Creating your first resume

If you have never had to provide a formal resume you may be wondering, “where should I
start?” Whether you are a young person looking for your first professional role, or simply
putting together a resume for the first time, these tips can help you get started and put
your best professional self forward.

Which template should I use?
It’s fair to say that we see a lot of resumes at Oxygen Recruitment & HR . While there are
plenty of free resume templates available online, we recommend choosing a layout that is
easy to read above all else. In practical terms this means plenty of white space, clear
subheadings and information presented using bullet points.

A traditional resume includes fields for past experience, education, skills or achievements
and contact information. If it feels appropriate for the company you are applying to you
can consider including a ‘mission statement’. This is a brief statement (a few lines at most)
that speaks to your career objectives and the types of roles you are interested in.

Overly complicated resumes won’t impress busy hiring managers who want to be able to
scan for relevant details as quickly as possible. However, if you are looking to enter a
creative field you definitely have an opportunity to showcase your design skills, as long as
you are also communicating important information about yourself, your skills and your
experience.

Finding the right advice
The amount of information at your fingertips can be overwhelming. If you are applying for
a role with the help of Oxygen Recruitment & HR we can give you specific advice on
structuring your resume for that particular role. Your university or TAFE will also have
trustworthy resources for job seekers and having a look at the resumes and Linkedin
profiles of people with career trajectories you admire is also a good starting point.
Editing and sending

Paying close attention to spelling and grammar is critical when preparing a resume. There
is no point in listing “attention to detail” as one of your key skills if your resume contains
careless errors. Always get a trusted friend or family member to proofread, and be aware
that your computer’s built in spell checker might be set to US instead of Australian/UK
spelling.

You might love working on your Mac, or using Google Docs but don’t forget to export your
resume as a PDF. Many job application platforms use automated processing and providing
a PDF file ensures your document is not corrupted. Before you hit send - double check the
file name does not include ‘draft’, ‘Mum’s edits’ or ‘version 12’. Your name and date is
sufficient.

Basic Dos and Don’ts
Do include your suburb or city - it let’s employers know which locations may be suitable
for you.
Do include part-time or vacation work you have done, even if you are now looking for a
different type of role. Highlight the transferable skills that you acquired and demonstrate
how your personal attributes contributed to your success.
Do include hobbies that give an employer insight into your interests, or that demonstrate
leadership potential but, don’t include interests that might be polarising.
Do include your involvement in school or community groups and any academic or sporting
achievements that speak to your qualities as a potential employee.
Do stick to a word limit. Your first resume should not be more than two pages long.
Don’t include a photo (unless specifically asked to do so).
Don’t forget to do a social media audit for job seekers.
Your resume is just one component of a job application and if you are entering
professional employment for the first time, a hiring manager will assess your application
with this in mind. Focus on what you have to offer a potential employer and possibly seek
advice from the company or from your recruiter.

Job search success after a career break

If you have taken time out of paid work to raise a family, care for yourself or others, have
focused on study, or experienced a period of unemployment - starting to look for work
after a break can be daunting. Picking up where you left off, or changing paths completely,
requires both hard work and perseverance. Knowing how to answer an employer’s
questions and how to set yourself up for a successful job search can take some of the
stress out of returning to the workforce.

Be proactive
Successfully reentering the workforce after a break hinges on two fundamental aspects
about you as a candidate: how well you communicate your motivation for returning to
work and to what extent you can minimise the risks (fairly or unfairly) associated with your
career break. Your future employer will want to know how your situation has changed and
why you are looking for work. You may simply need the money but potential employers will
likely expect a more compelling reason, so before applying you should be very clear about
what you want to do, why it matches your skills and which companies interest you.

Employers might also be apprehensive about hiring a person who has been ‘off-tools’ for a
while. You can address this concern head on by reassuring them your technical skills and
industry knowledge are up-to-date and by demonstrating how you can add value to their
team.

Make a career break work in your favour
If you are currently on a break it’s worth exploring what you can do to maintain your skills
and keep up with trends in your industry.
You can build new relationships through industry events or professional associations; it’s a
great way to keep connected to what is happening in your field, and also keeps you tapped
in to a potential source of job opportunities. You can network online by building out a
robust Linkedin profile and joining relevant groups - you will automatically start to see
articles about the latest developments, and feel more connected to your industry. You can
also start blogging and sharing articles yourself via Linkedin which will enrich your profile,
build your network and position yourself as a subject matter expert.

Volunteering or upskilling are ways you can sharpen your skills and demonstrate to future
employers you are committed and invested in your career. Helping your local community
group raise and manage funds, creating newsletters, managing a social media page,
mentoring, or working with the P&C all involve specific skills that are transferable to the
workforce.

Whatever your industry there are multiple low-cost or no-cost options for upskilling online:
such as degree programs via MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), TAFE courses , or
short-courses from the ASX or Project Management certifiers. Industry training associations
and well-known business software applications often provide information and tutorials
online. Find out the tools and skills most valued by employers in the companies you want
to target and see what is available. Speaking with a recruiter with specialist experience such
as Oxygen Recruitment & HR is a good first step if you are unsure about contacting
companies directly.

How to address gaps in your CV
Omitting dates from your CV can do more harm than good. Unexplained gaps leave
employers guessing and you may find that their conclusions are less flattering than the
truth. Whatever your reason for taking a career break it's important that your CV tells a
story that makes sense and that your reason for returning is clear. You can highlight the
skills you have acquired and what you have accomplished during your career break.

Parental Leave is no holiday
Returning to work after taking time out to raise children is a common scenario. Managing
the needs of your family and embarking on a job search is a challenge, but you are not
alone. Your reason for returning is easy to communicate and you can seek support from
colleagues, friends or family members who have made a similar transition. Today, many
companies are actively looking to capitalise on the hidden potential of parents returning to
work through offering reentry programmes or additional support such as flexible working
or internal parent groups.

Whatever your reasons behind taking a career break, with a little planning, the right help
and a positive outlook, you can reinvigorate your career and embark on a job search with
confidence. Oxygen Recruitment & HR have years of experience helping candidates find
their dream job. Contact us to have a confidential discussion about your plans to return to
work.