writing a resume singapore

Singapore Resume Formats, Templates, and Writing Tips

Applying for a job in Singapore? This Singapore Resume guide has the templates, tips, examples, & format requirements needed to write the perfect resume.

Applying for a job in Singapore? This resume guide has the perfect Singapore resume tips, formats, examples, and templates to help you write the perfect Singapore resume.

Singapore Resume Requirements

The top requirements for a Singapore resume to be successful are:

• Your name, contact information and location.
• Photo on a resume - Generally it isn’t required. However, it is recommended for entry-level candidates and Gahmen jobs.
• A resume summary.
• Work experience.
• Education and academic background.
• A resume in either a PDF or MS Word. PDF is generally accepted in Singapore.
• Resume should be detailed enough. More than a one-page resume is welcomed.
• The right resume format that matches your experience, skills, etc.
• Language: Resumes in English are fine.

Now that we have established the most important requirements for a Singapore resume, let’s take a look at each of these resume requirements in more detail.

What is the Right Resume Length for Singapore?

The acceptable length of resume for Singapore is 2 pages. Short resumes generally don’t give enough context to hiring managers and hence longer resumes are common and acceptable in Singapore.

Singapore Resume Format

Singapore resumes typically follow the common resume formats that are popular worldwide. Top Singapore resume formats for experienced professionals are:

• Reverse chronological resume format
• Functional resume format
• Combination resume format

If you are an experienced professional, a reverse chronological format would be a great fit for your resume. However, if you are someone who's experienced, but are trying to transition to another role you should consider a functional or a combination resume format.

Reverse Chronological Singapore Resume Format Example

Functional Singapore Resume Format Example

Combination Singapore Resume Format Example

We also recommend function or combination resume format for entry-level Singapore resumes.

Singapore Resume - Contact Information Tips

While creating the resume header, make sure to add the following information in it:

• Your contact information including your phone number, town, and a professional email address to contact you.
• Make sure to link to your personal portfolio, Linkedin profile, or to your blog.
• Additionally, you can consider adding your nationality. Companies have a hiring quota for foreign nationals, so when you add nationality it saves a ton of time for you and the hiring manager.

Should you Add a Photo to your Singapore Resume?

Generally, adding a photograph to your resume is considered acceptable. It however invites biases in hiring. If you are graduating from university, keeping a photo on your resume is generally advised. Also, if you are applying for Gahmen jobs, adding your photo to your resume is required.

Resume or CV for Singapore Jobs?

CV or resume are used interchangeably in Singapore and make a little difference. Just keep in mind that Singapore's resumes are a bit more detailed as compared to resumes that we see commonly in other parts of the world.

Singapore Resume Templates and Examples

Professional singapore resume example.

Administrative Resume Example for Singapore

Customer Support Resume Example for Singapore

Marketing Resume Example for Singapore

Management Resume Example for Singapore

Accounting Resume Example for Singapore

Frequently asked questions, how do i write a good singapore resume.

To write a good Singapore resume, make sure you add a short powerful summary at the top, follow the STAR method to describe your experience, list your skills, and properly describe your education.

What Fonts to Use in My Singapore Resume?

For resumes that are in the English language, we recommend that you either use Times New Roman, Calibri, Arial, or Roboto as fonts. Use serif-type fonts when your target job is a bit more traditional, else use Sans-serif fonts.

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• Sales & Advertising
• Student & Fresh Graduate
• Resume & CV

50+ Resume Samples | Downloadable Resume & CV Samples (2024)

Scroll down below to get 50+ expertly crafted resume samples. Tailored to various industries and roles, our downloadable samples are the perfect resume help designed to showcase your skills and experiences in the most impactful way.

Resume Samples Sorted By Industry

• HR, Admin & Operations
• Sales and Advertising
• Student and Fresh Graduate

Accounting & Audit Resume Samples

• Auditor Resume Sample
• Finance Manager Resume Sample
• Accounting Resume Sample
• Banking Resume Sample  (Banking Director)

Banking & Finance Resume Samples

• Investment Analyst Resume Sample  (Banking and Venture Capital Analyst)
• Relationship Manager Resume Sample
• Risk Manager Resume Sample
• Banking Sales Resume Sample
• IT Resume Sample  (for Banking Industry)
• Compliance Manager Resume Sample

Education Resume Samples

• Teacher Resume Sample
• Professor Resume Sample
• Researcher Resume Sample  (Research & Development)

Engineering Resume Samples

• Oil and Gas Resume Sample
• Electrical Engineer Resume Sample
• Mechanical Engineer Resume Sample
• Civil Engineer Resume Sample

HR, Admin, & Operations Resume Samples

• HR Manager Resume Sample
• HR Assistant Resume Sample
• Operations Manager Resume Sample
• Office Manager Resume Sample
• Admin Officer Resume Sample
• Administrative Assistant Resume Sample
• Administrative Support Resume Sample
• Secretary Resume Sample
• Receptionist Resume Sample

Hospitality Resume Samples

• Hospitality Resume Sample

IT Resume Samples

• IT Manager Resume Sample
• IT Project Manager Resume Sample
• SaaS Business Development Manager Resume Sample
• Web Developer Resume Sample
• Digital Marketing Resume Sampl
• Data Analyst Resume Sample
• Software Engineer Resume Sample
• Data Scientist Resume Sample
• Cybersecurity Resume Sample
• Digital Product Owner Resume Sample

Marketing Resume Samples

• Marketing Manager Resume Sample
• Digital Marketing Resume Sample
• E-Commerce Resume Sample
• Social Media Manager Resume Sample
• Business Development Resume Sample
• Brand Manager Resume Sample
• Call Center Resume Sample
• Writer Resume Sample

Sales & Advertising Resume Samples

• Sales Manager Resume Sample
• Sales Director / Senior Sales Executive Resume Sample
• Account Manager Resume Sample
• Advertising Resume Sample
• Insurance Sales Resume Sample
• Telecom Sales Resume Sample
• Sales Associate Resume Sample
• Sales Account Manager Resume Sample
• PPC Manager Resume Sample

Student & Fresh Grad Resume Samples

• College Student Resume Sample (Mechanical Engineer)
• Fresh Graduate Resume Sample (Business)

Other Resume Samples

• Product Manager Resume Sample
• Clerk Resume Sample
• Supply Chain Manager Resume Sample
• Phua Chu Kang Resume Sample
• Barbarella Resume Sample

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about our Resume Samples

As a company that has drafted thousands of resumes over the years, we recommend that you have the following sections as part of your resume: An Executive Summary, A List of Your Key Skills and Areas of Expertise, Work Experience and Achievements at Work, Technical Skills, Notice Period and Languages. You can also include Personal Projects, Volunteer Experiences, Conferences and Publications.

One of the key things that employers look for when scanning your resume is your achievements and accomplishments. You don’t need to be a professional resume writer to get noticed. This is why it’s good to include numbers and dates, as it enables them to pinpoint your successes quickly and easily.

Our Resume Writing Consultants recommend a 2 or 3 page resume for mid-career and senior-career jobseekers. A 1-2 page resume may be fine if you’re early on in your career, though.

We have a whole guide on the best resume formats, but if you’re in a rush then we recommend that you opt for a reverse chronological or functional resume format.

Absolutely! Check out our list of 10+ Resume Templates here . They are ATS-optimized, modern and designed in line with our signature ResumeWriter format. When you’re done writing your CV with our templates, don’t forget to send your CV to us for a Free CV Feedback session with our team of HR Experts!

How To Write Your Resume

Writing a resume can often feel like a daunting task, especially when you’re trying to make an impression on potential employers. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the essential aspects of crafting an effective resume, including how to use resume samples, key elements to include, best writing tips, ways to get noticed by Singaporean HR managers, and whether or not to use resume samples or templates.

Key Elements of a Resume

Contact information.

• Visibility : Ensure your contact information is placed at the top of your resume and is easily visible. This helps potential employers quickly identify how to reach you.
• Details to Include : Your full name, a professional email address, a contact phone number, and, optionally, your LinkedIn profile URL. If you have a professional website or online portfolio, consider including these as well.
• Formatting : Use a larger font size for your name to make it stand out. Keep the rest of the information in a standard, readable font.

Professional Summary or Objective

• Purpose : This section serves as your elevator pitch. It should capture the essence of your professional background and what you can offer.
• Writing a Summary : If you have several years of experience, a professional summary is more appropriate. It should briefly highlight your career achievements and critical skills.
• Writing an Objective : For those early in their careers or making a career change, an objective statement can be more effective. This should state your career goals and what you aim to achieve in the position you’re applying for.
• Customization : Tailor this section to align with the specific job you’re applying for, using keywords from the job description.

Work Experience

• Chronological Listing : Start with your most recent position and work backward. This format is preferred as it shows your career progression.
• Details to Include : For each position, list your job title, the company’s name, location, and the dates of your employment.
• Achievements and Responsibilities : Use bullet points to detail your key responsibilities and achievements in each role. Focus on results and accomplishments rather than just listing duties.
• Quantification : Where possible, quantify your achievements with numbers, percentages, or specific outcomes to provide a clearer picture of your impact.
• Information to Include : Your most recent or highest level of education should be listed first. Include the name of the institution, the degree you obtained, and the graduation year.
• Additional Details : If relevant, you can also include your major/minor fields, notable academic achievements, and GPA (if impressive and recent).
• Continuing Education : If you have taken courses relevant to the job after your formal education, include these as well.
• Relevance : Focus on skills that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for. Read the job description carefully to identify which skills the employer values.
• Categorization : Separate your skills into categories, such as technical skills, languages, and interpersonal skills.
• Specificity : Be as specific as possible, especially with technical skills. For example, instead of just listing “project management,” specify the methodologies or tools you’re experienced with, like Agile or Trello.

Certifications and Awards

• Professional Certifications : Include any relevant professional certifications that enhance your qualifications for the job. State the name of the certificate and the awarding organization.
• Awards and Honors : Mention any awards or recognitions you’ve received that are relevant to your career or the job you’re applying for.
• Recent and Relevant : Focus on certifications and awards that are recent and closely related to the position or industry.

Best Resume Writing Tips

1. Tailor Your Resume

• Understanding the Job Description : Carefully read the job listing to identify key skills and experiences the employer is seeking. Look for specific keywords and phrases that are emphasized.
• Matching Your Skills and Experiences : Align your resume with these keywords and phrases. For example, if the job requires leadership skills, highlight any leadership roles or responsibilities you’ve held.
• Customization for Each Application : Avoid sending a generic resume to multiple employers. Each job might require a different set of skills or experiences, so your resume should be customized accordingly.

2. Use Action Words

• Creating Impact with Verbs : Using strong action verbs at the beginning of your bullet points makes your resume more compelling. Instead of saying “responsible for,” use verbs like “orchestrated,” “spearheaded,” or “executed.”
• Variety and Relevance : Use a variety of action words that are relevant to your field or industry. This not only adds dynamism to your resume but also shows your versatility and adaptability.
• Instead of “Worked on project management,” say, “Directed a team of 10 in a successful project delivery.”
• Replace “Helped in sales increase” with “Catalyzed a 30% growth in sales over three months.”

