AGSM Career Services

Creating a Great Resume

Purpose of the Resume

A synopsis of your career highlights that are relevant to the recruiter Provides the recruiter with a description of you, your skills and achievements within 15-30 seconds of scanning!

Your opportunity to project yourself into the desired role

GETS YOU AN INTERVIEW

Resume Principles

What it IS
A marketing document 15 seconds to impress Profiles relevant achievements

What it is NOT
A collection of job descriptions Your 10 minute life story What else?

Resume Layout
Create a layout with impact Great content must be supported by a structured layout Link your achievements to the markets requirements 1 page, no grammatical or spelling mistakes Normally written in past tense, starting with an action word Achievements not just a role description must be included within your professional experience Think every word counts if it is not enhancing your story, take it out

Resume Layout
Resume Style Spacing Avoid text heavy bullet points, be succinct and reader friendly

Bold Name, Company/Institution, Job Title Resume section headings

Fonts Follow the template and use Arial 10 for the main text of the resume

Order of Sections
Personal Details Education including professional academic qualifications, GMAT score (if exceptional) Professional Experience achievements and quantifiable outputs Additional Information including: Personal interests and achievements Industry training and certification Memberships/Affiliations Visa Status Nationality Languages

Resume Layout:
Personal Details NAME Bold, upper case Phone Numbers Include mobile number Email For FT students - Use AGSM student email address For EMBA & MBT students Use an email address that incorporates your name and is professional

Resume Layout:
Education Academic Qualifications Keep order of information consistent One to two lines for each academic placement Institutions, degree, year acquired

AGSM MBA/Exec/MBT, Australian Graduate School of Management, Sydney, Australia Candidate for Master of Business Administration (Exec/MBT/HK) to complete in xxx Post and under graduate qualifications Only include if grades were exceptional Include academic awards

Professional Qualifications, eg CFA

Resume Layout
Professional Experience
Achievement based bullets (using FAB model) Reverse chronological career history Demonstrates when, where and what you have achieved in previous roles, with quantifiable outputs Format essentials: date, role, company, scope of role and key achievements

Branding : Companies and Job Titles

Resume Layout
Professional Experience COMPANY NAME (WITH DATES) o Brief Description (optional) Area of business and size, number of offices, staff, annual revenue If company has been taken over, consider how you will show the name LOCATION BOLD UPPER CASE Use same font and size for each company and for dates on length of service No need to repeat company name if you had more than one position

Resume Layout
Professional Experience
Title of role (with dates) Your brand Bold lower case Use same font and size for each role Is your job title recognisable? If not, make it recognisable Scope of role if not obvious Brief description stating who you reported to, your head count, accountabilities and responsibilities Keep to 1-2 lines directly below titles

Key achievements The key content of your Resume

Writing Achievements (FAB) which match Employer Requirements

Future employers are most likely wanting to compare the features and advantages in your resume with their job requirements to establish what potential benefits you can offer: FEATURES

Facts about you and your career at this point in time

Contact details, education and training, companies worked at and positions held, etc... ADVANTAGES

Proof of how you have applied your features throughout your career, i.e. ACHIEVEMENTS
BENEFITS How you would apply your features and advantages to meet the requirements of the job

Why Achievements?
Structured approach to analysing your achievements
Viewing your career as a list of achievements involves a positive and motivated approach to self analysis Often hidden competencies e.g. leadership, analytical skills etc can lie in routine daily tasks which you might consider as being just part of the job Recruiters will be interested in these competencies

Analysing Achievements - Database

Steps in creating an Achievement Database

1. Brainstorm and list your achievements

2. Analyse each accomplishment 3. Summarise into a bullet point

Achievement Database
Step 1 Brainstorming Achievement Bullets Start with an active verb Bullets should be short and punchy statements with quantifiable outputs that capture attention Extra curricular activities can also be described as achievements

Step 1 Brainstorm and list your achievements

Led all activities of acquisition of Y&Z Bank ($1.5 billion asset)

Programme managed full implementation of a restructured Value Based adviser distribution model in four countries Project managed the implementation of five SAP modules across Asia/Pacific region

