Singapore Resume Templates / Expectations

[g-shock]

I really don't understand why people will always rather mistrust people's intentions here, than take their statements at face value.

We're talking about a piddling document on CV writing tips, not the launch codes. Surely we can reserve the sanctimony of our high horses for more appropriate occasions.

I think this forum has had issues with accusations about IP theft in it's past. Hence the sensitivity.

^^This.

This is why we cannot post any cut & pastes or even URL links to anything that is produced or owned by Singapore Press Holdings. Commonly referred to as the daily birdcage liner. The Admins were sent a legal cease & desist order. Therefore we ARE sensitive about IP theft here. Please understand.

moderator

sorry guys, didnt know about it. sorry for the trouble caused.

[Martin_7]

Hi,

I'm hoping I'm not going to be flamed for this question. I surely thought it would have been covered adequately in the forums, but perhaps I'm not searching properly or more likely the search terms are simply too generic and end up hitting a vast quantity of the threads across this forum.

I'm looking for a template for a Singapore resume. I've done some searching on recruitment sites, on google and using the search functionality for this forum. I've heard Singaporean companies usually expect things like a photo, details on citizenship, ethnicity, religion etc. I've seen examples of this on CVs from other countries in the region. I'm looking for the specific norms for Singapore.

Most of the recruitment sites give general tips but not a specific format or listing of what is expected. Most templates I've found online don't contain any of the above information and look no different from western style (CAD/US) CVs. I'm not sure if this is because the expectations are essentially the same and I'm the one out of the loop, or I'm not coming across the correct information.

Could someone help me out and either point me to a good template or at least provide a listing of what would be expected?

Edit: Completed a paragraph

Hi Brian,

CVs from around the word, particular those used in Europe and Asia, tend to be quite similar with minor differences so you can readily use those templates and customized it slightly;

Step 1: Download any standard CV template of your choice from the internet for free, for example, one from here.

Step 2: Add a photo (next to your name) and nationality (by personal details) at the top of the CV

Step 3: Fill it up with your personal information

That’s it.

Note: Make sure you follow all the other important guidelines regarding CVs: no more than 2 A4 pages long, no spelling or grammar mistakes, no long paragraphs of text, nicely presented, etc.

Some information - like gender for instance - may be unnecessary as that information can be derived from your name and photograph IMO.

Hope this helps.

[Angelus]

Thanks for the replies to the topic starter. They surely have helped me along. I do have some questions of my own though.

I was wondering to what extent it matters to stand out visually with your CV. Will a simple clear layout suffice? Or would a CV that features a nice graphical design make a larger difference?

Additionally, as a fresh graduate with limited work experience I was wondering how much my study would interest potential employees. Right now I have a short factual format with the degree/university/duration/bachelor/master program. Should I also include some examples of the subjects that I followed? How about some of the projects for companies that I conducted as part of the study program (mostly market research)?.

Thanks.

[the lynx]

Thanks for the replies to the topic starter. They surely have helped me along. I do have some questions of my own though.

I was wondering to what extent it matters to stand out visually with your CV. Will a simple clear layout suffice? Or would a CV that features a nice graphical design make a larger difference?

Unless you're applying for creative art positions, having graphical designs on your CV (aside from strategic lines to separate sections of your CV) will only distract the readers. Sure you may get the attention but that would be as far as you can get.

Additionally, as a fresh graduate with limited work experience I was wondering how much my study would interest potential employees. Right now I have a short factual format with the degree/university/duration/bachelor/master program. Should I also include some examples of the subjects that I followed? How about some of the projects for companies that I conducted as part of the study program (mostly market research)?.

For fresh graduates, your only weapon would be your projects/dissertations/journals/modules/subjects which are relevant to the position you're applying for. And oh, extra-curricular activities that demonstrate your soft skills. Having said that, DO NOT include your accomplishments in local town beauty pageant, sausage-eating competitions and other crap. I have seen them before in some CVs (which I binned as soon as I was done reading).

Thanks.

[AngMoG]

Out of interest, since the thread came up again... I have not seen many companies ask for photo in Singapore in the CV - and well, since I do not like to discriminate, I would not ask for one if I were hiring. That said, it's the first time I hear that a photo would be the "norm" for Singapore applications, since I have never had anyone ask me for on when applying.

In any case, I put a link to my LinkedIn profile in my resume, and there's a photo there...

Btw, I have had some experience with recruiters who will ask the world from one... including all past reasons for leaving previous employers (yeah right, like I am going to tell you the non-embellished truth), all past salaries (because it is relevant how much I earned 10 years ago, you know), passport number (not going to give that to random people!), parents' info, all other jobs that I have applied for recently, to name just a few. Some of these I have had to politely refuse to provide, knowing that in that case, they probably won't call me back (which is fine by me in that case).

[Wd40]

The companies that ask for photo are the local companies, including some big shot local MNCs of the likes of Keppel.