3. Quantify Achievements

• Using Numbers and Data : Quantifying achievements gives a tangible measure of your impact. This can include percentages, dollar amounts, timeframes, or any other relevant metrics.
• Contextualizing Your Contributions : It helps to provide context for your achievements. For example, “Managed a budget of $50,000” is more impressive if you add “while reducing costs by 15%.”
• Making Your Achievements Stand Out : Quantified achievements often stand out more in the hiring manager’s mind, as they provide clear evidence of your effectiveness.

4. Keep It Concise

• One-Page Rule : For those with less than 10 years of experience, a one-page resume is usually sufficient. This forces you only to include the most relevant and impactful information.
• Relevance Over Quantity : Focus on quality, not quantity. Highlight experiences and skills that align most closely with the job you’re applying for.
• Effective Use of Space : Use bullet points, concise language, and good formatting to make the best use of space. Avoid lengthy paragraphs and unnecessary details.

5. Proofread

• Attention to Detail : Proofreading your resume is crucial. Even minor typos can create an unfavorable impression.
• Getting a Second Opinion : Sometimes, it’s hard to spot your own errors. Ask a friend or a mentor to review your resume. They might also provide valuable feedback on the content.
• Consistency in Formatting : Check for consistency in formatting – this includes font sizes, bullet point styles, and alignment. A consistent format enhances readability and professionalism.

By adhering to these detailed tips, you can significantly enhance the quality of your resume, making it more appealing to potential employers and increasing your chances of landing your desired job.

How to Get Noticed by Singaporean HR Managers

Cultural Nuance : Understand the work culture in Singapore. Professionalism and formality are highly valued.

Highlight Relevant Experience : Emphasize experiences that are particularly relevant to the Singaporean market, such as knowledge of local industries or language skills.

Adapt to Local Standards : Singaporean resumes often include a passport-sized photo and personal details like date of birth, which might be rare in other countries.

Networking : Leverage LinkedIn and other professional networks to connect with industry professionals in Singapore.

How to Use Resume Samples Page

Understanding Resume Samples : Resume samples are templates or examples that showcase different styles and formats of resumes. These samples can serve as a valuable reference point, especially if you need help figuring out where to start.

Downloading Resume Samples : Our website offers resume samples that allow you to download them for free. Choose a sample that aligns with your industry and experience level.

Customizing the Sample : After downloading a resume sample, the next step is to customize it. Replace the placeholder information with your own details. Ensure that you tailor it to reflect your unique experiences, skills, and accomplishments.

Analyzing the Format : Pay attention to the layout, font, and structure of the sample. These elements are critical in ensuring your resume is easy to read and professionally presented.

Should You Use Resume Samples?

Crafting an effective resume requires a balance between following proven structures and showcasing your unique qualifications. 

By utilizing resume samples wisely, tailoring your content, and understanding the specific requirements of your target job market (like Singapore), you can create a resume that stands out. 

Remember, your resume is more than just a document; it’s a reflection of your professional journey and a tool to open doors to new opportunities.

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How to write a resume in Singapore

Your CV is the most important tool that you have to impress your potential employer. Know how to write a CV, and you’ll be on your way to securing the job of your dreams. Here is expert advice from one of the premier recruitment agencies in Singapore .

How to write a resume

There are many elements that you need to consider when crafting the perfect resume. Whether you are setting out in your job search to write your very first resume or you’ve decided to re-write an existing resume, you may have many questions such as, “What is a resume?”, “How long should a resume be?” and “What information should I include?” You also have to consider how to tailor your resume and lay it out, as well as consider what format it should take, be it a digital resume or a more traditional form.

We’ve created the definitive guide to crafting the perfect resume. From how to write your resume; to knowing what you should include and exclude; to tips on how to lay out and tailor your resume - we’ll help you create the perfect resume that will get you the job you’ve been dreaming of.

What is a CV?

A CV is a written document of everything that relates to your work history. Your CV can include your experience, skills, achievements, education and qualifications. As your CV is often the first impression that your potential employer will have of you, it’s also one of the most important documents that you will ever create.

Your CV needs to be up to date, meticulously correct, and it’s essential to land a job - you can’t/won’t secure a first interview without it.

CV stands for Curriculum Vitae, which is Latin for ‘Course of life’. Technically, a resume is generally a shorter account of professional and educational history; whereas a CV is longer than a resume and more in depth, covering professional accomplishments, awards and recognitions.

How long should a resume be?

Your resume should be no longer than 3-4 pages long. If you are a student, you may not yet have a great deal of experience, so 1-2 pages is completely acceptable.

If you have several years’ worth of experience and accomplishments, however, it can be a challenge to keep it within the 3-4 page limit when writing a resume.

Remember that truly great resumes are short and succinct – so be sure to follow our guidelines as to what to include and exclude in your resume.

What is the best resume font?

Every candidate wants to put their best font forward, particularly when it comes to their resume. Just like you shouldn't begin your resume with your "Activities and interests" section or allow it to creep onto five pages, the best resume font is one that covers a few bases.

Here are the best fonts for resume writing - see how they weigh in with your favourites.

Learn more >

How to write a career objective

While often overlooked, career objectives are one of the most important parts of your resume as they complement your experience and skills and give prospective employers a sense of your work-related ambitions.

They don’t need to be particularly long to make an impact, but they do need to be well considered and well executed to be both meaningful and impressive.

Here are our tips on writing a career objective that wows every employer you encounter.

Send us your resume

Our staffing specialists will review your resume and contact you if we find a position that matches your qualifications.

How to 'do' a resume

Now that you know what to put on a resume, make your first draft. Then, take a break and review it a few days later. With fresh eyes, you can be more objective.

Consider: Are my achievements relevant for the role that I want to apply for? How can I demonstrate that my skills are of value to the organisation?

Tailor your resume, and edit it as necessary. Finally, get a trusted friend to proofread your resume. You can spend all the time in the world crafting what to write on a resume, but all that time can be wasted with just one spelling mistake.

How to tailor your resume

Tailoring is the key to making a good resume great. If you ensure that the information is personalised specifically to the role and employer, your resume will stand out from the pack.

First, start with researching the role and employer, and identify what achievements or skills you have that are relevant for the job at hand.

Then, bring those achievements and skills to the forefront using these key tips.

Resume format guide

Having a well-presented resume is critical to securing your perfect job. It's not enough to have great content; your resume layout needs to be easy-to-read, professional and appealing.

Your hiring manager will have seen hundreds of different resumes. That means that it’s important that you follow the general standard when laying out and ordering the information, to help them navigate the content and to ensure your experience stands out.

Skills to include on a resume

While the skills for your resume will vary according to the role you’re applying for, its seniority and the industry you work in, there are some skills that will always be valued by employers.

Here are our tips on the top 5 skills you should include on your resume.

Resume templates and samples

A resume template is used as a guide as to how a professional resume should be laid out. Resume templates also provide helpful information as to what content should be included in a resume. Often taking a ‘fill-in-the-blanks’ approach, a resume template can help to short-cut the time-intensive process that is creating the perfect resume.

There are thousands of resume templates and samples available online that can be downloaded and updated. Visit our resume templates page for resume samples including accounting and IT resumes.

How to make sure your resume stands out online

Increasingly, employers are interested to see your digital resume. A digital resume is, as it sounds, a resume that is readily accessible online via your own or a third-party platform.

In creating an online resume, there are many different options available. You can take a full ‘bells-and-whistles’ approach, and build your own website or create a video to create a big impact. Or you can leverage an existing networking platform, such as LinkedIn. You can also use a free online resume builder.

An online resume has the advantage of being discoverable by potential employers, but also has the disadvantage of not being tailored to suit a specific role that you may be going for. While they certainly have their place and will become increasingly more important, digital resumes are best used in conjunction with a more traditional, off-line resume.

You can never invest too much time in crafting the perfect resume. Even if you get the basics right, there are important nuances to consider that will help ensure that your resume gets to the top of the pile.

Let us help you find the right job

The best Singapore resume format

Briony Ranasinghe

Are you a fresh graduate or experienced professional looking for a job in Singapore?  Maybe you are a student hoping to get a part-time job while you study? Whatever the reason, you know you need a resume that fits Singapore resume standards.

This article is the guide you need to know everything about the format, layout and sections of the Singapore resume. Let’s get started.

Want to build your Singapore Resume online? Cresuma’s resume builder can do the job for you.

CV Vs. Resume

First things first, is it a CV or resume in Singapore? Don’t worry, it’s both. In Singapore, companies use both CV and resume on job adverts and the two terms are used interchangeably.

However, what you should be concerned about is length. Most recruiters want to get a sense of who you are, so the Singaporean resume or CV should be about 2 pages long.

Types of Resume Formats

1. chronological or reverse-chronological format.

The most common resume format is the chronological format. It is also a great format for experienced professionals. In this format, work experience is highlighted with the most recent employment role placed first and working backwards chronologically. It helps employers to understand the career progression of the applicant in a clear, easy-to-read fashion.

2. Functional Format

This format is best for freshers or students looking for part-time work. It also can be used by those looking for a career change or having an employment gap. In this format, transferrable skills are more highlighted than experience. It also allows you to highlight your achievements or education.

3. Combination Format

This format combines both the chronological and functional resume format. Your achievements and skills come to the forefront above a work experience section that is placed in chronological order.

For more details on the types of resume formats, check our article on the best resume formats 2024 .

Now that you know the different types of resume formats, you need to know the sections of your resume and what you should add to them.

Parts of a Resume

1. personal details.

As in most countries, the first part of the Singapore resume is the personal profile. This section will include your name, contact details (phone number, address and email address), professional social media accounts and a photo of yourself.

Remember to use a professional email address such as [email protected] instead of a personal one like [email protected] as it will give a better impression.

2. Resume Summary

A resume summary is usually a few lines that catches a recruiter’s attention. It is a good place to highlight your skills, experience, and education to the company in a way that grabs their attention and persuades them to hire or interview you. In other words, this is where you begin to sell yourself as the perfect candidate for the company.

A good method to gather a hiring manager’s attention is to use keywords that capture attention. Industry specific keywords, and keywords found in the vacancy announcement are a great tool that you can use.

3. Professional Experience

This section is one of the most important in the resume as it proves the claims that you make in the summary. It shows the progression of your career and the skills and achievements that you have received as a result of your work.

The format to mention your experience is your job title, how long you worked (date employment began – date employment finished), the company you worked for, and 2-3 bullet points detailing your achievements.

Rather than stating the responsibilities of your post, it is better to highlight key achievements. Mention awards that you have received or significant results that you have got with figures or percentages to really show that you are highly experienced.

4.Skills and Competencies

This section shows the skills that you have already gained through your experience and education. Listing your hard and soft skills is a good way for employers to know your strengths and whether you would be an asset to their organization.

Rather than just listing your skills, try to mention an example of when you used the relevant skill. Remember to avoid buzzwords that harm your resume.

5. Education

Your educational qualifications can be an important part of your resume as it supports the claims you make in the previous resume sections such as the summary, skills and work experience. Often companies will list the minimum educational qualifications that are required for a position on the vacancy announcement.

The format for the educational section is almost the same as your work experience. You need to specify the qualification title, the years you studied and the name of the school/university/college that you attended.

