Resume & Interview Tips

Some tips to help you with writing your resume relevant to the job you are applying for, along with some tips to remember when it comes to interview time.

Writing your Resume

Your resume should be a concise description of your employment history, skills, abilities, qualifications, contributions and achievements. A good resume will specifically demonstrate how your skills and abilities match up with the key requirements of the position. It is extremely important that you take the time to plan and prepare your resume to reflect the information that is most relevant to the position you apply for.

A good resume should:

• Be well organised, easy to read and understand
• Include information that is current and up to date
• Be informative, and include all relevant information (including contact details)
• Be targeted to the job you are applying for
• Be an honest representation of your work experience and skills, knowledge and abilities
• Be checked thoroughly for spelling and grammar mistakes
• Use a consistent and clear layout

There are many different styles of resume, and all have common elements. Typically, a resume sets out information in a reverse order. Your most recent work experience, achievements and qualifications should be first on the list.

A typical resume includes:

• Personal details – Full name and contact details including address, telephone number(s) and e-mail address.
• Education and training – A summary of your education and training history, starting with your most recent studies, making sure you include all training that’s relevant to the job you’re applying for.
• Employment history – Start with your most recent work history and work backwards chronologically, listing the name of the employer, your job title, the dates you worked there, and your responsibilities, tasks and achievements.
• Skills and abilities –A short summary of your key skills and abilities as they relate to the position you are applying for.
• Interests – A brief list of your hobbies and interests, this gives us more information about you as an individual, and also shows other areas of your life where you’ve gained experiences such as teamwork and commitment.
• Referees – As a general rule we require two referees, one of your referees should be a recent Manager/ Team Leader you reported to.  It is important to make sure you ask the potential referees for their permission before you disclose their personal details. If you chose to include your referee’s details, list their name, company name, position title and contact details. Alternatively, it is an option to state “Referees available upon request.”

As part of your application you must include a resume and covering letter. The cover letter should be tailored to specifically address the selection criteria as outlined within the position advertisement. Your cover letter is an excellent chance to summarise your skills and experience and get across any key points that do not fit within the format of your CV.

Below are some basic guidelines when creating a cover letter.

• Where possible address the relevant contact listed in the advertisement.
• Include the job title and reference number.
• Keep to the point and explain why your skills and experience are relevant to the advertised role.
• Clearly state why you are interested in the role / working for RACQ.
• Describe what you could bring to the role that sets you apart from other applicants.
• Keep your cover letter to one page.
• Ensure that you spell check and then proof read your cover letter thoroughly before submitting.

Interview Tips

It is extremely important for you to prepare for your interview. Read over your resume again and be prepared to answer questions based on the skills and experience you have listed. Below are some tips on things to remember for an interview.

• Don't be late. Try to arrive 10-15 minutes early so that you have time to prepare yourself before the interview.
• First impressions count. Dress suitably for your interview, greet your interviewer by name and with a firm handshake.
• Be yourself. Speak clearly and confidently about your experiences and skills. Be professional, but don't be afraid to let your personality shine through.
• Listen carefully and be specific. Make sure you understand the question before responding, and ensure you provide specific examples to help you answer the question.

At RACQ we use behavioural questions in our interviews. Behavioural-based questions are designed to get you to talk about how you handled or responded to certain situations in the past. With each answer, you'll be expected to describe situations from previous work experiences and your observations about them. You will need to be prepared to provide detailed responses including specific examples of your work experiences.

When answering behavioural questions be sure to include the following points:

• S - A specific situation
• T - The tasks that needed to be done
• A - The action you took
• R - The results i.e. what was the outcome