Singapore is considered as one of the countries that have a high quality of life. As a result, many foreign people like to relocate here to work.
Your resume is one of the most crucial documents in your Singapore job hunt.
So this is a tailored resume guide especially written for the job seekers in Singapore and other foreign candidates who wish to apply for Singapore jobs.
As we already know the resume is a different document from a CV. But in Singapore both the words CV and Resume used interchangeably to describe the same document.
With that in mind, read on to find out how to compose the perfect resume that will impress your prospective employers in Singapore.
Singapore resume sample
See the resume sample below to get a better understanding of how a Singapore resume should look. If you want to be noticed by recruiters in Singapore, you must have a perfect resume as below. Study this resume sample carefully and create your own resume and increase your job winning rate in Singapore.
Why do you need a good resume when applying for jobs in Singapore?
Finding a good job in Singapore is typically a difficult task. Because the Singapore job market is so competitive, even accomplished professionals find it difficult to find jobs in Singapore.
But on the other hand, Singapore is a top destination for foreign workers. And the job market here is never saturated.
That’s why you need to have a well-written resume to apply for Singaporean jobs. If you tailor your resume for a specific job, you will not find it much difficult to get into the next stage of your job competition.
That is why you must have a well-written resume to apply for Singaporean jobs. If you tailor your resume to a specific job, you will not have much difficulty in landing an interview opportunity.
Key sections to include in a Singapore resume format
01. Resume header (Contact information)
This is the place where you should include your contact information on your resume. This makes it easier for your future employer to contact you. Here you need to include your full name, job title you are applying for, your location, email address, and mobile phone number. You can make your resume header stand out by including a link to your LinkedIn profile, portfolio, or personal website.
02. Resume summary
This is an introduction paragraph of yourself which comes just after your contact information section. Here you should show the employer, at a glance, why you’re qualified for the job. You must summarize your previous work experience and explain how it will benefit the company where you wish to work. You can also list any major certifications you’ve earned and the most important skills that you have which need to do the job well.
03. Work experience
Here you can elaborate your previous related experience in a concise manner. This section is a great place to highlight the skills you’ve acquired throughout your career. You can also highlight the most important accomplishments in your career, as well as what you learned from them.
Some applicants try to list their job responsibilities here. But that will not impress the employers. They want to see how you perform in your previous roles and what your achievements are. So make sure to list some of your best achievements in bulleted lists under each work experience.
04. Education
Education section of your resume is the place where the employers determine whether you fulfill the educational requirements for the job.
Having a degree or diploma in a specific field is a basic prerequisite for jobs in Singapore. So make sure you hold the required educational qualification before you apply for the job.
When listing the educational qualifications, mention your degree, whether you received any honors or awards, the college you attended, and your graduation year. You can also highlight important coursework from your school years that are relevant to the job you are applying for.
05. Skills
When listing skills on your resume for a SIngapore job, you should focus more on your technical and hard skills rather than your soft skills.
What matters most is a list of the requested technical abilities. Singapore is an excellent place to work for tech-savvy individuals. As a result, employers believe that each candidate possesses a wide range of technical skills. As a result, listing basic computer skills in Singapore resumes is pointless.
It’s preferable if you can list the skills that are listed in the job advertisement. Because those skills are well-aligned with the job, and they will also help you in beating the ATS scan.
Resume formats to use in Singapore
There are three resume formats that are accepted in Singapore. Those are:
- Reverse-chronological resume format
- Functional resume format
- Combination resume format
From these three resume formats, reverse chronological format is the preferred resume format. This means both your work history and your educational background should be listed in reverse chronological order (the most recent position or academic qualification should be listed first and then the others).
In a functional resume format, your skills are prioritized over your experience and educational qualifications. This format is now outdated, and only a few people still use it.
The chronological format is best for candidates with years of relevant experience. But if you’re a person with little experience, it is good to go with a combination resume format which is a hybrid version of both chronological and functional resume formats.
As the Singapore job market is looking for skilled candidates, the combination format is ideal for showcasing your skills and experience for potential employers.
How long should a Singapore resume be
The ideal resume length is one page. If you have a considerable amount of related experience and achievements, it could be a challenge for you to keep your resume in a single page. Therefore in such a case it is completely acceptable to go for a second page. However, your resume should not be more than 3 pages for any reason.
Most of the great resumes are short and succinct. Therefore be wise to know what to include and exclude in your resume.
Essential tips to make your Singapore job application stand out
- If you are a foreigner with a Singaporean PR or work visa, make sure to include it in your resume. Having a valid work permit can increase your chances of being called for an interview.
- Your resume will be more engaging and impactful if you use resume action verbs. The proper use of action verbs strategically can highlight your contributions in your previous workplaces. Therefore, you should use action verbs throughout the descriptions and paragraphs when you write your resume.
- Grammar and typo errors appear unprofessional on resumes and could give the reader a negative impression about the candidate. Therefore double-check your resume before sending it to a potential employer. It’s possible that you won’t be able to spot your own mistakes. So that you can have someone else to proofread your resume, such as one of your trusted friends or a family member. You can also use an online tool like Grammarly to help you with this.
- Singapore is a country where technology is best used. So it is no secret that every company in the country uses applicant tracking software. So adjust your resume so that it can beat the ATS. Doing so will give you more interview opportunities.
- If you are applying for a job in Singapore and want to stand out among the other candidates, you can submit a video resume in addition to your resume and cover letter. This is also known as a Visume. Submitting a visume, which is still new to the job market, gives employers the opportunity to gain a better understanding of your communication skills. As a result, you can reduce the number of interviews you have to attend and get a job quickly. See our complete guide to create a video resume.