Write your qualification in the same way that it is mentioned in the job advertisement to make it easier for the recruiter to identify that you have the required qualifications.

6. Special Achievements

This section is not compulsory, but it is always good to show that you have received recognition for your work. List any relevant awards that you have received in this section.

If you don’t have any awards to mention, mention other relevant skills or hobbies that you have like a foreign language.

7. References

You need to have two references on your resume. Type in their names, designations, company they work for and current contact details.

Remember to ask your references before using their details in the resume and to inform them of the company and position you have applied for after you send in your CV.

Now that you know the Singapore resume format, see our tips for international resume formats for other countries .

For more information on writing the perfect resume, check our career guides .

7 Strategies and CV Examples for Writing a Great Resume

Creating a resume that works. Now that’s a problem every type of jobseeker understands. If you’re wondering how to make your resume stand out, look no further. This guide, complete with CV examples, will tell you everything you need to know about crafting a great resume.

Are Resumes Still Important?

It’s easy to think resumes are becoming redundant, with most professionals uploading their work history to job boards and online profiles. However, HR will inevitably ask you to submit your resume for their records. For this reason, it’s a good idea to upload your resume to your Jobstreet profile and bring a physical copy of your resume to interviews.

What Makes a Good Resume

A good resume tells hirers everything they need to know about you at a glance. It showcases your achievements and qualifications. And most importantly, it gets recruiters interested enough to invite you for a job interview.

Types of Resumes

1. Chronological

Many employers prefer the chronological resume format as it is easily digestible. Aside from presenting an itemised employment history, it should also showcase career highlights in reverse chronological order—starting with the most recent position and moving backwards to the first-ever position you’ve held.

2. Functional

This resume format is highly suitable for fresh graduates and job hoppers hoping to break into another industry. Having a functional resume helps you cover a seemingly disconnected employment history by showcasing transferable skills and related achievements.

Create a functional resume by placing the skills you have as headings, then listing your experiences and achievements relevant to the position under those headings. Remember to include the company name in the bulleted description of your previous accomplishments and try to include a brief chronological listing of the former positions you’ve held.

3. Combination

This resume format combines the best features of the chronological and functional resumes by incorporating a chronological work history section and a skills and achievements section. The top focus for combination resumes is on skills and accomplishments , followed by work experience.

Though some employers may find this resume format long, repetitive and confusing, this type of resume can be ideal for someone with good editing skills.

How to Make Your Resume Stand Out

1. start with a fascinating resume summary..

It’s common for fresh graduates to list their career objectives at the top of their resumes. However, for jobseekers with more work experience, a well-curated professional summary will be more effective in grabbing the recruiter’s attention. Career objectives are about what you want. By contrast, a professional summary talks about what you can do for the company.

Your summary of qualifications should include:

• number of years of professional experience
• areas of expertise, career highlights, unique skills, and competencies
• other information underlining your particular qualifications for the job.

When crafting your summary, it’s helpful to think about your “why.” What drives you? Why do you do what you do? Identifying your purpose, source of inspiration, or philosophy will help you make your summary more unique and personal.

It’s also helpful to put yourself in the shoes of the reader. What traits and skills do you possess that they might be looking for? Keep the job advertisement in mind as you write. At the same time, make sure your summary is no longer than 2-3 sentences.

2. Keep it simple and professional.

When it comes to job applications, good first impressions are critical. Using a silly email address like “ [email protected] ” may make the hiring manager think you’re not serious. If you’re a fresh graduate, now is the time to create an appropriate email address using your first and last name.

Your resume should also be visually appealing and easy to skim. After all, TIME reports that “recruiters spend an average of six seconds reviewing an individual resume.” Therefore, limit your resume to one page as much as possible. If you have an extensive employment history, make sure not to go beyond two pages.

Take note that while most people use “resume” and “CV” interchangeably, they’re different in terms of length and use . While a resume is usually only 1-2 pages long, a CV is a more detailed account of your education and work history. CVs are generally used in academia or research and can go well beyond 3 pages.

Whether you’re writing a resume or CV, be consistent with your formatting. Use professional fonts such as Arial or Helvetica , and make sure your font is no smaller than size 12. When using numbers, recheck decimal places or the number of zeros.

Once you’re done, proofread your resume for spelling errors. You may also want to reconsider including your photo. After all, how you appear on your social channels may have more bearing than how you look in a photograph. Thus, provide a clean and professional result when employers conduct their social media search.

3. Highlight your strengths and achievements.

This is where you can stand out. When you’re talking about your previous job, don’t just list your responsibilities—tell the recruiter what you achieved. Be specific with your accomplishments, and show how you helped the company to grow.

Make sure to include your computer skills as well. After all, job seekers these days have varying degrees of being computer savvy. So include the specific platforms, as well as your proficiency level, to keep qualifications accurate.

4. Customise your resume for individual companies.

Look at the job ad and see which qualifications and desired traits you possess. Then include them in your resume. Resist the temptation to include every single certificate course and project you’ve completed in your resume. Focusing on experiences relevant to the job position ensures that your resume is concise and compelling.

If you are a fresh graduate with no professional experience, lead with your academic background, honours, and extra-curricular activities. Positions of responsibility in extra-curricular and community organisations show that you have leadership and social skills, so include them as well.

5. Use power words for application-tracking systems.

Power words are words that highlight the professional strengths you bring to the position. Using them will help you stand out from the other applications. If the company uses an Application Tracking System (ATS), you will need to use keywords and terms important to the employer to get past the ATS as well.

There are four kinds of power words:

These are words employers use in job posts to describe their ideal candidate. You can also search websites in the same industry and check out occupational profiles for positions you’re applying to. Identify the keywords in these profiles and add them to your resume.

Activity or Action Words

These are verbs that emphasise your achievements or skills. Here are a few examples of action words you could use:

Labels or Descriptive Words

These power words highlight the strengths or personal qualities that you bring to the job.

• Resourceful
• Broad-minded
• Conscientious
• Detail-oriented
• Enterprising

Numbers and Quantifiers

These details will give the reader an insight into how impressive your achievements are. You can use them to describe cost, length of time, quantity or even size.

For example, instead of saying “Led a project,” you can add the project's duration, number of people on the team, and a measurable result of the effort.

6. Consider including a cover letter.

Some may question whether cover letters are really necessary. However, they add a personal touch to your resume and show that you’re a serious applicant. If you decide to write one, make sure you don’t repeat what you have already indicated in your resume.

7. Stand out in the hirer’s inbox.

When sending your resume via , write a subject line that is appropriate and specific. If you leave the subject line blank, your email will probably go straight to spam.

Check whether the company has given instructions on the subject line format. If not, include details that will help the receiver identify your email correctly. You may also want to add relevant credentials to make your email more compelling to open.

Here are some examples of subject lines you can use. Use them only if the employer did not specify any subject line:

When applying directly from a job post:

• Junior Web Designer Role Application (Tan Andrea)
• Senior Accountant Application (Mark Cho, CPA)

When someone referred you to apply for the position:

• Recommended by Andy Liu
• UX Research referred by Priya Tihani

Before you hit the “send” button, do a test run and send the email to yourself first. That way, you can make adjustments before sending your email. Click on your attachments to make sure you sent the right files. If you did enclose the correct files, check if they open properly.

Ready to write your resume? Then #LetsGetToWork! Rather than looking for CV examples, save time with our free resume templates . And once you’ve landed that job interview, prepare to impress your prospective employers with our interview practice tool . Download JobStreet's app now on Google Play and the App Store for easier access.

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How to Write a Resume in Singapore – 13 Best Resume Writing Tips

What are the ways of writing a great resume in singapore that will impress your prospective employers read on to find out how to compose the perfect resume..

With the staggering amount of resumes that prospective employers have to sift through, you must be wondering how to write a resume in Singapore and stand out from the crowd?

It has been reported that if you don’t capture the reader’s attention in the first six seconds, your application will probably be tossed out. Therefore, it is crucial for you to compose your resume with the utmost care and attentiveness. A good resume should effectively summarise your job experience, education, skills and awards for the potential employer.

A resume is not to be confused with a Curriculum Vitae or CV, which is slightly different. One key difference between the two is that a resume usually briefly summarises your skills and experience within two pages or less. On the other hand, a CV is more detailed and typically goes beyond two pages.

How to write a resume in Singapore shouldn’t be difficult to answer. To this end, we have compiled 13 resume writing tips in Singapore to write your resume and hopefully land you your dream job.

1. Use a Resume Template

You can start writing a great resume by using a template resume.

Having a template to work off makes it easier for you to compose your resume. Furthermore, it takes care of the formatting and alignment issues so that you can focus on the actual content of the resume.

Resume templates can be found from a variety of sources.

Firstly, there are professional resume templates from applications such as Google Docs, Apple Pages and Microsoft Word. You can also find numerous free resume templates online with a simple Google search.

If you wish to incorporate images and designs in your resume, you can consider other templates based on Photoshop and InDesign as well. The latter would be more relevant if you are applying for jobs in graphic design, photography or technology.

Another good way of getting a resume template is to ask your friends for their resumes. It may be useful to obtain a resume template from someone has successfully procured a job similar to the one you are applying for.

2. Key Sections to Include When Writing Your Resume

Contact information.

You should include your contact information when writing your resume in Singapore. This makes it easy for your potential employer to reach out to you. Other than your name, you should provide your mailing address, email and mobile phone number. You can even provide a link to your LinkedIn profile or personal website if you want to give more personal details.

Work Experience

The work experience section is where you elaborate on your employment history. 

This section should give the employer a sense of your career development and choices. This presents the perfect opportunity to showcase the skills you have gained over the course of your career. You can even highlight the key initiatives and activities that you were involved in and what you learnt from them.

However, the key to resume writing is not to exhaustively list all your previous jobs. Instead, you should list jobs that you feel are relevant to the position you are applying for. In this regard, you may wish to exclude previous part-time stints you undertook or completely unrelated jobs.

Academic Qualifications

The academic qualifications section of your resume is for your prospective employers to determine whether you fulfil the educational requirements for the job. In some cases, having a degree or diploma in a specific field is a basic pre-requisite for the position. 

Employers generally hone in on any university degrees or diplomas you have received. Therefore, you should present these details clearly and prominently. You can state the degree you have obtained, whether you obtained any honours, the school you attended and your year of graduation. You can also highlight important subjects which you took in school that are relevant to your job application.

Awards and Achievements

A key way to write a resume in Singapore is to highlight your awards and achievements. In this section of your resume, you can build upon any job-specific achievements such as best employee or top salesmen awards. Further, you can elaborate on any competitions you’ve won such as hackathons or academic prizes.

Nevertheless, this section is entirely optional. You may not want to include this section if you don’t have many awards or achievements to your name.

Your resume’s skills section relate to your hard, technical skills, rather than your soft skills. This section should disclose your proficiency in programs like Microsoft Excel and Powerpoint. Moreover, you can include additional skills in areas such as copywriting, data analytics, graphic design and so on.

These skills can be written into your resume even if you picked them up on your own. For instance, you can insert in your resume coding skills that you learnt from online courses. While you may not have received formal training in these skills, putting them in your resume shows your willingness to learn and a commitment to your personal development.

