Often when an Employer or Recruiter posts a job advertisement online, they frequently receive hundreds and sometimes thousands of Résumés or CV’s in response to a single Job Advertisement. How effectively does your Résumé and Cover Letter work for you?

Australian and International surveys, as well as FIFO STAFF experience in the real world, tell us, many Tier 1 companies use Résumé Scanning Software or Applicant Tracking Software,  however, if they are not using Résumé Scanning Software to automatically cull weak and off-target Résumés the Employer or Recruiter will normally only spend between 6 & 20 seconds reading each application on the initial  "long or Shortlist" cull. 

Is YOUR Résumé or CV on target? in or out of the first cut? Even better still are you making the Purple Circle work for you by presenting an effective up to date Résumé?

The key to an effective Résumé or CV is knowing what to include and what to exclude to ensure YOU get past the Résumé Scanning Software or initial manual cull and stand out from the crowd. This secret sauce is content, sequence and format! Be on target for your NEXT Job!

All FIFO STAFF Résumés are supplied Résumé Scanning friendly in both Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF formats.

There is a huge amount of free advice and Résumé tips available online to help you shape and craft your Résumé or CV. There is some fantastic free advice available if you know where to look and what you are looking for. Sadly, what one website or “Professional Resume Writer, ” says or claims will often conflict with another, it becomes difficult to separate good advice from bad advice. This is where FIFO STAFF can help you! FIFO STAFF - NO Bull@h#t 

RÉSUMÉ & COVER LETTER TIPS

Make an impact on potential Employers or Recruiters with a well-structured, concise, easy to read, professional “Targeted” Résumé and Cover Letter.  Ensure your Résumé is Résumé Scanning and Computer Robot Friendly!

Your Résumé, also known as Curriculum vitae or “CV” is to put it simply; " a summary of your skills, qualifications, experience and personal attributes". Some people from Europe and other countries may consider a Résumé would contain less detail and a lower word count than a Curriculum vitae. In OZ, “they are the same as” mate! 

• A TARGETED Résumé or curriculum vitae (CV) could dramatically increase the number of call-backs and interview invitations you receive. 
  
  Keep you Résumé and Cover Letter on TARGET for your NEXT job - It is an idiom to say that you and I both want to "stand out from the crowd", most people do!. Use targeted and striking information about your knowledge, professional skills, personal attributes and appropriateness for the Job you are applying for and highlight why you are the right candidate for the role or position.
  
  
• What are the best Key Words to include in your Résumé or CV? Key Words are varied from role to role and can come from a near infinite vocabulary, acronyms or languages! Key Words can be, a word, acronym or series of words which acts as the key to the code, a secret or disguised way of writing, cipher or concept of great significance.
  
  FIFO STAFF recommends the employment of Key Words in you in your Résumé or CV for every application! Use targeted keywords and acronyms when appropriate in your Résumé: Safety First Approach, Committed to Zero Harm, JHA’s, JSA's, JSEA's, Take 5's, Toolbox Talks, Step Backs, STARRT Cards, SWMS, Take 5's, CRM's, Take Time Assessments, Risk Assessments, Team Player, Problem-solving ability etc etc. Include as many appropriate and on target keywords as possible!
  
  
• Is there such a thing as the perfect length Résumé or CV? FIFO STAFF recommends, a Résumé or CV of length between 2- 4 Pages* Subject to each specific Job or application specifications.  
  Be specific and concise in your Résumé about your professional skills and personal attributes. Less is more! Keep your Résumé and Cover Letter concise and on TARGET and in "tune" with your NEXT Role or Job!  What do you bring to the table?
  
  
• Use a well-crafted Cover Letter to highlight the core professional skills and personal attributes you bring to the table! Write both your Résumé and Cover Letter from the Readers perspective. Keep your Résumé and Cover Letter professional and simple, no graphics or frames that can trip Résumé scanning software and cause your Résumé not be long or shortlisted. 
  
  Most Employers and Recruiters rate the letter of application (Cover Letter) and Curriculum vitae (Résumé) particularly high as hallmarks of your application. As the old saying goes, “You only get one chance at a first impression”.
  
  
• Résumé styles and formats are constantly changing. FIFO STAFF understand what both Recruiters and Employers are looking for and want to read! We also understand computer screening software and can help you get your Résumé past stage 1 of the hiring process. 
  
  Unless specifically requested FIFO STAFF recommends do not include a personal photograph in your Résumé or CV! unless you are applying to be a Model, Programmer, Computer-generated scenario expert or Graphic Designer then a Video or Interactive Résumé would be recommended! Contact FIFO STAFF for more information. All Trades, All Jobs & All Sectors! Price on Application (POA).
  
  
• FIFO STAFF recommends you are honest and upfront, fill in any gaps in your employment history so you avoid leaving a potential employer with more questions than answers.  Again, be honest in your Résumé or CV.
  
  Add an explanation for any gaps in employment when appropriate! Travelling OZ, Overseas Holiday, Gone Bush, 4WD Holiday, Fishing, Family reasons, Prison or ?.... Be honest, lies are easy to check in today’s digital age and can/will get you instantly discarded or dismissed.
  
  That said a skilled Résumé Writer (such as FIFO STAFF) have a wide vocabulary and toolbox to help wordsmith your Résumé and paint a “True” picture of why you are an ideal candidate for the role and why you should be short-listed and interviewed. This is the sole function and purpose of an effective Résumé and Cover Letter.
  
  
• What are the best or most popular software formats for Résumés, CV’s and Cover Letters? FIFO STAFF recommends Microsoft Word.DOCX,  .DOC or Adobe.PDF Unless specified otherwise, send a PDF version of your Résumé, Word documents .doc & .docx can often appear differently on the Reader’s computer screen depending on what version of Microsoft Word they are using.
  
  Using a PDF version of your Résumé ensures the same format every time on every type of computer for every Reader. If your use OPEN OFFICE. ODT or APPLE .PAGES files REMEMBER that you should convert or save.ODT or .PAGES as .DOCX, .DOC or . PDF depending on any preferences specified in the aplication process or unless you are applying for a job with Apple then .PAGES or OS X are ok.
  
  
• The maximum file size you should email to a potential Employer or Recruiter is 5MB (That includes both Résumé and Cover letter) as some email Servers have a 5MB Maximum permitted size and will bounce or not receive your email or any files attached if the combined size of all files is more than 5MB.
  
  
• When specific Selection Criteria is listed FIFO STAFF recommends, the STAR methodology to help you stay on Target and STAND OUT for your NEXT Role. Be a STAR in BOTH your Cover Letter and Résumé or CV!  - (STAR).  Situation - Task - Action - Results.   
  
  
• FIFO STAFF recommends, ensure all Social Media or Public Profile is appropriate and reflects your professionalism and ethics.
  
  
• Triple check your work, Recruiters and potential employers have many choices in today’s competitive job market when it comes to hiring new staff. Make sure your Résumé AND Cover Letter do not contain spelling or punctuation mistakes. Spell check is your friend!
  
• Triple check the job advertisement, PD or job description: Endeavour to answer every job requirement or “selection criteria” on the first ½ page of your Résumé.