Frequently Asked Questions

Read the most common questions asked by our clients regarding our resume services and career development in general.

How long does it take to write a resume?
Our professional resumes are always created in a timely fashion to meet your needs. The standard turn-around is 3 to 7 working days once we have received a payment (in full) and all the necessary information from you. Depending on individual circumstances, we may also finalize a project in 24 to 48 hours for an additional Express Service fee.

What kind of information do you need from me?
To make your resume stand out, we require very specific information, including your work history, education, training, and qualifications, as well as highlighting your special achievements and applicable talents. For more information please contact us to discuss this in more detail.

Can't I just use the resume my school / college / recruitment agency / friend made for me?
Unless the person who created your current resume is a Certified Resume Writer you are sabotaging your chances for career success. Only a trained resume writer knows what information to include, what language to use, how to market and highlight your skills, what information to leave out and how to present everything in the most advantageous format for your industry. A powerfully written resume will launch your visibility in a positive and unique way. Why not get us to perform a Free Resume Critique on your current resume and find out for sure.

I think I want to apply for a Sales job and a Teaching job, what should I do?
One of the reasons why First Place Resumes can boast a 92% success rate is because we know how to focus every resume to a specific industry or position. By doing this, your skills and career objectives are immediately highlighted and your potential employer is encouraged to read on. If you wish to apply for jobs in different industries, which is not unheard of, you will need separate resumes, each with a different focus. We can easily arrange for such a project and are happy to negotiate an appropriate fee for your second resume.

What is the difference between a CV and a Resume?
A Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) is a very comprehensive profile of your entire working life, usually several pages long and reserved only for positions requiring an in-depth investigation of your personal history. A resume should be more succinct, well laid out, easy to read summary of your relevant skills, achievements, experience and qualifications directed to a specific career objective.

I wish to return to the workforce after a long period, I don't know where to start?
Many of our clients come to us after a period of being out of the workforce, whether it was parenting, education, health, retirement, business or travel reasons, we specialise in creating specific resumes for such clients. We know how to transfer your current skills into a marketing tool that will get you noticed in today's competitive job market. For more information call or email your special request to our office now.

I want to apply for jobs overseas; do you know what I need to do?
It's really important to know that employers are not the same in every country. What works in Australia, will not have the same affect in the United Kingdom or USA. In fact, in some cases, submitting an inappropriate resume could cause irreparable damage to your job search campaign. With experience and contacts working in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand, we can easily create a resume that will stand out for all the right reasons, wherever you wish to work.

I have to provide Selection Criteria for my application, can you help?
Selection Criteria responses need to be very specific and appropriate for the position. In most cases you need to demonstrate your abilities and the majority of our clients find it difficult to put into words, the skills they possess and results they have achieved. An expert writer will be able to objectively and professionally create the responses employers are looking for and put you ahead of the field. We have experience completing selection criteria for government, medical, teaching and corporate positions, just to name a few.

I want to learn more about the job application process, interviews, job negotiation and career development in general, where can I get this information?
At First Place Resumes we are a team of professionals who take pride in going that extra mile and providing services that exceed our clients' expectations. There is a plenitude of useful information, articles, news stories, tips and tools on our Career Solutions pages.

Do I need a Cover Letter?
In almost all cases, the answer is yes! This goes for scannable resumes and electronic resumes as well. A cover letter is a professional courtesy that is as important and as traditional as a handshake. It accompanies any resume you send and is a way of introducing yourself and demonstrating your suitability for the position. For more information on cover letters, visit our Career Solutions page.

What is a Scannable Resume?
Many companies and recruiters use scanners to scan resumes into their computer database. When they need to fill a job opening, they simply search their electronic database and find candidates to fill these posts. The appropriate placing of KEY WORDS in your resume is one of the most important things to remember as these will be used to identify suitable candidates when a company or agency does an eletronic search of their database. Common points to remember include: no coloured paper, don't use italics or underlining or fancy bullets; don't use boxes, columns, or vertical lines. A scannable resume is an invaluable part of your job search because you never know when you'll need one.

What is an e-Resume?
An e-Resume is a specifically formatted text into ASCII format. This format allows the text to be sent over all electronic medias, while keeping its margins and tabs. When submitting your resume to an online job search site, they often request that you cut and paste your current resume into their form so it can be posted to their network. If your resume is not in an e-resume format (ASCII) you will risk having the format show up all jumbled. Also, some organizations and recruitment agencies do not accept file attachments - instead they ask that you send your resume in the body of an email only.

Still have a question? Why not email an expert.