Hobbies or Interests

The section on your hobbies or interests is useful for showcasing what you like to do outside of work. However, this section is not strictly needed when writing a resume. Much depends on the company you are applying to work for.

If you wish to work at a company with a more open and diverse culture, then you may decide to add this section. Having unique interests outside of work may also create a good conversation topic. It may even allow you and your job interviewer an opportunity to connect over shared hobbies and interests.

Conversely, if you are applying to a job in a profession such as law or accounting, you may not want to state your hobbies and interests in your resume.

3. Use a Combination of the Reverse Chronological and Functional Approaches

As a general rule, you should adopt the reverse chronological approach when writing a resume. This means that you should list your most recent work experience and qualifications first, followed by the older ones.

Ultimately, employers want to know what your most recent job or qualification is. They may not be as concerned about the job you took five years ago as opposed to five months ago.

However, you can choose to use the functional approach in place of the reverse chronological method under some circumstances.

The functional resume writing approach involves putting the more relevant information about yourself first.

This is usually used when you wish to underscore the important experience or skills that you have that are useful for the job role. You can also use the functional approach to highlight the transferrable skills you have developed in previous work stints.

You can also use the functional approach where you were unemployed for an extended period of time. Using a reverse chronological method in such cases would only make your period of unemployment all the more conspicuous. 

4. Show Your Soft Skills and Key Characteristics

If you’re still wondering how to write a resume in Singapore, this is a key resume writing tip. Decide on some of the soft skills and characteristics you want to demonstrate. Then, devise ways of using your resume to show (not simply state) your soft skills.

After all, saying outright that you are a team player is not very effective. Instead, to show your ability to work in a team, you can say that you “worked closely with team members to spearhead a new initiative” in your previous job. This not only tells the reader what you achieved in your previous role, it also describes a key quality or characteristic that you possess.

5. Use Action Verbs Throughout Your Resume

Action verbs make your resume more engaging and impactful. Furthermore, strategic use of action verbs can also emphasise on your contributions. Hence, you should employ action verbs throughout descriptions and paragraphs while writing a resume.

So what are some action verbs to use in your resume?

Some examples include “executed”, “corresponded”, “orchestrated” “established” and so on.

6. Avoid Using Industry Jargon Excessively

Your resume should be easily understood by a layperson. This is because the recruiter or hiring manager handling your application may not have a technical background. As such, you should avoid using industry jargon in excess. This factor is important when deciding on how to write a resume in Singapore. 

A little bit of jargon may be used if you are applying for a position that requires extensive technical knowledge. This may possibly apply to fields like finance or engineering.

In such cases, careful placement of a few key technical terms in your resume could make you seem a little more knowledgeable. Nonetheless, this should be done in moderation and should not affect the overall readability of your resume. 

7. Proofread for Glaring Grammatical Errors and Typos

This is an obvious but often overlooked resume writing tip in Singapore. Grammatical and typographical errors look very unprofessional and leaves a bad impression on the reader. It shows one of two things. Either that that you are not meticulous enough to spot these mistakes or you simply didn’t put in the effort to write your resume. Hence, you should proofread your resume thoroughly to ensure you don’t make obvious grammatical errors or typos.

As the writer of your resume, you may become blind to glaring mistakes as you’ve read through it numerous times. Therefore, you can consider getting another set of eyes to take a look at your resume. In fact, you can ask trusted friends or family members to help proofread your resume.

8. Use a Nice-Looking Font and Font Size

Your resume should look neat and professional to prospective employers. Therefore, use a clean-looking font such as Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman when writing a resume. In addition, the size of the font should ideally be around 10 to 12 point. This is to enhance the readability of the resume, without the reader having to strain their eyes to read your resume.

9. Save Your Resume in PDF Format

You should always save and send your resume in PDF format. If you use formats such as Microsoft Word, you run the risk of your written resume having formatting or alignment issues due to software compatibility problems. This creates a very bad impression on the part of the reader, even if the issues arose due to no fault on your part. Simple but effective resume writing tip!

10. Compose Your Resume Based on Research

Do some research on your prospective employer before writing your resume. Find out what kind of employee they are looking for.

Then, based on your research, you can compose your resume to highlight qualities that make you suitable for the job. This may improve your chances in the eyes of the reader as you appear to check all the boxes for the potential position. It may also demonstrate to the potential employer that you put in the effort to find out the job requirements and incorporated them into your resume accordingly.

11. Make Sure Your Information is Presented Clearly and Concisely

As mentioned before, employers have limited time to skim through a huge amount of resumes. Therefore, you should present your information clearly and concisely to capture their attention.

You can also make use of bullet points to illustrate the key points of your resume. This enables the reader to quickly understand your significant work experience and qualifications with just a brief scan of your resume. This is precisely how to write a resume in Singapore that awes the hiring managers!

12. Consider Using a Visume

If you wish to differentiate yourself from other job applicants, you can consider complementing your paper resume with a Visume. A Visume is a video resume that allows you to show parts of you that cannot be captured on paper. For instance, a Visume will allow the potential employer to observe your mannerisms and hear how you speak. This may be helpful especially if your written resume is not very impressive and you wish to supplement it using another means.

13. Keep Your Resume Short

Apart from keeping the content of your resume concise, you should also limit your resume to 1 to 2 pages. At the end of the day, you want to zero in on your key achievements and qualities when writing a resume in Singapore. You should not be putting every single thing that comes to mind.

The reader would be turned off if you make them read lengthy, irrelevant passages or a written documentary of your entire life. Thus, you should always strive to keep your resume short and to the point. This is key to good resume writing in this technological age.

Hopefully using our key tips on how to write a resume in Singapore will improve your job application and land you an interview! After getting your new role, you can check out our resignation letter templates to help you resign in a professional manner.

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How to Write a Resume in Singapore

Posted on 13 oct 2021.

If you are looking for greener pastures in a foreign country, perhaps you will want to consider Singapore. Nine out of 10 foreign employees have explicitly stated that they love the Southeast Asian country’s working environment . On top of that, Singapore consistently receives top marks for education, healthcare, and overall quality of life, so it’s no wonder why applicants from all over the world are sending their Singapore resume and clamoring to find work in the so-called City of Lions. If you want to be successful with your application and land a job here immediately, Resumeble teaches you how to write a resume in Singapore with these amazing tips.

Include a cover letter

Too often, applicants to Singaporean jobs will send only their resume, not knowing that many employers here prefer it to be accompanied by a cover letter. Cover letters are a way for recruiters to get to know their candidates better, so don’t make the mistake of not including one with your Singapore resume.

Resumeble also offers cover letter writing along with our professional resume writing services . We can help ensure that your cover letter is the perfect complement to your CV Singapore or resume Singapore. Don’t hesitate to ask us to learn more about this particular service.

Customize for the job

Sending out a generic resume will only hurt your chances of getting hired. You need to make sure your resume Singapore is tailored specifically for the job and company you want to work for—this means studying the job requirements, and only including information that is relevant to the job in question. Avoid using vague and indirect wordings such as “participated in” that doesn’t really reveal how or what you contributed, and will only lead to misperceptions and misunderstandings. Use words that clearly define and describe your skills, qualifications, and expertise. This will help you secure the extra points you need to get shortlisted as the HR people evaluate your resume.

Use professionally accepted language

Singapore prides itself on its diversity—numerous races and cultures call the City of Lions their home. This means you have to be upstanding and considerate with your word choice while being respectful of the different cultures. As both British and American English are accepted here, you need to find out which English vocabulary is preferred by the company you’re sending your resume to. And be careful with words that other cultures might deem offensive or discriminating. That’s the easiest way to have your Singapore resume hurling towards the recycle bin.

Include the proper keywords

Faced with pile upon pile of applications, many employers will use automated applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan resumes to see if their senders qualify for the job. These automated applications detect keywords, and if your resume doesn’t contain the right terms and phrases, you can bet that it has no chance of ever reaching the eyes of a recruiter or hiring manager.

To have the proper keywords in your resume, you must comb over the job posting thoroughly, with a keen eye on prominent and unique keywords. Very often, these will be specific skills, know-how, training, and experiences in the job description. Take note of these keywords and use the exact wording on your resume. If you don’t and simply use a similar word, the ATS may not pick it up. By using the proper keywords, you’ll be able to match up your qualifications with what the company is looking for in a candidate.

Be ready with your references

Make sure to include three to four references in your resume. These can be your former managers and mentors who you personally know in a professional capacity. Include their names, job position, the name of the company/institution they work for, and contact details which should include their email and phone number. Don’t forget to include the country code if they’re not from Singapore. Inform your references beforehand so they can prepare with a glowing recommendation of you in case a potential employer calls them up.

How to write a resume in Singapore: What not to do

Just as there are good practices to writing a Singapore resume, there are also bad ones. Keep in mind to avoid the following mistakes on how to write a resume in Singapore if you want an application that impresses you.

Mistake #1: Writing an overstuffed resume

Your vast experience may amaze regular people, but not recruiters and hiring managers, especially if most of what you listed is unrelated to the job in question. Boost your chances by limiting your resume Singapore to one or two pages, with only your most important and relevant information included. Keeping your resume brief and to the point makes it easier to read, and ensuring every piece of information is relevant makes it more recruiter-friendly.

Mistake #2: Including proficiency in basic computer programs

Word, Excel, Powerpoint—knowledge in these basic applications just doesn’t impress anyone anymore, especially in a highly technological nation like Singapore. Unless the job posting specifically mentions them, it’s best to forgo listing down these basic computer skills, as these make you appear more of a newbie. Instead, list down in your Singapore resume your more advanced and unique computer proficiencies to pique their interest.

Mistake #3: Anything negative

Your Singapore resume is meant to market your capabilities input you in a good light, so there’s no room for anything negative. Even if your previous jobs were unpleasant, avoid putting former employers and co-workers down, both in your resume and job interview. If the hiring manager asks why you did not include your former boss as a reference, provide a brief and positive explanation, but refrain from badmouthing anyone.

Work with Resumeble for your Singaporean resume

Worry no more about how to write a resume in Singapore. Let Resumeble’s resume writer Singapore worry about your resume or CV Singapore so you can focus on other aspects of your application, such as securing a work visa or preparing your answers for the job interview. Our resume writing services come with a 60-day interview guarantee. Take the right steps toward a fruitful career in Singapore by hiring us for your resume writing needs. Contact us today!

• 7 seconds: this is how long your resume has either to impress or be ignored by the recruiter
• 300+: average number of applications one corporate job opening posted online receives
• 3%: number of sent resumes that result in interviews

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How to write a Resume – A Singapore Guide

In need of tips of how to write the perfect resume in Singapore? What to include in a resume for your Singapore job application? 

Regardless if you are trying to create a starter CV or a work experience resume, The  Citadel Searc h team had a robust discussion about the best resumes that stood out to us over our 18 years of experience as a recruiting agency. 

Here are some tips for a good resume we unanimously agreed on.  Technically, this article is relevant for you, regardless of which country you are applying jobs to but especially so if you like to land a job here in Singapore!   Whether you are doing a starter CV or enhancing your mid-career resume, this How to write a Resume Guide should be your back-pocket aid. So read on!

