How to Write a Good Resume: Tips From the Experts

Did you know that the standards for resumes and cover letters are constantly changing? Although these updates are small, they may take you by surprise if you’ve been in your current role for a few years, coming back after a break or struggling to secure an interview after countless applications. Taking the next step in your career path begins with locking down how to write an effective resume in today’s market.

Exploring the different types of resumes

Crafting a resume that stands out from the pile is crucial… but where do you start? Learn a little more about each of the three dominant formats and create a compelling resume that highlights your skills and work history with clarity. Landing the next step begins before you hit send.

Reverse chronological resume

A chronological resume showcases your work history as a first impression, starting with your current or most recent position and cycling backwards. Use the chronological resume to highlight your growth and development after you complete your MBA. This is the perfect format to demonstrate how your education and experience translates into real-world skill areas. Avoid if you’re changing career direction, lack experience or entering a new field altogether.

A standard reverse chronological resume format follows this flow:

• name and contact information
• professional summary
• relevant professional experience starting with your most recent position
• educational history
• relevant skills and abilities

Functional resume

A functional resume spotlights an applicant’s skills and abilities, focusing on what you’ve achieved over where you’ve worked. Suited to those without an extensive or consistent background, we wouldn’t recommend a functional resume to an MBA graduate, unless you have significant employment gaps or limited experience in your target role.

Create a convincing functional resume with this structure:

• name and contact information
• professional summary
• skills and abilities grouped by theme
• relevant professional experience
• education

Combination resume

A combination resume features the best of both the functional and chronological resume types, lending weight to your skills and accomplishments while exploring your work history in relevant detail. Regarded as the most flexible format, the combination resume allows you to address what, where and who effectively. MBA graduates can leverage this dynamic, highlighting relevant skills like leadership, project management, problem solving and analysis, drawing direct connections to past roles and responsibilities.

Write an eye-catching combination resume with this tried-and-tested format:

• name and contact information
• professional summary
• skills and abilities
• professional experience
• education
• awards
• notable extra curriculars

4 tips for how to write a resume

We consulted CEOs, hiring managers and resume writers for their top tips on how to write a resume. Here’s what they said.

1. Choose a simple design

“A poorly organised resume will diminish your chances. Keeping it minimalist and well-organised is preferable,” advises Victor Anaya, CEO and co-founder of Serviap Global.

Simple can be interpreted in a number of ways, so we’ve prepared a list of elements to keep in mind when designing your resume:

• use shapes and frames to emphasise important information
• break up sections with ribbons, solid lines or dashed lines
• create a cohesive colour scheme to imbue your resume and cover letter with personality
• apply a bold colour to important dates and headings
• choose scannable fonts like Garamond, Gill Sans, Cambria or Calibri
• be selective with creative elements – when in doubt, opt for a clean, text-based resume
• double check word spacing to ensure that it’s both consistent and readable

2. Tell a story

“When I’m looking over resumes, the first thing that can make an applicant stand out is their use of meaningful, verifiable specifics,” Barry Maher, business speaker and New York Times bestselling author, explains.

“For example, I’m thrilled that you graduated from university. That puts you firmly in line with every other applicant for the job. If the school has a great reputation, so much the better. But if you graduated in the top five per cent of your class while having to hold down a full-time job, then you’ve got a story.”

3. Include relevant information only

“Avoid personal details,” says resume writer Nicole Coggan. “Your name and contact details are fine, but skip your relationship status and date of birth. Both open you up to discrimination based on the employers’ prejudices. Don’t give them any ammunition to throw your resume in the bin.”

Finally, Nicole encourages candidates to remove old jobs from their resumes. “Scrap your McDonald’s job from when you were 15 (unless you are still a teenager). Remember that the trend is for a resume to get shorter — not longer. Stick to the past four to five roles unless they are particularly relevant to the job you are going for.”

4. A postgraduate degree can help your application stand out

Completing a postgraduate degree, such as an MBA from universities like Southern Cross University, James Cook University, Victoria University or RMIT, can help with career advancement by adding credibility to your skills and experience.

By studying a postgraduate degree, you will:

• develop in-demand skills like problem-solving, the ability to deal with complexity and communication
• learn how to improve management skills
• build professional connections
• have up-to-date knowledge of your field

Now that you know how to write a resume, it’s time to take the next step

If you’re feeling stuck in your career, a postgraduate degree can help get you back on track. Speak to one of our friendly Student Enrolment Advisors today to discover which MBA is right for you.