Resumes & cover letter tips from Hays

When you apply for a job online the first thing a hiring manager will ask of you is to submit a resume, also known as a CV, and usually a cover letter. These are critical documents that enable you to showcase your skills, experience and professional profile onto paper to help support your case for securing an interview. Without them, your application may be rejected without reason or simply left unanswered. As an authority on hiring skilled workers for a vast number of specialist areas in Australia, Hays understands what is takes to get a CV through to the hiring manager’s ‘yes’ pile. Our recruitment experts possess an abundance of knowledge on resume writing and tips for candidates of all backgrounds and needs, from permanent roles to contract assignments, or even finding a job within the government or public sector.  

The best CV advice is that there is no hard and fast rule for creating a resume for a job, however, there are certain principles that if you follow will help your chances. This includes but is not limited to:

• Providing an opening statement to summarise your profile and intentions
• Listing your most valuable and recent working experience with detailed information about dates, locations, and duties set for all places of work
• Denoting skills and expertise inclusive of platforms, tools and programs
• Providing referees that hiring managers can call upon to verify your credentials

Our resume tips articles cover all bases so you can begin your job search journey with confidence. From understanding how to structure your CV or to download our free CV template or cover letter template, explore more below.