The DGT team process between 50-100 resumes a month sometimes when there are multiple positions available that number can reach 500 a month! 

So it's fair to say when it comes to resumes the team know what they are looking for and what they are definitely not looking for. 

More often than not candidates may have missed their chance at interview - simply by not divulging enough information in a helpful way so that our Employment Consultants understand what it is they are bringing to the table. 

Never fear! The DGT team are here to help. 

Check out DGT's definitive guide to a better resume and cover letter below. Then read on to find out how you can submit your resume for review and improvement - completely free of charge!

Top Tips for Cover Letters

Cover letters are your first impressions if recruiters like what they read then your resume is your chance to really get noticed.  

Follow these 5 steps before submitting your next cover letter;

1. KEEP IT SIMPLE

Get to the point quickly and succinctly. Less is more. Employers are really only looking for key words at this stage to ascertain whether they should read your resume

2. INDIVIDUALISE EACH COVER LETTER

Tailor your cover letter to the exact job your applying for, be specific to the role and not generalise. By doing so you are aiming to make it seem like you are the best fit for the role advertised. 

3. KEY WORD MATCH

Make sure you match your capabilities to the key words of the job advertisement. Be succinct and provide examples of when you demonstrated these capabilities that relate to what they are looking for. 

4. SELL YOURSELF

You can't rely on your fantastic people skills to win you the job at interview - you have to get to the interview first! Actively market your skills and experience as well as highlight why you are the best match for the employer listing the job. 

5. GRAMMAR AND SPELL CHECK

Read through your finished Cover letter thoroughly as grammatical errors or spelling mistakes can really diminish your credibility and speaks to your attention to detail. 

Be sure to check yo' self, before you wreck yo' self!

Top Tips for Resumes

Resume writing is a vital skill and one where the time invested in getting it right can make a big difference! It is the first time you get to make an impression, so take the time to stand out! 

1. BRIEF IS BEST

A potential employer hasn't got the time to read a novel about you. Remove anything from your resume that is not related to the role or type of work you want to do. Allow more space for more recent roles and less for past roles. 

Resumes should always be only 1-2 pages in length. 

2. CONTACT DETAILS

Ensure your contact details are up to date. Make sure you have a professional looking email address and professional sounding voicemail. No potential employer is going to leave or send you a message if you aren't conducting yourself professionally. 

3. DON'T GIVE OUT UNNECESSARY INFORMATION

Employers don't need to know your age, marital status, religion or nationality. This type of informations is illegal for an employer to request. 

4. EASY TO READ FORMATTING

Go with a simple font that is easy to read and one that everyone can understand. Avoid using cluttered or complicated layouts that may not look right when viewed on different software versions. 

Check your spelling, grammar and also let someone else read it over to get an outsiders perspective. 

5. ALWAYS BE UPDATING / IMPROVING YOUR RESUME

Update your resume at regular intervals and be sure to always adjust it for each and every role you apply for. Don't keep sending the same resume time and time again, especially if you haven't been getting to the interview stage. When applying for jobs look for key words and be sure to incorporate these into both your cover letter and resume. Many online applications are firstly read and ranked by computer software before a 'real' person even lays eyes on it.

OUR PICK FOR THE TOP SKILLS YOU NEED ON YOUR RESUME

• Flexibility
• Creativity
• Leadership
• Positive attitude
• Being responsible
• Team Player
• Independent
• Pro-active
• People's person
• Good Communication skills
• Ability to handle work pressure
• Excellent time management

There you have our top tips for Cover Letter and Resume writing. Now it's time to get you started.

We suggest using a template and customising it to your needs, this saves you hours of formatting and design. No need to get too complicated when finding a template. 

In both Word and Pages (on Mac) you have the option to choose Templates when opening a New Document, within the Templates section you will find some excellent templates to get going with.

Microsoft online also has loads of free downloadable templates to choose from. 

CHECK THEM OUT HERE. 

Canva - when you sign up for free they have some super cool, modern layouts for resumes.

CHECK THEM OUT HERE.

In terms of resume style, be sure to choose;  

• Chronological Resume style - if your work experience is strong.
• Functional Resume style - if your practical skills are strong.
• Combination Resume - if you have a little of each. 

The majority of resumes are Chronological.

If you have a clean succinct resume and are wondering about where to look for your next job try;

• Seek
• Jora
• Indeed
• Particular companies website
• Local paper classifieds
• Facebook 

or even go out there into businesses you're interested in working for with a hard copy of your resume to circulate.  

The DGT team are proud to announce that we will offer to review and improve any resume of our students, apprentices, trainees or learners. 

What this means is that you get professional feedback on your resume to improve it for employers eyes COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE!

Not a student, learner, trainee or apprentice with us? No worries you're in luck - mention this article and we will offer you the same service! 

Send your resumes through to our Services Officer Amanda via email to [email protected] or get in touch via our contact form. 

From all of the DGT team, we wish you all the very best of luck in your search for your next job. 

Why not REGISTER WITH US for any upcoming vacancies. 

Ready now? Check out our CURRENT VACANCIES. 

And remember to get your resume professionally assessed for maximum impact.