4 writing tips for great resumes in Singapore

1. career summary.

There is no correct resume format for the Singapore job market. However, some of the great resume samples we have seen, included  excellent career summaries   at the start. Think about it as your “About” section of your resume, just like your Linkedin profile. 

Not only does the branding statement serve as a hook that effectively captures attention , but it serves to provide readers with a relevant, concise and eloquent summary of your career experience and skills gained in an efficient way.  This is the first resume writing rule to the perfect resume.

Most resumes include summaries that simply reiterate what is stated in their professional experience and thus fail to value-add. Other summaries ramble on about experiences or skills that are not relevant to the job they are applying to. Relevancy is KEY.    Irrelevant information is not useful in helping you stand out or form a lasting impression on the hiring manager. 

Make sure your career summary is concise and highlights your career experiences and aspirations that are highly relevant to the role. Especially if you are transiting mid-career and offer skills from different domains, then it would even be more pertinent to showcase the key highlights of your experience and how you offer transferable skills to the new domain in your Career Summary.

2. Tailor Your Resume Content to the Job

On the topic of relevant information, it is imperative to read the job ad before creating your resume. Take the time to sieve out the key skills, so that you will be able to tailor your CV’s content to the job.

This is what your typical “Professional Resume Template” on Google misses out on.

Great resumes that have made an indelible impression are also those that are especially targeted to the specific job they are applying for. These include the use of keywords that describe their accomplishments, key skills and experiences relevant to the job.

It is important to remember that everything in your resume matters because hiring managers use it as their primary source of information for forming an impression of you. Omit irrelevant details to avoid giving the hiring manager the impression you’re not the best fit for the position.

Similarly, be more targeted and selective, elaborating on the more relevant experiences. Another strength is the ‘skimability’ of their resumes , conveying important information quickly.

A great resume shows the candidate has thoughtfully highlighted key projects, skills, and researched the role’s challenges. Use of section headings is key here to clearly highlight the various relevant information and skill sets.

For example, if the job uses a certain tool or system and the candidate has the relevant skills, showcase the skill, level of expertise and results produced with that specific skill. Showcasing your market expertise and proven results makes for a winning resume if the organization aims to expand there!

Why is this so important?  

Many companies today have smart applicant tracking systems which help sieve out and recommend the most suitable candidates. Therefore the number of times you had used those key skills matters. By tailoring your resume to the specific job, it can help make your job search more productive for both parties too – this saves so much time.

Therefore, we have to change our paradigm that you only have one standard version of your resume! This is therefore the second rule in to writing a resume – The Singapore Guide, Tailor your content to each job application!

3. Write in Active Verbs

So far, we have been talking a lot about relevant information when writing the perfect resume. However, here is another game-changing resume-writing rule – language .

Great resumes that stand out to us are those that are primarily written in an active voice. A sentence is written in an active voice when the subject of a sentence performs the verb’s action.

For example, “I completed my homework” is written in active voice compared to “the homework was completed by me” which is written in passive voice.

Resumes that use active voice stand out because they convey a strong, direct and confident tone. Furthermore, the use of active voice helps to emphasise the actor, themselves, before the action, thereby spotlighting the person at the fore of his various accomplishments.

This attribute can be further strengthened through the use of power action verbs.

For instance, instead of “led”, try using “spearheaded”, replace “planned” with “organised”, and change “worked with” to “collaborate”. Such words pack a punch and are more likely to compel the hiring manager to invite you for an interview where she or he can get to know you better.

Use this third resume writing rule in our guide to use only active verbs when writing your job experience .

4. Useful Visualisations

Now that you have learnt what a good resume looks like compared to an average one, you will notice additionally it is more than just the content and language. For the best CVs, it is also the resume design.

While it is often risky to differ from resume templates that are most commonly used in basically any starter CV out there, a particular, impressionable, creative resume section that included an unconventional feature was well-received as it was useful and value-adding.

In this resume sample below, the candidate used a (horizontal) timeline as a visual summary of her work history. You can also use this chronological resume format in a graphical form to showcase progression to help to visually represent your job experience resume in an infographic format.

While different, we found this useful as it effectively conveyed her entire work history at a glance, enabling us to sieve out the most critical information, such as key skills and relevant information tailored to the job ad. We subsequently identified her as a good fit for our client.

Having a career timeline is especially useful when you are making a career switch (switching from IT a Business Analyst to Digital Marketing role for example), as it would allow the hiring manager to have a clearer view of your career paths.

Wondered how to write personal interests in your resume?  

You can also showcase your interest and passion for the new role by including self-initiated projects or courses, related to the field, that you have accomplished. All these would aid hiring managers in seeing the relevant transferable skills or capabilities you have, putting up a stronger case as to why they should hire you. For example you have picked up Machine Learning or Artificial Intelligence and the job ad had indicated that, then it would be a good idea to include these new personal interests in your resume.

As such, resumes that include unconventional features are not necessarily bad. Ultimately, it boils down to whether these features are value-adding and appropriate for the job at hand. 

For example, it would do a digital content creator well to include a few aesthetic features in his/her resume as a way of exhibiting their personal style.  Give samples of what you do through useful links that help people understand your capabilities.  We find candidates who do that tend to stand a much higher chance for interviewers to have a better visualisation and impression of their t echnical and creative competencies.   This final resume writing rule will certainly guide you in landing the coveted job opportunity. 

Combine all these resume writing rules into your CV.  

Our advice on how to write a resume will make you stand out in the Singapore job market! Tailor your resume to the job ad with relevant information and designs. 

However, we understand the difficulties when it comes to writing the perfect resume. Following tips for a good resume constantly could be an overwhelming process. If you like to know what are resume mistakes  you should avoid, read   here .

You might be wondering next, after writing a perfect resume, what else should I do? Then read the next article on  how to prepare for interviews.  These positive action steps will certainly help you land that coveted job you want! 

As such,  Citadel Search’s Resumes Service   imparts our candidates the skills to fine-tune and perfect their resumes. Alternatively, you can read more on  Resume Tips – Avoid Common Mistakes People Make In Resume  to improve avoid common mistakes in resume writing. 

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How to write a resume in Singapore

CV Writing | LinkedIn Profile | Cover Letter

It is important to know how to write a resume in Singapore to help you get invited to a job interview with an employer. The resume is the first and most preferred way of introducing yourself, so it should highlight all of your strong points.

• Professional Introduction

The professional summary section needs to be the first thing on your resume that an employer sees. Because of that, you want to have it at the beginning of your resume, right under your name and contact details.

Do consider the perspective of the recruiter/Hiring Manager. He/she is seeking a candidate who fits a job description and can bring value to an organization. They may not have time to delve deeply into your CV and slowly figure out who you are, so you need to connect the dots for them in an effective manner in your introduction.

2. An area of expertise section

Area of expertise skills are the abilities you have that are transferable and can be brought to your new employer. Area of expertise skills can be shown on a resume by listing the specific skills that you have. The area of expertise gives hiring managers a quick way to assess whether an applicant is qualified for a position. Hiring managers spend six seconds on average, reviewing a resume. If your skills are concise and easy to read, you have a better chance of being selected for a job interview.

3 Duties and Responsibilities

Job responsibility summaries include information about roles, activities and tasks that relate to fulfilling job requirements. Always remember to focus on your primary responsibilities instead of listing all the duties.  Primary job responsibility is typically one paragraph made up of three or four details that highlight that particular job.

4. Key contributions

Most candidates know to include the duties and responsibilities of their positions on their resume. Still, they often leave out one of the most important elements of their professional history: their key contributions. Having key contributions on your resume can help illuminate your strengths, history of success and growth to potential employers. It shows what you can bring to the table.5

5 Education and Professional Certifications

Education and Professional Certifications is another key section employers look for on resumes. This information will inform interviewers of your background, which can help you understand more about your fit for the role. If your qualifications are particularly relevant to the position or include any required credentials, this section may quickly set you apart from other candidates. Details you should include on your qualifications are as follows

The name of your school Location of your school The degree you obtained (if applicable) Your field of study Graduation year (if applicable)

Ready to start writing?

Remember that every resume is different. For more detailed and individualised professional assistance, get a complimentary free resume review from us here .

Are you looking for jobs in Singapore? You can find a listing of the most popular job sites in Singapore here .

Would you like to have more career advice for your job search in Singapore, you can also visit MyCareersFuture here .

Would you like to know what the market rate for your salary in Singapore is? Visit the Manpower Ministry guide here .

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Singapore Resume Format & How to Write Guide

Jacob Smith

Certified Professional Résumé Writer, Career Expert

April 27, 2022 ❘

🕐 min read

Singapore is considered as one of the countries that have a high quality of life. As a result, many foreign people like to relocate here to work.

Your resume is one of the most crucial documents in your Singapore job hunt.

So this is a tailored resume guide especially written for the job seekers in Singapore and other foreign candidates who wish to apply for Singapore jobs.

As we already know the resume is a different document from a CV. But in Singapore both the words CV and Resume used interchangeably to describe the same document.

With that in mind, read on to find out how to compose the perfect resume that will impress your prospective employers in Singapore.

Singapore resume sample

See the resume sample below to get a better understanding of how a Singapore resume should look. If you want to be noticed by recruiters in Singapore, you must have a perfect resume as below. Study this resume sample carefully and create your own resume and increase your job winning rate in Singapore.

Why do you need a good resume when applying for jobs in Singapore?

Finding a good job in Singapore is typically a difficult task. Because the Singapore job market is so competitive, even accomplished professionals find it difficult to find jobs in Singapore. But on the other hand, Singapore is a top destination for foreign workers. And the job market here is never saturated.

That’s why you need to have a well-written resume to apply for Singaporean jobs. If you tailor your resume for a specific job, you will not find it much difficult to get into the next stage of your job competition.

That is why you must have a well-written resume to apply for Singaporean jobs. If you tailor your resume to a specific job, you will not have much difficulty in landing an interview opportunity.

Key sections to include in a Singapore resume format

01. resume header (contact information).

This is the place where you should include your contact information on your resume. This makes it easier for your future employer to contact you. Here you need to include your full name, job title you are applying for, your location, email address, and mobile phone number. You can make your resume header stand out by including a link to your LinkedIn profile, portfolio, or personal website.

02. Resume summary

This is an introduction paragraph of yourself which comes just after your contact information section. Here you should show the employer, at a glance, why you’re qualified for the job. You must summarize your previous work experience and explain how it will benefit the company where you wish to work. You can also list any major certifications you’ve earned and the most important skills that you have which need to do the job well.

03. Work experience

Here you can elaborate your previous related experience in a concise manner. This section is a great place to highlight the skills you’ve acquired throughout your career. You can also highlight the most important accomplishments in your career, as well as what you learned from them.

Some applicants try to list their job responsibilities here. But that will not impress the employers. They want to see how you perform in your previous roles and what your achievements are. So make sure to list some of your best achievements in bulleted lists under each work experience.

04. Education

Education section of your resume is the place where the employers determine whether you fulfill the educational requirements for the job. Having a degree or diploma in a specific field is a basic prerequisite for jobs in Singapore. So make sure you hold the required educational qualification before you apply for the job.

