The document provides tips for improving one's resume and interview skills. It discusses using the right layout, language, and focus in a resume. For interviews, it emphasizes arriving on time, being prepared, confident yet humble, and focusing on how one's skills meet the job requirements. Proper communication, including using action verbs and avoiding cliches, is also important for interviews. Overall, the document stresses customizing one's resume and "fighting best" during the interview process.

1. (cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

2. One recent study showed that
recruiters spent only
6.25 seconds looking at a
candidate’s résumé
before deciding whether he or she
is fit for a job.
~Forbes.com
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

3. (cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

4. Résumé
a concise outline (1-2
pages) of your skills,
education and experience.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

5. Let’s Power Up Your Résumé
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

6. #1 Use the Right Layout
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

7. Messy and
inappropriate
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

8. Looks
crowded
(centre
aligned)
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

9. Looks catchy
but messy
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

10. Clean and
professional
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

11. Neat and
organized
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

12. Neat and
contemporary
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

13. Click Here for some useful
templates:
http://is.gd/resumetemplates
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

14. Layout: The Basics
 Stick to standard paper size (A4) and
use left or justified alignment.
 Use neat and professional layout (not
too fancy/creative)
 Use suitable font types and font size
(10-11pt).
 Use proper headings for each
section/part
 Stick to maximum of 3 colours (if you
plan to use colours)
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

15. Layout: Best Fonts
• Arial
• Verdana
• Calibri
• Garamond
• Georgia
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

16. Layout: The Standard Parts
Use headings to indicate:
 Contact Details (No fancy email)
 Career Objective (Precise)
 Education
 Work Experience
 Skills
 Achievements/Awards
 Activities and Interests
 References/Referees
Don’t forget your Portrait Photo.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

17. Education
 Use Timeline (list the latest first).
 Highlight your achievements or key
skills learned instead of results
alone.
 If needed, highlight key courses
taken too (related to the job). -
Optional
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

18. Sep 2011 – Sep 2015
Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons.) Marketing
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
• Graduated with a CGPA of 2.90 and advanced
competence in strategic marketing.
• Key courses taken with valuable skills learned: promotion,
online marketing and managerial finance.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

19. Use the
quadrant rule to
check.
Make sure each
quadrant is
balanced.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

20. Portrait Photo (Headshots) matters!
Get help to shoot a nice once. Smile, clean background, with
professional attire and keep it recent. (Not too “passport-photo”
like).
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man
Sample pictures only. Google Images

21. #2 Use the Right Language
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

22. Language Tips #1
Use strong action verbs
when writing your
experiences or
achievements.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

23. Overused Best Words
Best of breed
Go-getter
Think outside of the box
Dynamic
Synergy
Thought leadership
Value add
Results-driven
Team player
Bottom-line
Achieved
Improved
Trained/mentored
Managed
Created
Resolved
Volunteered
Influenced
Increased/decreased
Won
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

24. Language Tips #2
Be specific and concise
when writing your key
activities or tasks
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

25. Example
April – June 2014
Marketing Intern – (EverDrop Sdn Bhd)
• Attended group meetings and recorded minutes.
• Updated departmental files.
Not good enough!
Preferably “Quantifiable Evidence”
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

26. Good Example
April – June 2014 (3 months)
Marketing Intern – (EverDrop Sdn Bhd)
• Recorded weekly meeting minutes and compiled
them for future organizational reference.
• Reorganized 10 years worth of files, making them
easily accessible to department members.
Action words are used to describe each task done clearly.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

27. Language Tips #3
Keywords are the key
(use those keywords
mentioned in the ads)
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

28. Top Keywords
Problem solving
Leadership
Oral/ Written Communication
Team building
Productivity
Adaptable
If these keywords appear on the ads, do include them in your resume
if you have such qualities/capabilities.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

29. Language Tips #4
Avoid “bombastic”
words, keep it clear and
concise.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

30. #3 Use the Right Focus
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

31. Customise Your Resume!
Make sure you modify your
resume to fit the position.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

32. Customisation Example:
Move specific parts up
according to the job. E.g.
Move up skills if your work
experience is limited.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

33. Top 5 Most Wanted skills for
Economic/Business/Finance Graduates
1. Verbal Communication
2. Commercial Awareness
3. Teamwork
4. Analysing and investigating
5. Time Management
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

34. Workplace
Communication
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

35. Emails
1. Subject Line
2. Proper Opening
3. Impactful Ending
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

36. Phone Calls
1. Greet and Introduce Yourself
2. Go straight to the point (politely)
3. Impactful Ending
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

37. Job Interviews
& First Impression
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

38. Do a “self-test”
Be sure what the company wants really fit your
skills, career track, beliefs and experiences.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

39. Be fully prepared.
Do necessary check on the company and also
prepare your “weapons” (attire, resumes/cv,
portfolios)
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

40. Be there earlier
25% of candidates failed job interviews
because they were late. 85% of those were
merely 5 minutes late.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

41. Breathe Deeply
Relax your mind by breathing deeply. Treat the
interview like a conversation.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

42. Be Confident
From the moment you walk into the room, until
the last word you said. But how? Be prepared
and be honest!
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

43. (cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

44. Be careful of your
intonation when answering
questions.
o Be more authoritative in answering.
o Don’t turn all answers to sound like
you are not confident.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

45. Be Humble
The best way to get what we want is to meet
the needs of the interviewer. Follow the “flow”.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

46. Be Focused
Listen attentively to the questions asked. If it’s not
clear, say it, don’t pretend to understand. Stay
focused on your qualities when answering.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

47. Be careful of these questions
during interviews
o “Tell me more about yourself”
o “Why do you want this job?”
o “Tell me your biggest weakness”
o “Why should we hire you?”
o “If we offer you lower pay, will you
accept this post?”
o “Are you willing to be relocated?”
These are “trick” questions to test your
passion and sincerity.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

48. Be Goal-Oriented
Where do you see yourself in the next 1, 5 and
10 years? Chart your goals clearly and in a
realistic way.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

49. LANGUAGE TIPS
For Interviews
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

50. Use action verbs when
explaining your skills
and experiences. Avoid
“clichés” or overused
words.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

51. Language Focus during Interview
o Use active voice more instead of
passive voice. (e.g. I conducted the
project)
o Use more first-person pronouns (e.g.
I, we)
o Avoid using run-on sentences. Pause
at the right time to highlight
keywords.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

52. Over-used Statements
o I’m a team player
o I’m a perfect fit for this job
o I’m a perfectionist
o I’m a workaholic
o I have good leadership skills
(Be specific, get ready the facts)
E.g. If you are a team player, say “I led my teams
during undergraduate years in two important
projects namely….”
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

53. It's competitive out there,
but the best may not always
win.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

54. Because in a fight, it’s
not the best fighter who
wins, it’s the fighter
who fights the best.
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man

55. @keemanxp
fb.com/chuahkeeman
kmchuah@unimas.my
www.chuahkeeman.com
(cc) Creative Commons 2017 Chuah Kee Man