Best of: Resume and cover letter advice

If you think about your next career step, chances are one of the first things you’re going to think about is your resume and cover letter. Not the most exciting things in the world, your CV and cover letter can nevertheless make or break an opportunity.

As the first impression a recruiter or prospective employer will receive of you, it’s essential that you get step one right.

That means – you guessed it – tailoring each application to each specific opportunity, using action words, leveraging your strengths and experience… the list goes on!

We’ve talked a lot about resumes and cover letters over the years, so there’s plenty of advice out there. But today we’re bringing you our top tips and tricks from previous blogs to make sure you put your best foot forward.

Young and unemployed? 3 reasons why you’re not getting hired

Why you should read: To learn how to make your application ATS-friendly, clean up your online presence, and stick to CV best practices.

You’ve just graduated from university. The grad cap sits nicely in the closet.

 

But now—

 

The pressure is to find a job that will help you jumpstart your career. You’ve already crafted a CV, perhaps even a cover letter, and you’ve been applying for jobs for quite a while now.

 

But, things aren’t clicking. Employers either ghost you or send you “Thanks but no thanks!” emails. On top of that, there’s the global pandemic and increased unemployment across the nation that don’t exactly help the matter.

 

Take heart.

 

You’re about to learn what you might be doing wrong with your job search and what you can do to elevate your chances of success.

Read more here!

5 skills that are more industry-transferable than you think

Why you should read: To hear directly from a student who has transitioned from hospitality and retail work to a job in her industry. Learn how to talk about your skills in your resume and cover letter in a way that makes them sound industry-transferable.

With ten years of hospitality experience behind me, I had a specific type of confidence when it came to job applications. I was familiar with the culture of applying for jobs in hospitality, but I desperately wanted to broaden my skills and flesh out my resume with work in my industry as I came to the end of my degree. Having no office or corporate experience made it really hard for me to even take the first step of submitting my CV­­; surely I wouldn’t stand out!

 

Something I failed to recognise was that my ten years of experience in the service industry were actually invaluable. By approaching job applications with this binary perception of necessary vs disposable skills, I was downplaying the transferable skills that I already possessed and had fine-tuned for a decade.

 

So, what are these industry-transferable skills, and how can you highlight their importance?

Read more here!

Fact or Fiction: Your Favourite Fictional Characters on How to Write a CV in the Real World

Why you should read: To get a fun perspective on writing or re-writing your resume. It can be boring and even stressful to update your CV, so get some low-pressure advice via this blog.

You’ve aced all your classes, graduated with flying colours, and even have some experience under your belt from an internship—so why does your mind go blank when you’re faced with writing a CV? If crafting a convincing CV feels as daunting as writing the next great Australian novel, these famous fictional characters can give you some very real advice.

Read more here!

How to write a stand out cover letter

Why you should read: To find out the ‘why’ and ‘what’ of cover letters. This blog also includes a structural template to give you some inspiration, as well as advice on how to see if you’re a cultural fit for the prospective role.  

“I love writing cover letters.” Said no one, ever.

 

Most people don’t want to write a cover letter, and if they aren’t specifically asked for then very few people will do it. However, if you know how to use it the cover letter can become your secret weapon in landing more interviews.

Read more here!

Featured image courtesy of Pexels