I'll be adding to this list as I go so check back for updates.

• Carefully review the job advertisement and look for keywords that your skills match. Be sure to emphasise those in your application letter and résumé.
• Print out your résumé and read it aloud. This really helps weed out a lot of errors in spelling, grammar and formatting.
• Your entire résumé should portray your personality and the font is one of the best ways to do that. In particular, make your name interesting. Don’t go bonkers with this, but do think of it as your own logo. Think about the different ways you perceive this person based on the font:

• This has exceptions, but the use of boxes around your entire résumé looks rather amateurish.
• Underlining is quite passé except for hyperlinks. Please don’t use it. I’ll get people arguing about this, but apart from it looking rather ugly, it cuts off descenders. Did I already say don’t use it? Good. Don’t.
• Unless your age is relevant somehow, don’t include it on your résumé. People can get into trouble with asking about this information because of the Privacy Act so it’s really just best to ‘not go there’.
• Unless you’ve recently left secondary school and don’t have any TAFE or university qualifications, leave off any information about secondary school. The vast majority of employers don’t care.
• If you’re going to send a Word file containing your résumé instead of a PDF, please watch your formatting because if you say you have good technical skills in Word, show it. This is a whole post in itself that I may cover down the track, but don’t use:
  • heaps of returns rather than inserting a page break
  • four tabs when one well set one will do
  • tabs and spaces when tables and columns are better suited
• In this day and age, I wouldn’t include my address. Apart from it being a security issue, it really isn’t relevant. The same goes for home telephone numbers, unless you’re liable to answer it. I'd just include my mobile and email and that should do the trick for most people. If they insist on an address, ask them why ... If they're not a stalker, give a PO Box.
• On the topic of email messages, be careful about the address you use. A lot of people use their current work email address, which is bad form and risky, risky because you never know who's eavesdropping on data packets. Also, using ‘cute’ hotmail addresses just isn’t on either. I'm in favour of using domain-based email addresses, such as This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . It’s really professional and may just give you an edge. You can pick up a domain and email hosting quite affordably nowadays. I can also assist for a reasonable fee so This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for further details or visit my domain shop.
• Prospective employers know you’re sending a résumé so you don’t need to put that in the header. Your name and contact details are sufficient. And if you MUST call it anything, just call it a résumé, not a curriculum vitae, okay? It sounds pretty pretentious otherwise.
• Learn to use en and em dashes appropriately. It’s best to use an en dash rather than a hyphen to separate dates like ‘May – June’. It’s a relatively small detail, but I’m an editor and a designer so I’m a bit ... picky.
• Emphasise measureable and significant achievements. Well-written job duties are great, but achievements are the icing on the cake that could spell the difference between you and the next candidate. Make employers think about what YOU can do for THEM.
• Do yourself a favour and learn to use Word styles. This is a book and a half, but just Google and you'll find heaps of information.
• Use active words.
• Watch your tense on verbs. For your current job, use the present tense; for former jobs use the past tense. It's pretty simple. Just be consistent.
• Remember that visual impact is very important!
• Buy (and use) a good dictionary! I use a great piece of software called Macquarie WordGenius. It allows me to drag and drop words onto it. I’m lazy so I prefer electronic versions, but I also have the Australian Oxford Dictionary, the electronic version of the 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary and the Oxford Concise Australian Dictionary. Oh and I also have a lovely second edition of Webster’s New International Dictionary that my awesome Grandmother gave to me.
• Use a thesaurus, but don't overdo it. You want good sentence variety, but you don’t want to sound as if you’ve swallowed a thesaurus.
• Alphabetise where appropriate (like with software or account managed portfolios) using the Word A to Z feature. It shows attention to detail.
• Don’t use 'whilst' or 'amongst' unless you’re a Brit. Otherwise it sounds a bit ... try hard.
• Don’t try to sound so impressive that you’re not communicating. If you’re in doubt about what I mean, take a break and watch a few episodes of Yes, Minister. Humphey is ‘da man!’ of Obfuscation (i.e. confusion; see what I mean?!)
• When in doubt, leave it out.
• Let it sit overnight, or for a few days, if possible. I had a copywriting teacher that said looking at your ad the night after when the rosy afterglow of creation has ebbed is essential. OK, the poetic prose was mine, but the sentiment is the same.
• Remember to change your Word dictionary to Australian English (or your English version of choice). Also bear in mind that spellchecks can only do so much. I've been compiling a list of some humorous typos, some actual, that show that while Word may have a sense of humour, prospective employers probably won't if you make these faux pas:
  • nice to meat (meet) you … This was not part of a Hannibal Lecter book.
  • upholstering versus unholstering
  • extensive versus expensive
  • oil painting versus oil panting
  • generic versus genetic
  • king rewards instead of kind regards
  • reflex paper versus reflux paper
  • ironic versus iconic
  • stimulator versus simulator
  • infernal book design versus internal book design
  • excellent time management skulls (skills)
  • here’s a sneak peak (peek)
  • negotionable versus negotiable … (sadly on domain.com.au)
  • singed copy versus signed copy
  • defiantly versus definitely
  • causally instead of casually
  • mange versus manage (yikes)
  • reloved versus resolved
  • eyebrows versus eye browse
  • retards versus regards (actual … honest)
  • Manger of Logistics and Audit Compliance
  • will unable me
  • conformation versus confirmation
  • anti-rooms versus anterooms
  • catridges versus cartridges
  • sates versus states
  • expending versus expanding
  • expansive versus expensive
  • I perfectly understand and emphasise (empathise)
  • squirmish instead of skirmish
  • practicle (practical) furniture
  • my heat is in the right place
  • drop cops (instead of drop caps)
  • missed judged versus misjudged
  • prospective employees versus perspective employers

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