A resume is your primary tool for landing a job, so it’s important to include the exact information that employers are looking for in order to maximize your chances of being called for an interview. This article will cover what information you should include in your resume as well as tips for how to create a compelling document.
Career Goals
Begin your resume with a short statement that covers your career goals for the next five to ten years. You can include your current job title here and outline exactly what you can bring to the table in your target role.
Personal Information
The amount of personal information that you are expected to include on a resume varies from place to place. In South Africa, applicants should include the following information:
- Full name
- Date of birth/age
- Country of birth
- ID/driver’s licence number
- Gender
- Race
- Native language
- Marital status
- Health status
- Address
- Contact information including phone number and email address
If you are applying to a position abroad, be sure to research the country’s customs surrounding personal information on your resume, as it may not be expected or could even cause your application to be automatically discarded.
Work Experience
Include your work experience, including your current position if you have one and any past positions that you’ve held. If you have little or no professional work experience, you may opt to include part-time or informal jobs, internships, and/or volunteer work in this category.
If you do have previous work experience, try to demonstrate the overall progress of your career in your resume. Under each role, use bullet points to list skills and accomplishments, focusing on details that are relevant to the position that you are applying for.
Education Details
Include your education history, listing your highest degree or qualification first and working backwards from there. Include the year you earned the qualification, the institution or school that you attended, and major subjects if applicable. List any further education courses that you have completed in this section as well.
Other Relevant Information
You can also add a variety of other sections to your resume, depending on the position that you are applying for and whether you have any relevant information to list. For example:
- Languages – List any additional languages that you speak, read, and/or write and indicate your proficiency for each one.
- Positions of responsibility – You can showcase your leadership skills by mentioning any such positions that you’ve held either currently or in the past.
- Prizes and awards – This information can show employers where you have succeeded in the past and that you are dedicated to achieving excellence.
- Personal interests and hobbies – Sharing these details gives employers a glimpse of your personality and how you spend your free time, which can indicate whether you will fit in well with an existing team.
- References – Most positions will require at least three professional references. Ask your references for permission ahead of time to list their name and information.
How to Create a Powerful resume
If you aren’t sure how to pull all of these elements together into a cohesive document, consider using a resume template to help you get started. Then you can simply input your information according to the prompts and adjust the format and color scheme to create a polished, professional resume.
Regardless of whether you decide to use a template or create your resume from scratch, you should definitely tailor it to each job that you apply for. While this does take some extra time, tailoring your resume can significantly boost your chances of getting called for an interview.
To do so, use keywords that the employer mentions in the job advert to emphasize the desired experience, skills, and characteristics that you possess.