When listing the educational qualifications, mention your degree, whether you received any honors or awards, the college you attended, and your graduation year. You can also highlight important coursework from your school years that are relevant to the job you are applying for.

When listing skills on your resume for a SIngapore job, you should focus more on your technical and hard skills rather than your soft skills.

What matters most is a list of the requested technical abilities. Singapore is an excellent place to work for tech-savvy individuals. As a result, employers believe that each candidate possesses a wide range of technical skills. As a result, listing basic computer skills in Singapore resumes is pointless.

It’s preferable if you can list the skills that are listed in the job advertisement. Because those skills are well-aligned with the job, and they will also help you in beating the ATS scan.

Resume formats to use in Singapore

There are three resume formats that are accepted in Singapore. Those are:

• Reverse-chronological resume format
• Functional resume format
• Combination resume format

From these three resume formats, reverse chronological format is the preferred resume format. This means both your work history and your educational background should be listed in reverse chronological order (the most recent position or academic qualification should be listed first and then the others).

In a functional resume format, your skills are prioritized over your experience and educational qualifications. This format is now outdated, and only a few people still use it.

The chronological format is best for candidates with years of relevant experience. But if you’re a person with little experience, it is good to go with a combination resume format which is a hybrid version of both chronological and functional resume formats.

As the Singapore job market is looking for skilled candidates, the combination format is ideal for showcasing your skills and experience for potential employers.

How long should a Singapore resume be

The ideal resume length is one page . If you have a considerable amount of related experience and achievements, it could be a challenge for you to keep your resume in a single page. Therefore in such a case it is completely acceptable to go for a second page. However, your resume should not be more than 3 pages for any reason.

Most of the great resumes are short and succinct. Therefore be wise to know what to include and exclude in your resume.

Essential tips to make your Singapore job application stand out

• If you are a foreigner with a Singaporean PR or work visa, make sure to include it in your resume. Having a valid work permit can increase your chances of being called for an interview.
• Your resume will be more engaging and impactful if you use resume action verbs. The proper use of action verbs strategically can highlight your contributions in your previous workplaces. Therefore, you should use action verbs throughout the descriptions and paragraphs when you write your resume.
• Grammar and typo errors appear unprofessional on resumes and could give the reader a negative impression about the candidate. Therefore double-check your resume before sending it to a potential employer. It’s possible that you won’t be able to spot your own mistakes. So that you can have someone else to proofread your resume, such as one of your trusted friends or a family member. You can also use an online tool like Grammarly to help you with this.
• Singapore is a country where technology is best used. So it is no secret that every company in the country uses applicant tracking software. So adjust your resume so that it can beat the ATS . Doing so will give you more interview opportunities.
• If you are applying for a job in Singapore and want to stand out among the other candidates, you can submit a video resume in addition to your resume and cover letter. This is also known as a Visume. Submitting a visume, which is still new to the job market, gives employers the opportunity to gain a better understanding of your communication skills. As a result, you can reduce the number of interviews you have to attend and get a job quickly. See our complete guide to create a video resume .

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5 minute read

Creating Resumes: 5 Free Tools to Use That’s Approved by a Career Coach

Different jobseekers need different resumes – here are tools and advice to create yours and stand out to an employer..

In this day and age, asking your friend to email you their chio resume template and then simply cutting and pasting your own career details doesn’t quite cut it.

What you want is your professional persona to showcase how you fit the job and industry you’re gunning for. Thanks to various free online resume creation tools available, it’s not that hard to create a winning resume!

Zarina Abu Bakar, a certified Career Practitioner with 13 years of experience with Workforce Singapore (WSG), believes these resume builders can be of great help if you’re looking to build your resume. “These sites simplify your resume writing process with ready resume templates. All you need to do is fill in your professional information.”

For some background, Zarina specialises in helping professionals through career exploration and coaching on resumes, job interviews and professional branding, and has helped over 3,000 professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) to move into careers that align with their interests, strengths and values!

Need personalised guidance in your job search? Register for a complimentary session with WSG’s Career Matching Services today and get the support you need.

Customising your resume still matters

However, this doesn’t just mean you only use the standard templates found on such sites without edits or tweaks.

Zarina shared: “While these resume templates are indeed useful, jobseekers also need to ask themselves: will this resume format help to sell their skills and experiences, and catch an employers’ attention?”

Format also matters, of course. “For example, employers will always prefer to see a career summary at the top of the resume, summarising your overall work experiences”, she added.

Are adding extra academic activities from school or personal hobbies on your resume really relevant?

In a Singapore context, one thing local jobseekers might wonder is whether adding those extra-academic activities taken during your schooling days, or simply personal passions that you enjoy, really helpful in getting a potential employer’s attention on a resume?

Zarina believes so, revealing: “For fresh graduates, showcasing extra-curricular activities can help, especially when the activities demonstrate skills and qualities desired by employers.

Looking for a job? Explore a range of career opportunities with Career GRIT. Connect with hiring employers at various career events such as walk-in interviews, virtual job interviews, virtual career fairs, and many more!

“For example, this can include leadership skills, communication skills, project management, or events organization.”

Raring to get going on your resume?  Here’s a quick list of some online tools and starter packs that you might want to consider!

Cvmaker.com

What this site promises: “Often, it is important to be able to tailor your resume based on the job you wish to apply for. With CVmaker, you can create and manage several different resumes in an organised way through your own personal account hub.”

What this site promises: “Use professional field-tested resume templates that follow the exact ‘resume rules’ employers look for. Easy to use and done within minutes – try now for free!”

Resume-resource.com

What this site promises: “Over 500 examples and articles authored by certified and professional resume writers. They’re all designed to help you create a professional quality resume & cover letter that help you get interviews and land a dream job!”

What this site promises: “Land your dream job with captivating CVs you can professionally customize, to reflect your true potential with Canva’s free resume templates and easy-to-use design editor.”

Workforce Singapore’s resume starter pack

What Zarina promises: “Designed for Singaporean jobseekers, it’s good to make the process of resume writing and interview coaching for you as simplified as possible.

“This starter pack summarises the key points in a concise way, so local jobseekers can use it as a guide when crafting their own resume or preparing for interviews.”

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The Best Skills To Include In Your Resume For Those In The Digital Economy

Published by: SkillsFuture Singapore

Best skills to include in your resume

Updating your resume can be a tedious process and it’s easy to see why. Aside from cramping your work experience into a couple of paragraphs, writing about yourself and your achievements can be a challenging task.

What you need in a modern-day resume

Today, a good resume is more than a bunch of relevant action verbs and skills. It has to tell a story. 

A great way to start is by identifying your personal brand. Would you like to be seen as a data specialist? What about a Microsoft Excel maestro? Shape your resume around your skill sets and experience that hiring managers can pick up in an instant. 

Including a skill section in your resume

The skills section in your resume is a useful part to showcase your value. Not only does a skills section summarise your skill sets in an instant, but it also makes sure that your skills are picked up by recruiters or resume-scanning softwares. 

Updating your resume with your latest experience and achievements is always a good idea to help take stock of your achievements and skillsets. For those in the digital economy , here are some of the best skills to include in your resume! 

1. Technology Application

As a rule of thumb, you should not include Microsoft Office as a skill in your resume. Instead, it’s important to take a deeper dive into the suite of tools that Microsoft Office offers.

If you’re a Microsoft Excel wizard that can churn out complex formulas and powerful pivot tables, be sure to put it in. Alternatively, if you can turn boring decks into compelling presentations, slide Microsoft Powerpoint into your resume

Honing your skills in any of the Microsoft Office suite of programmes does not have to take a long time. There are also plenty of templates on sites like SlideCarnival that can help give some inspiration to your work. Alternatively, you can also attend these short 2-day courses as well!

Unleash Productivity through Microsoft Excel Duration: 14 hours (2 days) Training provider: Temasek Polytechnic Course fee: $850 Find out more about the course

Crafting Impactful Presentation Duration: 16 hours (2 days) Training provider: Singapore Polytechnic Course fee: $400 Find out more about the course

2. Market Research

Companies do not exist alone. For an organisation to do well, it’s important to develop a thorough understanding of not only its customer but the environment and competitors as well. From identifying trends and extracting useful business insights, market research is a highly-coveted skill.

While there are plenty of market research tools, the free-to-use Google Trends is a great place to start for desktop research. Alternatively, you can also strengthen your primary research skills by learning more about SurveyMonkey and Google Forms.

Being a competent market researcher is not all about simply Googling for information. Displaying the findings in a clear and digestible manner is another skill that tends to get overlooked. For those who already have a decent understanding of research skills, getting a basic foundation in graphic design can give your presentations and reports an added boost. 

Research Methods 

Duration: 36 hours  Training provider: Singapore University of Social Sciences Course fee: $1,378 Find out more about the course

Qualitative Analytics for Business and Policy-Making Duration: 15 hours (2 days) Training provider: National University Of Singapore Course fee: $2,100 Find out more about the course

3. Data Analytics

No matter the sector, data analysis is an essential skill that remains consistent in the digital economy. Fortunately, there are quite a few relatively easy-to-pick-up data analytics programmes like Microsoft Excel, PowerBI, and Tableau.

If you’re looking to gain a deeper mastery in the exciting field of data analytics, there are also advanced data analytics programmes like Python and R as well. Be sure to use your SkillsFuture Credit to help offset the cost!

Data Analytics for Managers (Synchronous E-learning)

Duration: 17 hours (2 days) Training provider: Singapore Management University Course fee: $1,600 Find out more about the course

Fundamentals of Data Analytics (Synchronous e learning) Duration: 16 hours (2 days) Training provider: Republic Polytechnic Course fee: $630 Find out more about the course

4. Process Improvement and Optimisation

Process improvement is about establishing frameworks to identify processes and creating new ways to improve effectiveness. If you can help shave a couple of minutes off your team’s daily workflow, you’re already playing a part in process improvement for your organisation. 

When including process improvement in your resume, it’s a good idea to quantify it with numbers. For example, an employee who improves the number of site visitors by 200% would be seen as more valuable as compared to another who is simply involved in increasing site visits. 

Contrary to its name, process improvement is not all about improving processes. It’s also important to take into account how work can be measured as well. Looking at new ways to measure and track performance is another great way to supplement your process improvement skills.

Apply Continuous Process Improvement Techniques

Duration: 15 hours Training provider: Singapore Polytechnic Course fee: $900 Find out more about the course

Drive Productivity and Innovation (SF - Operations Manager) [Synchronous E-Learning]

Duration: 24 hours (4 days) Training provider: Singapore Institute Of Retail Studies (SIRS) Course fee: $501 Find out more about the course

5. Communication Skills

While the four skills above can be taught and learned, communication is a soft skill that is harder to develop. Still, that does not mean that you should not pay attention to it. Employees who have a high mastery of soft skills stand out from the crowd easily and are useful in any position. 

One thing to note is how experienced interviewers will want you to show rather than tell them about your soft skills - so be sure to be ready for it! 

Communication is part of SkillsFuture’s Critical Core Skills . These 16 soft skills are specially identified to be relevant in today’s workplace and are useful for employees in any sector.

