In today’s competitive job market, having a strong professional presence is more important than ever. Whether you’re actively job hunting, looking for career advancement, or simply keeping your options open, two key tools can make all the difference: a well-crafted resume and a compelling LinkedIn profile.
Your resume showcases your skills, experience, and achievements, tailored to specific job applications. Your LinkedIn profile acts as your dynamic online presence, providing an opportunity to build your professional brand, network with industry peers, and attract potential employers or clients.
While these two tools serve different purposes, they work best when aligned—ensuring consistency in your career story, skills, and qualifications.
This guide will walk you through the best practices for both, helping you create a resume that impresses recruiters and a LinkedIn profile that boosts your visibility and credibility in your industry.
How to Build a Standout Resume
Your resume is often your first chance to make an impression on a potential employer. Whether you’re applying for a new job, seeking a career change, or updating your credentials, a well-crafted resume can make all the difference. Here’s how you can create a great resume that highlights your skills and experience while standing out to employers.
1. Start with the Basics
A resume should be clear, concise, and easy to read. Use a simple, professional layout with clear headings and bullet points to break up information. Stick to a clean font like Arial or Calibri, and keep the document to a maximum of two pages.
Essential Resume Sections:
- Personal Details – Include your name, phone number, email, and LinkedIn profile.
- Professional Summary – A brief statement (2–3 sentences) summarising your experience, skills, and career goals.
- Key Skills – A bullet-point list of your most relevant skills, tailored to the job you’re applying for.
- Work Experience – A reverse chronological list of your previous roles, including job title, company name, and dates of employment. Use bullet points to describe your key achievements and responsibilities.
- Education & Qualifications – List any degrees, diplomas, or certifications, along with the institution and year of completion. Find out what you’re eligible for with a free RPL appraisal.
- Additional Information (if relevant) – This can include professional development courses, memberships, or volunteering experience.
2. Tailor Your Resume for Each Job
One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is using the same resume for every application. Instead, tailor your resume to each job by:
- Reading the job description carefully and identifying key skills and experience the employer is looking for.
- Adjusting your professional summary and key skills to match the job requirements.
- Using relevant keywords that align with the job posting to increase your chances of passing applicant tracking systems (ATS).
8 Essential Tips for Writing Job Applications
3. Showcase Your Achievements, Not Just Responsibilities
Employers want to see what impact you’ve made in previous roles. Instead of just listing duties, highlight your achievements using specific examples.
Example:
❌ Managed a team of five employees.
✅ Led a team of five employees, increasing productivity by 20% through streamlined workflows.
Whenever possible, use measurable results to demonstrate your value.
4. Use Action Words & Professional Language
Strong, action-oriented words make your resume more engaging and impactful. Avoid generic phrases like “responsible for” and instead use words like:
- Developed
- Implemented
- Optimised
- Achieved
- Spearheaded
These words convey initiative and effectiveness, making your experience more compelling.
5. Keep It Concise & Avoid Common Mistakes
A great resume is free from unnecessary fluff and mistakes. Be mindful of the following:
✅ Keep your content relevant and to the point.
✅ Avoid using personal pronouns like “I” or “my.”
✅ Proofread carefully—spelling or grammatical errors can leave a poor impression.
✅ Don’t include outdated or unnecessary information (e.g., age, marital status, or a photo).
6. Highlight Your Qualifications Through RPL
If you’ve gained valuable skills and experience through work but don’t have formal qualifications, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can help you obtain nationally recognised qualifications.
This can enhance your resume and improve your job prospects without having to complete lengthy study programs.
7.Final Touches: Make Your Resume Stand Out
Before submitting your resume, review it one last time to ensure it’s polished and professional. Consider:
- Having a mentor, friend, or career advisor review your resume.
- Saving the file as a PDF to ensure the formatting remains intact.
- Pairing your resume with a well-written cover letter that complements your application.
7 Tips for an Outstanding Cover Letter
How to Build a Standout LinkedIn Profile
Creating a compelling LinkedIn profile is essential in today’s professional landscape, as it serves as a dynamic platform to showcase your experience, skills, and personal brand. With over 900 million users worldwide, LinkedIn is a pivotal tool for networking and career advancement.
1. Choose a Professional Profile Photo
Profiles with photos receive significantly more engagement. Ensure your photo is:
- High-quality and clear
- Professionally presented
- Well-lit
- Friendly and approachable
Avoid casual images or those with distractions like sunglasses.
Also add a cover photo that compliments your profile picture and represents your field.
2. Craft a Compelling Headline
Your headline, appearing directly under your name, is prime real estate. Instead of listing just your job title, incorporate key skills and areas of expertise that potential employers might search for.
For example, instead of “Project Manager,” consider “Project Manager | Agile Methodologies | Team Leadership.”
3. Write a Persuasive ‘About’ Section
The ‘About’ section is your opportunity to present a holistic view of your professional self. Tips for this section include:
- Write in the first person
- Clearly outline what you offer
- Align content with your goals (e.g., job search, networking)
- Use industry-relevant keywords
- Keep paragraphs concise
- Share personal insights to showcase your personality
Think of this as your personal sales pitch to potential employers.
4. Detail Your Experience and Education
Provide comprehensive details of your last 10 years of experience:
- Use the company name autofill to ensure correct logos appear
- Describe your roles and how they apply to potential employers
- Include images or achievements from each role, if possible
- Add relevant skills in the editing section
For education, list your qualifications in reverse chronological order and detail how each has been applied in your field.
Ensure your qualifications match your experience. You can find out what you’re eligible for through a free Churchill Education RPL appraisal.
Apply Now
5. Utilise LinkedIn’s ‘Build a Resume’ Feature
LinkedIn offers a feature to create a resume from your profile:
- Click on the ‘More’ button on your profile
- Select ‘Build a resume’
- Choose ‘Create from profile’
This tool generates a resume using the information you’ve provided, emphasising the importance of detailed and accurate profile entries.
6. Continuously Enhance Your Profile
Regularly update and expand your profile by completing sections such as:
- Licenses & certifications
- Volunteering
- Skills
- Recommendations
- Courses
- Honours & awards
- Languages
- Organisations
- Causes
- Interests
A comprehensive profile increases your visibility to recruiters and potential connections.
By following these steps, you can create a LinkedIn profile that effectively showcases your professional journey and attracts opportunities aligned with your career aspirations.
For a more detailed guide, you can refer to Churchill Education’s comprehensive LinkedIn guide.
How to Create a Great Linkedin Profile
Additionally, here’s a helpful video on adding new qualifications to your LinkedIn profile:
How to Add Your New Qualifications on LinkedIn & Why
Bringing It All Together: A Powerful Professional Presence
By keeping both your resume and LinkedIn profile up to date, aligned, and tailored to your career goals, you’ll be in the best position to seize new job opportunities, expand your professional network, and grow your career.
The more effort you put into these tools, the more they will work for you—opening doors to new roles, collaborations, and career advancements.
Now’s the time to take control of your professional brand. Update your resume, polish your LinkedIn profile, and position yourself for success!
Check your eligibility for qualifications that match your experience and skill level, with a free RPL appraisal. Apply here, or via any of the methods listed below.
