Useful tips to prepare your resume to meet with the needs of the industries.

1. Useful Tips by Mr Chuah Kee Man
www.chuahkeeman.com

2. First thing first…
Let’s get the terms right.

3. Résumé &
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Are they the same?

4. Résumé
a concise outline (1-2
pages) of your skills,
education and experience.

5. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
An in-depth document of your
qualifications, experience,
skills, publications,
achievements, etc.

6. Résumé is more
commonly used in the
industries (especially
private companies).

7. CV is mostly used when
applying for academic,
scientific, or research
positions

8. Let’s Power Up Your Résumé

9. One recent study showed that
recruiters spent only
6.25 seconds looking at a
candidate’s résumé
before deciding whether he or she
is fit for a job.
~Forbes.com

10. So how to
increase your visibility via
résumé?

11. #1 Use the Right Layout

12. Let’s take a look at some
examples

13. Messy and
inappropriate

14. Looks
crowded
(centre
aligned)

15. Looks catchy
but messy

16. Clean and
professional

17. Neat and
organized

18. Neat and
contemporary

19. Click Here for some useful
templates:
http://is.gd/resumetemplates

20. Layout: The Basics
 Stick to standard paper size (A4)
and use left or justified alignment.
 Use neat and professional layout
(not too fancy/creative)
 Use suitable font types and font
size (10-12pt).
 Use proper headings for each
section/part
 Stick to maximum of 3 colours (if
you place to use colours)

21. Layout: Best Fonts
• Arial
• Verdana
• Calibri
• Garamond
• Georgia
• Times New Roman

22. Layout: The Standard Parts
Use headings to indicate:
 Contact Details (No fancy email)
 Career Objective (Precise)
 Education
 Work Experience
 Skills
 Achievements/Awards
 Activities and Interests
 References/Referees
Don’t forget your Portrait Photo.

23. Personal Info/Contact Details
 Full name
 Marital Status
 Date of Birth (with Age)
 Address (permanent)
 Phone Number (Mobile)
 Email (make sure you make a
professional one, especially
with your name given)

24. Education
 Use Timeline (list the latest first).
 Highlight your achievements or key
skills learned instead of results
alone.
 If needed, highlight key courses
taken too.

25. Education
Sep 2011 – Sep 2015
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan.
• Obtained Bachelor of Arts in Arts Management with
Honours.
• Graduated with CGPA 2.75 but mastered advanced skills
in using Adobe Creative Suites during the 4 years with
certificates from Adobe.
• Key courses taken with valuable skills learned: Event
Management, Intellectual Property, Creative Thinking.

26. Use the quadrant
rule to check.
Make sure each
quadrant is
balanced.

27. Portrait Photo (Headshots) matters!
Get help to shoot a nice once. Smile, clean background, minimal make up and
with professional attire and keep it recent.

28. #2 Use the Right Language

29. Language Tips #1
Use strong action verbs
when writing your
experiences or
achievements.

30. Worst Words (Overused) Best Words
Best of breed
Go-getter
Think outside of the box
Dynamic
Synergy
Thought leadership
Value add
Results-driven
Team player
Bottom-line
Achieved
Improved
Trained/mentored
Managed
Created
Resolved
Volunteered
Influenced
Increased/decreased
Won

31. But it’s not just about
using the verbs….

32. Language Tips #2
Be specific when writing
your key activities or career
objectives

33. Example
April – June 2014
Marketing Intern – (EverCheap Sdn Bhd)
• Attended group meetings and recorded minutes.
• Worked with children in a day-care setting.
• Updated departmental files.
Not good enough!

34. Good Example
April – June 2014
Marketing Intern – (EverCheap Sdn Bhd)
• Recorded weekly meeting minutes and compiled
them for future organizational reference.
• Provided assistance in organising three daily
activities for preschool children.
• Reorganized 10 years worth of files, making them
easily accessible to department members.
Action words are used to describe each task done clearly.

35. Career Objective

36. Career Objective
• Focus on how you would benefit the
employer, not on how the employer would
benefit you.
• Be clear of what you plan to apply or
achieve.
• Keep it concise and targeted. The best
resume objectives contain a desired job
title or target.

37. Too General:
Seeking a challenging position that offers
professional growth.
Clear and Concise:
A challenging entry-level marketing position
that allows me to contribute my skills and
experience in promoting company’s
products.

38. Language Tips #3
Keywords are the key
(use those keywords
mentioned in the ads)

39. Top Keywords
Problem solving
Leadership
Oral/ Written Communication
Team building
Productivity
Adaptable
If these keywords appear on the ads, do include them in your resume
if you have such qualities/capabilities.

40. Language Tips #4
Avoid improper
abbreviations or short
forms

41. Examples:
becoz, dun, FYI, wanna

42. Example:
Ass. Manager (Marketing)
Don’t embarrass yourself

43. Language Tips #5
Avoid “bombastic”
words, keep it clear and
concise.

44. Language Tips #6
Ask someone to
proofread your resume

45. #3 Use the Right Focus

46. Customise Your Resume!
Make sure you modify your
resume to fit the position.

47. Customisation Example:
Highlight your academic
strengths (e.g. relevant
courses taken) instead of
putting only CGPA)

48. Customisation Example:
Move specific parts up
according to the job. E.g.
Move up skills if your work
experience is limited.

49. Extras:
1. Clean up your social
profiles
2. Back up with portfolios
3. Don’t cheat!

50. Get in touch..
@keemanxp
fb.com/chuahkeeman
kmchuah@cans.unimas.my
www.chuahkeeman.com