Facilitate Effective Communication and Engagement at the Workplace

Duration: 17.5 hours  Training provider: Singapore Polytechnic  Course fee: $352 Find out more about the course

Fine-tuning: Writing Skills for Managers

Duration:  14hours Training provider: British Council Singapore Ltd Course fee: $892 Find out more about the course

Skills to include in your resume

Adopting a skills-based approach can help make your resume stand out from the pack. 

Pro tip: When deciding the skills to include in your resume, look through the “required skills” section in job postings and see how it can fit into your skillset. More often than not, the skills would be similar across job roles in the same sector. 

Be sure to also check out our guide on the green and care economy. Alternatively, you can always speak with a friendly Skills Ambassador to identify the skills you need.

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A place for all your Singapore related questions.

Singapore-specific resume tips

I moved to Singapore recently, and I'm starting to get back into the job market.

I was wondering what Singapore-specific resume tips you guys might have.

A Google search gave generic tips for any resume, but I'm looking for things like:

Do Singaporean resumes typically want a picture of yourself, an objective/summary statement? (not typical or becoming obsolete in US)

Should I include nationality/citizenship status, etc.?

Do I include whether or not I need a work pass? (I can get a Letter of Consent on an LTVP in 4 - 5 months, but ideally, I'd like an S pass sooner than that)

Should I use a more Chinese-sounding name? (i.e. fiance's last name)?

Should I include references/"references available upon request"? (again, obsolete in US, so not sure)

Let me know if I'm forgetting anything. Thanks in advance!

How to Write a Beginner Resume Summary with No Experience [Examples]

Customers Interviewed by:

When you’re diving into the job market with limited experience, writing a strong resume is key to landing your dream job. A well-written resume starts with a resume summary —the elevator pitch that shows the reader your greatest accomplishments, skills, and passions. A beginner summary for your resume is the starting point to wow-ing the hiring team and proving you’re the best candidate for the job.

An entry-level or beginner resume isn’t about listing everything you’ve accomplished or can do. Instead, it’s a strategic dance of weaving together your enthusiasm, soft skills, and unique experience. Then, you connect it to the job description and what the hiring manager is looking for.

• What a resume summary is.
• The critical components of a resume summary.
• Step-by-step instructions on how to write an entry-level or beginner summary for resumes.
• Examples and templates of successful resume summaries.

Understanding the resume summary for beginners

Your resume summary is a snapshot of your professional life—only 3 to 5 sentences—curated with each job description in mind. Job seekers include their professional title, years of experience, skills , and measurable achievements to entice the recruiter to read the rest of the resume.

As you navigate the job search, you’ll see how your resume summary is one of the most valuable sections of your resume.

What is an entry-level resume summary?

When you’re an entry-level applicant, the snapshot summary likely isn’t full of accolades, impactful accomplishments, or advanced skills. Rather, an effective resume summary for a beginning job seeker highlights an eagerness to learn, adaptability, and growth potential.

For entry-level applicants, “It’s not just about bullet points and job titles; it’s about weaving together the threads of your journey, painting a picture of resilience, ambition, and growth,” says Harleny Vasquez , a visionary Career Coach and CEO of yourEVOLVEDmind. “It’s a chance to showcase not just what you’ve done, but who you are and where you’re headed. Each section is a story, each accomplishment a milestone on the path you’ve forged with passion and purpose.”

The purpose of an entry-level summary

A professional summary is the attention-grabbing highlight reel. A successful summary keeps the hiring team reading your resume to learn more about you. In a hot job market where standing out is critical, resume summaries can be a positive differentiator.

Resume summaries provide key context to your resume. It helps the hiring manager frame your candidacy in their mind—they learn why you’re applying, how your skill set translates to the job, and key accomplishments that show you off in the best light. Many other applicants are jumping from the resume headline into the work experience, losing out on the opportunity to capture the hiring team right away.

Want to see examples of resume summaries for any stage of your career? Read 86+ Resume Summary Examples to Inspire You

Resume summary vs. objective

Resume summary and resume objective are often used interchangeably, but the two are very different. They serve different purposes and are used to convey different types of information.

Resume objective

A resume objective states your career goals and the type of position you are seeking. It is forward-looking and focuses on what you want to achieve in your career.

Primarily, it includes your career aspirations and what you aim to contribute to the employer.

For example, a resume objective could say something like:

Seeking a position as a Marketing Coordinator to utilize my skills in digital marketing and content creation in a dynamic, growth-oriented company.

Recruiters and career coaches argue against the resume objective because it’s more focused on the applicant, rather than the company you’re applying to.

Kelli Hrivnak , Founder of the boutique recruitment firm, Knack Digital shares, “I never like to see a resume objective on a resume. An employer is seeking an employee who will solve their problem, as opposed to prioritizing the wants and needs of the applicant.”

Jazlyn Unbedacht , Resume Writer and LinkedIn Optimizer argues we should just get rid of resume objectives altogether. “I’m not sure why they ever were a thing to begin with. Harness expertise from other experiences in your life, like education, volunteer work, hobby pursuits, and more and use that to create a short summary of what you can bring to the table as an employee.”

Resume summary

A resume summary provides a brief overview of your professional background, highlighting your key achievements and skills. It is backward-looking, summarizing what you have already accomplished in your career.

The short paragraph includes your key qualifications, experience, and major achievements. A summary is designed to quickly give employers an idea of your expertise and the value you can bring to their organization.

Many entry-level applicants and those writing beginner summaries for their resumes tend to default to objectives. They worry they have nothing impressive to highlight in their summary.

But Kelli Hrivnak urges you to think outside the box. “For job seekers who don’t have relevant work experience, can you include other experience or skills acquired in your project work instead?”

For example, Kelli suggests writing something like:

Google-certified Marketing graduate with 4 months of experience as an Audience Development intern at a nationally recognized publication firm. Grew audience engagement on Facebook by 30% by developing social strategy and initiatives.

Key pieces of a beginner resume summary

Think of your resume summary like a formula. Just like a math equation has values that you need to solve the problem, your resume summary has critical components that make it impactful to the hiring team.

Follow the formula below to write a standout summary:

Versatile [Your Professional Title] with over [X Years] of experience in [Field/Role]. Skilled in [Skill 1], [Skill 2], and [Skill 3]. Proven success in [Measurable Accomplishment 1] and [Measurable Accomplishment 2].

Tailor your resume summary

You can’t write your resume summary once and use it for every application. Your resume—including the summary—should be tailored to each job description.

To tailor your resume summary, you should read the job description closely and pick out keywords and skills to integrate into your resume. This process can take a few hours per job posting, but you can do it quickly with Jobscan’s resume optimization tools.

If you don’t have a resume and are starting from scratch, the Resume Builder tool can help you create a base resume, then you can move directly into Power Edit to tailor your resume to the job description.

Quantify your achievements

Numbers and percentages showing time or money saved, revenue generated, or team members managed can show the hiring team how you help an organization thrive, rather than telling them what you’ve done.

For example, you can write:

Boosted sales by 30% through innovative product displays and promotions, and successfully managed inventory turnover, reducing excess stock by 20%.

Use Power Words and Action Verbs

Boring word choices make it easy for the hiring team to gloss over your resume. Inspire emotion and paint a picture with the words you use. Ditch common resume words and use more powerful words instead.

Discover the best power words and action verbs to integrate into your resume: 500 Action Verbs to Use on Your Resume Today

Step-by-step guide to writing an entry-level resume summary

Even if you know the resume summary formula, how can you ensure you’re making a successful impact on the hiring team? There are a handful of steps you can follow to knock your resume summary out of the park every time.

Step 1: Do a self-assessment

Before you write your resume summary, you first have to have a firm understanding of your strengths, skill set, and achievements. Take time to think about a few dimensions of your professional journey.

Using education in your resume summary

Consider your degrees or certifications and any projects and coursework. If you’re short on hands-on experience, using experience from school or other learning can show off your experience and professional growth.

Draw on untraditional experience for your resume summary

When you’re writing a beginner summary for your resume, your experience is limited. But you can draw on volunteer work, part-time jobs, clubs, or even hobbies to link to skills the hiring manager is looking for.

Highlight your transferable skills in your summary

At the start of your career, highlight your transferable skills —or soft skills . These skills are interpersonal skills or behavioral traits you bring to every workplace. Unlike hard skills —job-specific technical skills—transferable skills are difficult to measure, but they’re still incredibly valuable at work.

Add metrics to your resume summary

Numbers and figures show concrete impact and quantify your contributions to an organization. You can use time-based metrics, efficiency metrics, growth comparisons, and more. If you’re a new grad or entering employment for the first time, draw on your other experiences of clubs, school, or volunteering to make an impact.

Increased readership by 15% during tenure as Editor-in-Chief of university magazine.

For more insights about adding metrics to your resume, read 67 Resume Accomplishments Examples to Show Your Value

Step 2: Conduct your research

To create an effectively optimized resume, you need to conduct research about the role, company, and industry.

• Dive deep into the job description : The job description always has insights into the responsibilities and qualities of the role. Often, there are details about the company’s values.
• Add the right keywords: By integrating keywords in your resume summary tailored to the company’s mission and values, you can make a powerful impression on the hiring team.
• Familiarize yourself with industry keywords, skills, and tools : Stay up to date on evolving trends and tools in your field to position yourself as the strongest candidate.

Power Edit features AI technology that not only scans your resume for keywords and skills, but provides ideas you can use to integrate them into your resume seamlessly.

Step 3: Draft your entry-level resume summary

Writing your beginner resume summary for an entry-level role can feel daunting, but you have more to offer an employer beyond traditional work experience. Think beyond your past roles and draw on other experiences to show off your value as a candidate.

Remember, you can use the following template to guide your writing:

Start with a strong introduction sentence

The first sentence needs to capture attention, so choose strong power verbs and open with the information you need the hiring manager to know.

Some examples of powerful resume summary openers include:

Recent graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from XYZ University, where I maintained a 3.8 GPA. Proven leadership skills as the President of the Business Club, organizing events attended by over 200 students. Passionate about project management, I completed a capstone project that improved campus event efficiency by 25%. Seeking an entry-level role in business operations.

Enthusiastic computer science graduate with hands-on experience in developing mobile apps as a hobby, resulting in over 10,000 downloads on the Google Play Store. Skilled in Java, Python, and Swift, with a keen interest in UI/UX design. Looking to leverage my self-taught programming skills and creativity in an entry-level software development position.

Dedicated environmental science graduate with a strong background in community service, having volunteered over 300 hours with the Green Earth Initiative. Led a tree-planting campaign that resulted in 1,000 new trees being planted in urban areas. Highly organized and committed to sustainability, seeking to start a career in environmental consulting.

Diligent Marketing graduate with over two years of part-time retail experience at ABC Store, where I consistently exceeded sales targets by 15%. Recognized for excellent customer service and awarded ‘Employee of the Month’ twice. Eager to apply my sales and marketing skills in an entry-level marketing role.

Versatile communications graduate with a strong foundation in public speaking and writing, honed through coursework and as a volunteer tutor at the local literacy center. Part-time experience as a social media coordinator, where I increased engagement by 40% across platforms. Adept at content creation and community engagement, seeking a role in public relations.

