Relevant contact details—including mobile, email and where you’re based

• A personal summary focusing on your career thus far and your achievements

• Relevant professional experience, from most recent to earliest

• Key skills, education, and training

• Any additional certifications or qualifications

If you have enough space or if it’s relevant to the position, you can include your hobbies or side projects if you feel they are relevant. Only include them if they are relevant. If the employer or recruiter requires it, you can include professional references as well. Just make sure to let your reference know that you’ve included them in your application.

Although it’s not exactly a strict requirement for every job application, enclosing a cover letter, especially if you’re applying directly to a specific person, is a good idea. A strong cover letter can supplement your resume as it allows you to speak directly about how your skills and qualifications can add value to the company you’re applying to.

An effective resume features professional and easy-to-read fonts (as opposed to fancy typography), single-line spacing, clear section headings, and half-inch margins. The first page or top half of your resume should include your contact information and personal summary. Organize your academic and professional history from the most recent or the most relevant.

It’s a myth that employers prefer one page over two pages. As long as your resume is clear and easy to read, having a two-page resume is fine. If you have limited work experience, a one-page resume makes sense. But if you have more than ten years of professional experience, don’t sell yourself short, especially if your qualifications are a perfect fit for the job you’re applying for.

Try to include both hard skills and soft skills that are relevant to the job. Hard skills are your core abilities, think software skills, writing skills or any job specific skills that are at your disposal. These are often listed in the job description so it’s a good idea to update your resume to every job you apply for. Soft skills are your people-based skills, or what you bring above your key qualifications. Both can be weaved into your personal summary or in your professional experience section, or put them in a separate section.

It’s not always essential to add references to your resume. Oftentimes, you can simple ask a prospective employer to contact you for these details. However, if you choose to add them, the best format for your reference list is as follows:

• Your reference's name

• Your reference’s current position

• Your reference’s current company/affiliation

• Professional contact information (work number, work email)

• An optional one-sentence description of your professional relationship

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