Guidelines

Interview

To increase one’s chances of having a successful interview, one may review the following points:

Listening skills

Display confidence
Listen attentively and respond relevantly
Summarise, from time to time, in your own words what you think the interviewer has been trying to tell you. This allows for the correction of miscommunication.

Discussion and Information

Jot down questions as they occur to you, this preps you for discussion during interview

Corporate vision / mission / goals
Corporate work values
Reporting structure
Working conditions
Career advancement path
Training and development
Benefits - do refer to your recruitment agencies or discuss it during the second interview (upon receiving your job offer)

Strengths and Weakness

Everyone has his/her own strengths and weaknesses
Do not be afraid to share, honesty is the best policy
Prepare some points for discussion during the interview

Resume

1. Summarise your qualifications

Start your resume with a summary of qualifications, which consist of three to five statements about your career experience.
Unless you are a fresh graduate or intend to switch careers, do highlight your industry experience. I have observed that many executives, including senior managers, tend to overlook this, and miss out on the opportunity to highlight their most marketable attributes right upfront. For example, state that you have "15 years of product marketing experience".

2. List your professional strengths

Don't just give general statements but use keywords or buzzwords that companies and recruiters need to see, for example, "marketing management", "cost controls", and "product training".

3. Highlight your achievements

Be clear and specific about what you have accomplished under different job positions or titles. Don't just state your job duties and responsibilities but go a step further to show the impact or results of what you have accomplished for the organisation.
Wherever possible, quantify your achievements, for instance, "increased sales turnover by 80 per cent through new product launch and innovative pricing strategies".

4. List your academic qualifications

Having written about your job responsibilities and achievements, you should then present your educational qualifications and training.

The most common practice is to state the degree earned, name of university and year of graduation. Be true to what you say. For example, if you completed a three-year course but did not graduate, do not say that you have the qualification.

5. Pay attention to style

Put in some effort to make sure the overall layout or presentation of your resume has a good visual appeal.

Format your resume well. Choose the correct font size and layout to avoid too much white space. Also avoid cramming too much on one page. The overall effect you want is for your resume to project a touch of class and professionalism.

Do remember that your resume ought to be a "marketing masterpiece" and not just a mere collection of past job histories.

Your resume is the first point of contact that determines if you should be granted an interview. It is therefore really important to create a good first impression.

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