Recent graduate with a Bachelor’s in Kinesiology, combining academic excellence with leadership as the captain of the university soccer team. Coordinated training schedules and team-building activities, leading to a 30% improvement in team performance. Passionate about health and fitness, aiming to start a career in sports management.

Ambitious psychology graduate with hands-on research experience, having assisted in a faculty-led study on cognitive behavior that was published in a peer-reviewed journal. Strong analytical and statistical skills, with proficiency in SPSS. Seeking an entry-level research assistant role to further develop my expertise in psychological research.

Integrate keywords from the job description

A keyword-rich resume summary boosts your chances of showing up in ATS search results. The ATS , or applicant tracking system, houses every submitted resume for a job listing. When the hiring team looks for candidates to interview, the ATS helps them rank applicants based on keywords and skills from the job description.

“A professional summary is an amazing resource to optimize your resume with keywords and catch an employer’s attention,” claims Professional Resume Writer, Jazlyn Unbedacht .

Jobscan’s Power Edit can find keywords in the job description and help you find places to naturally integrate keywords. Below you can find an example of a keyword-rich resume summary example for inspiration.

Creative marketing graduate with strong skills in social media management and content creation . Successfully managed a university campaign that boosted social media engagement by 30%. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite and familiar with SEO strategies . Seeking an entry-level marketing position to leverage creativity and analytical skills to support brand growth.

Avoid keyword stuffing. Adding keywords for the sake of having them can have a negative impact. If your summary isn’t authentic or personal and feels forced, your summary can be difficult to read. Strike a balance by finding other resume sections to integrate keywords.

Highlight your strengths

Your resume summary is the ideal place to humbly brag about your accomplishments . Stay honest and avoid embellishing, but put your best foot forward to make it impossible for the hiring manager not to invite you for an interview.

For example, include projects, assignments, or internships to make your beginner resume summary shine.

Natural leader and recent graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Management, achieving a 3.8 GPA. Led a student project team to complete a market analysis that was presented to local businesses, resulting in increased partnerships. Proficient in project management and team coordination. Seeking an entry-level management position to apply leadership and strategic planning skills to contribute to organizational success.

Use a resume summary generator

Include a resume summary, even when you have writer’s block. The resume summary generator in premium Power Edit can write the perfect resume summary, using content from your resume and keywords from the job description.

Here’s how it works.

If you don’t have a resume summary, you can go into the Editor and click “Generate Summary.” Using AI, the tool will write a customized resume summary highlighting all your key skills and accomplishments for the job. The AI draws on your education, skills, work experience, and certifications to create a tailored resume summary in seconds.

You can use the generated summary, or rephrase the summary until you find the variation you like best.

By the end, you’ll have an optimized resume to impress the hiring team and boost your chances of getting an interview invite.

Generate your resume summary in seconds with Power Edit and create a perfectly tailored resume for each job application.

Beginner summary for resume: Examples

Resume summary based on education

Recent high school graduate with a 3.8 GPA and a passion for technology. Completed a capstone project in computer science, developing an app that improved classroom attendance tracking by 20%. Seeking to apply technical skills and problem-solving abilities in a software development role.

Resume summaries based on volunteering

Enthusiastic volunteer with over 150 hours dedicated to community service at local food banks and shelters. Organized weekly meal distributions, aiding over 500 families. Passionate about social work and eager to contribute to a supportive team environment.

Multilingual individual fluent in English, Spanish, and French, with experience volunteering as a translator at community events. Assisted over 100 individuals in accessing services. Seeking to leverage language skills in a customer service or administrative role.

Community-focused graduate with a 3.9 GPA and extensive volunteer experience at local non-profits. Organized community clean-up events, improving local park conditions by 15%. Eager to bring organizational and community engagement skills to a professional setting.

Resume summaries based on certifications

Certified in Basic First Aid and CPR, with hands-on experience from part-time babysitting jobs. Known for reliability and excellent communication with parents. Managed schedules and provided educational activities for children, seeking to bring caregiving skills to a full-time position.

Certified in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript through online courses. Developed a personal website showcasing photography projects, increasing online portfolio traffic by 40%. Seeking to apply web development skills in a tech-related role.

Resume summary focused on extracurricular activities

Team-oriented individual with leadership experience as captain of the high school soccer team. Led the team to two state championships and organized weekly training sessions. Seeking to leverage leadership and teamwork skills in a dynamic work environment.

Learn how to incorporate extracurricular activities into your resume and read: Top Extracurricular Activities to Add to Your Resume (Samples)

Resume summary based on a mix of experience

Motivated recent graduate with a 4.0 GPA and a strong foundation in customer service from part-time work at a retail store. Volunteered at local animal shelter, managing 2 adoption events per month, increasing adoption rate by 15%. Eager to apply multitasking abilities and customer service skills to a professional role.

Resume summaries based on creative projects

Creative content creator with experience in managing a personal blog, growing its readership to 1,000 monthly visitors. Developed strong writing and content creation skills. Seeking to bring creativity and attention to detail to a marketing or content creation role.

Artistic graduate with experience in graphic design, having completed online courses in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Designed promotional materials for school events, increasing attendance by 25%. Excited to bring artistic skills to a design or marketing team.

Resume summary based on sports activities

Dedicated and disciplined athlete with experience in competitive swimming. Managed rigorous training schedules while maintaining a 3.8 GPA. Developed time management and resilience, aiming to apply these skills in a professional setting.

Resume summaries based on academics

Recent graduate with honors in Mathematics, achieving top marks in advanced calculus and statistics courses. Participated in math competitions, placing in the top 10 regionally. Seeking to apply analytical and quantitative skills in a data analysis role.

STEM enthusiast with a strong academic background in physics and chemistry. Completed a science fair project on renewable energy, earning first place at the district level. Seeking to apply analytical and research skills in a scientific or engineering role.

Resume summary based on part-time work

Passionate about fitness and health, with part-time experience as a gym assistant. Assisted with client schedules and maintained equipment, enhancing customer satisfaction survey results to a 4.7 star average rating. Looking to bring organizational skills and passion for health to a fitness-related role.

Resume summary based on leadership in clubs

Active member of the debate club with strong public speaking and research skills. Led the team to win regional championships and mentored new members. Looking to utilize leadership and communication skills in a challenging work environment.

A summary statement for a resume is a brief introduction that highlights your key skills, experiences, and what you aim to achieve in your career. For a beginner, this statement should focus on your education, any relevant skills, internships, volunteer work, and a clear career goal. It provides a snapshot of who you are and what you bring to the table, making it easier for hiring managers to quickly see your potential. Example: “Recent Marketing graduate with a strong foundation in social media management, content creation, and data analysis. Proven ability to increase engagement and brand visibility through innovative strategies, increasing social media followers by 30% in six months. Seeking to leverage skills and knowledge to contribute to a dynamic marketing team.”

The beginning of your resume summary should immediately grab the reader’s attention. Start with a strong descriptor followed by your job title, relevant experience, or education. Mention a few key skills or achievements that align with the job you’re applying for. Example: “Highly motivated and results-oriented Computer Science graduate with hands-on experience in software development and database management. Skilled in Java, Python, and SQL, with a passion for developing efficient and scalable solutions. Developed a web application that improved process efficiency by 25%.”

A good resume profile summary is concise, focused, and tailored to the job description. It should clearly state your professional identity, highlight your key strengths and achievements, and convey your career aspirations. Use action words and quantify achievements whenever possible to make a stronger impact. Example: “Certified Project Manager with over 5 years of experience in leading cross-functional teams to deliver complex projects on time and within budget. Expert in Agile methodologies, risk management, and process optimization. Successfully managed a project portfolio worth $2 million, achieving a 95% on-time delivery rate.”

Introducing yourself in a resume summary involves providing a brief yet comprehensive overview of who you are professionally. Start with your current role or recent educational achievement, followed by your most relevant skills and a statement of your career goals. Example: “Enthusiastic and creative Graphic Designer with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and 2 years of experience in creating visually compelling digital and print media. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, with a keen eye for detail and a strong commitment to delivering high-quality work. Designed marketing materials that boosted client sales by 15%. Looking to contribute my design expertise to a forward-thinking company.”

Kelsey is a Content Writer with a background in content creation, bouncing between industries to educate readers everywhere.

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Jetstar flights between Broome and Singapore boost hopes for WA international tourism

Tourism officials in Western Australia's far north hope the resumption of the state's only international air link outside of Perth will help an ongoing recovery in international visitor numbers.

The seasonal route between Singapore and Broome, operated by Jetstar Asia, kicked off on Tuesday with the first flight touching down in the Kimberley town early in the afternoon. 

It marked the first international route to fly directly into regional western Australia since the state's borders reopened from COVID-19 closures. 

The service will operate twice weekly until October 26, and is expected to bring almost 6,500 inbound passengers to Broome in its first year. 

The route is the successor to a trial service briefly operated by now-defunct Singapore Airlines subsidiary Silk Air, which ran flights in 2018.

More than 88,000 visitors arrived in WA from Singapore last year, making it the state's second-largest visitor market.

Boost for regional tourism

Broome International Airport chief executive Craig Shaw said while there was a "fairly short" lead time for the season, he was expecting interest to build. 

"We hope we'll be able to sustain longer term propositions here ... and deliver good outcomes to grow tourism and grow the benefit for everybody in the community," he said. 

He said Broome offered international travellers a different destination.

"When you contrast the red dirt between the aquamarine ocean, it's a very different experience," he said.

"We have a couple of guys here from Jetstar at the moment who experienced the sunset last night.

"They're blown away by what natural wonders we have here and we expect the Singaporeans will feel the same."  

Shire welcomes travellers

Broome Shire President Chris Mitchell said the new route was a welcome tourism boost for the region. 

"It's great news for Broome, it's a major economic boost for tourism, for the locals and for virtually everything," he said. 

"We're looking forward to that expanding throughout the year." 

He said it was hoped the flights would also provide a gateway to the rest of the Kimberley. 

"Hopefully a lot of them are doing further excursion throughout the Kimberley ... it should have a flow-on effect to the rest of WA in the end," Mr Mitchell said.

"It's an international hub for Europe and other places, so that means a lot of travellers can now fly through into Singapore and then fly straight to Broome in the Kimberley."

Tourism Minister John Carey said the launch of the route represented a significant opportunity to boost accommodation, tourism and hospitality businesses across the north-west.

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Reporting by Aditya Kalra, Krishn Kaushik and Aditi Shah in New Delhi, Lisa Barrington in Seoul and Sophie Yu in Shanghai; Editing by William Mallard

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Krishn reports on politics and strategic affairs from the Indian subcontinent. He has previously worked at the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, an international investigative consortium; The Indian Express; and The Caravan magazine, writing about defence, politics, law, conglomerates, media, elections and investigative projects. A graduate of Columbia University's journalism school, Krishn has won multiple awards for his work.

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'Kush', 'Khadafi' and 'Monkey Tail' drugs pose health risks in Africa, UN agency says

The United Nations on Wednesday flagged harmful new drug concoctions, named kush, Khadafi, and Monkey Tail, as posing particular health risks across Africa because of their varying and often unknown ingredients.