Established presence for company X delivering $2M revenue in the first year

Achievement Database
Active Verbs
Accelerated Achieved Acquired Advised Analysed Approved Built Centralised Collaborated Completed Defined Delivered Demonstrated Designed Directed Doubled Eliminated Enlarged Ensured Established Formulated Founded Gathered Generated Handled Headed Identified Implemented Improved Increased Interpreted Introduced Launched Led Maintained Managed Modified Motivated Negotiated Organised Planned Prepared Presented Produced Proposed Provided Rationalised Recommended Recruited Reduced Selected Shaped Simplified Sold Started Strengthened Structured Supervised Transformed Turned

Conducted
Constructed Controlled Created Decided

Evaluated
Examined Expanded Extended Facilitated

Influenced
Initiated Instigated Instructed Integrated

Participated
Performed Persuaded Piloted Pioneered

Reorganised
Restructured Reviewed Saved Secured

Uncovered
Undertook Unified Verified Won

Step 2 Analysing Achievements (PAR)

1. Think of the problem or challenge you faced What would have been the consequences if nothing was done? Why? So what?

2. What actions did you display? Skills, competencies, knowledge

3. What was the result? Deliver to the business, bottom line, quantifiable result

Step 2 Analysing Achievements (PAR)

PROBLEM YOU FACED *

*
ACTIONS DISPLAYED * * RESULTS DELIVERED * *

Step 2 Analysing Achievements (example)

Headline Established Australian presence for Company X delivering $2M revenue in first year. PROBLEM / CHALLENGE YOU FACED The company didnt have a sales and marketing team No presence in Australia, still in development phase of the products The company didnt have any sales processes, had initial marketing activities but very little footprint When the first product was finally ready it was when the market segment changed for the worst We dealt with lots of product malfunctions and a product that the company initially didnt want to support

Step 2 Continued...
ACTIONS DISPLAYED Opened the offices in Australia and assisted in hiring the sales team, grew to a team of 25 people in 6 months Lead activities in writing the internal processes for sales, setting prices and drafting the partners program Generated many partnerships for Company X Indentified a niche market need for one of the products and persuaded the company to invest further development to bring the product to market Lead the business unit of this division and brought the company its first revenues and ultimately the sale of the division to Company Y

Step 2 Continued...
RESULTS DELIVERED Opening the offices in Australia, budgeted and creates the sales infrastructure at Company X which grew to a team of 25 people within 6 months Established internal sales processes leading to initial sales of $2m from this division Partnerships with numerous key companies: such as Company A, Company B, Company Y (which later acquired Company X) Development of a new product with a full SW management system and managed P&L group to drive the business

Step 2 Analysing Achievements

List of some commonly used competencies Team orientation Communication People Management Negotiation Skills Customer Focus Results Orientation Problem Solving Planning & Organisation Technical Skills Leadership Business Awareness Decision Making Change Orientation Developing Others Influence & Persuasion Initiative Interpersonal Skills Strategic Orientation Creativity Information Management Quality Focus

Step 3 Summarising Achievements

Business Development Example Summary & Bullet Point LONG SUMMARY STRUCTURE Utilises HEADLINE, ACTION & RESULT Established first Australia presence for Company X. Opened offices in Australia and assisted in hiring the sales team, grew to a team of 25 people within 6 months. Identified a niche market need for one of the products and persuaded the company to invest further development to bring the product to the market. Led the activities in writing the internal processes for sales, setting prices and drafting the partners program. Created key partnerships with numerous key companies: such as Company A, Company B and Company C. Led the business unit of the XYZ division and brought the company its first revenues delivering $2m in the first year and ultimately the sale of the division to Company Y (Nov. 2005)

BULLET POINT STRUCTURE Utilises the HEADLINE & RESULT Established first Australian presence for Company X delivering $2m revenue in the first year. Opened Australian office (Oct. 2004), grew to a team of 25 people within 6 months. Created key partnership with Company Y which acquired the XYZ division in Nov. 2005 OR Established first Australian presence for Company X delivering $2m revenue in the first year

Resume Layout
Additional Information

Do not underestimate the importance of this section it is essential to show what you have achieved outside of work
It demonstrates what sort of person you are which can be crucial in assessing fit with the company

Make sure you specify your personal interests and do not simply write things like travel, cinema, sport

Finally...
Write bullets in the past tense, always start with an action verb Keep your language simple and direct, short punchy statements Every word counts, if its not enhancing your story, take it out If bullet point goes onto a fourth line, it is too long! No more than 6 bullet points for each position Prioritise order relevant to competences and skills required by market

AGSM Career Services

Creating a Great Resume

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