Basically there are 2 kind of jobs in Singapore. The ones that appear on Jobscentral, JobsDB and Jobstreet and these are almost always local companies or local headhunters, most often paying peanuts and asking for only Singaporeans/PRs. These are the one that ask for photos.

Then there are the other jobs that appear only on Monster and EfinancialCareers or headhunter(of the likes of Robert Walters, Ashton Carter etc) calls you directly. These are typically nice MNCs with similar culture as in the west. These dont ask for photos. Typically pay well and accept foreigners more openly.

As a jobseeker, more often than not you will deal with only one of these 2 types of jobs and hence that sets your perception about the industry.

[sundaymorningstaple]

^This.

[AngMoG]

The companies that ask for photo are the local companies, including some big shot local MNCs of the likes of Keppel.

Basically there are 2 kind of jobs in Singapore. The ones that appear on Jobscentral, JobsDB and Jobstreet and these are almost always local companies or local headhunters, most often paying peanuts and asking for only Singaporeans/PRs. These are the one that ask for photos.

Then there are the other jobs that appear only on Monster and EfinancialCareers or headhunter(of the likes of Robert Walters, Ashton Carter etc) calls you directly. These are typically nice MNCs with similar culture as in the west. These dont ask for photos. Typically pay well and accept foreigners more openly.

As a jobseeker, more often than not you will deal with only one of these 2 types of jobs and hence that sets your perception about the industry.

Cannot quite agree with this. I have applied for a lot of local companies over the years, via jobsdb, jobstreet and st701, and I do not remember any one asking for a photo. Maybe it depends on the industry as well.

[Wd40]

The companies that ask for photo are the local companies, including some big shot local MNCs of the likes of Keppel.

Basically there are 2 kind of jobs in Singapore. The ones that appear on Jobscentral, JobsDB and Jobstreet and these are almost always local companies or local headhunters, most often paying peanuts and asking for only Singaporeans/PRs. These are the one that ask for photos.

Then there are the other jobs that appear only on Monster and EfinancialCareers or headhunter(of the likes of Robert Walters, Ashton Carter etc) calls you directly. These are typically nice MNCs with similar culture as in the west. These dont ask for photos. Typically pay well and accept foreigners more openly.

As a jobseeker, more often than not you will deal with only one of these 2 types of jobs and hence that sets your perception about the industry.

Cannot quite agree with this. I have applied for a lot of local companies over the years, via jobsdb, jobstreet and st701, and I do not remember any one asking for a photo. Maybe it depends on the industry as well.

It may not always be at the time of applying. In my case, when I went for interview with Keppel, for the 1st round face to face interview, I was asked to carry photocopies of a host of documents like passport, educational certs, previous experience certificates, child's birth cert, marriage cert etc and oh yes photo too.

[Wd40]

The companies that ask for photo are the local companies, including some big shot local MNCs of the likes of Keppel.

Basically there are 2 kind of jobs in Singapore. The ones that appear on Jobscentral, JobsDB and Jobstreet and these are almost always local companies or local headhunters, most often paying peanuts and asking for only Singaporeans/PRs. These are the one that ask for photos.

Then there are the other jobs that appear only on Monster and EfinancialCareers or headhunter(of the likes of Robert Walters, Ashton Carter etc) calls you directly. These are typically nice MNCs with similar culture as in the west. These dont ask for photos. Typically pay well and accept foreigners more openly.

As a jobseeker, more often than not you will deal with only one of these 2 types of jobs and hence that sets your perception about the industry.

Cannot quite agree with this. I have applied for a lot of local companies over the years, via jobsdb, jobstreet and st701, and I do not remember any one asking for a photo. Maybe it depends on the industry as well.

It may not always be at the time of applying. In my case, when I went for interview with Keppel, for the 1st round face to face interview, I was asked to carry photocopies of a host of documents like passport, educational certs, previous experience certificates, child's birth cert, marriage cert etc and oh yes photo too.

[sundaymorningstaple]

As a former recruiter here, I can vouch that it really depends, not on the industry, but on the nature of the business. If the position is in a front facing position, then most certainly, most businesses will require photographs (I'm speaking from a primarily Singapore perspective) as the employer is concerned about what kind of "face" they project to their customers and clients as well. Most industries that are production oriented are nonplussed by visuals, but hospitality and other types of service & sales industries as well as office based positions if subject to outside walk in traffic will require this. It's not the US. Discrimination is rampant here and while they no long can advertise Chinese only or Mandarin speaker required (unless dealing primarily with the PRC or Taiwan), they can see via photograph whether the applicant is the right flavour or not. Wrong? By western standards, but by local standards, they are "just being pragmatic" so as to keep from wasting their and the applicant's time coming for an interview.

[AngMoG]

As a former recruiter here, I can vouch that it really depends, not on the industry, but on the nature of the business. If the position is in a front facing position, then most certainly, most businesses will require photographs (I'm speaking from a primarily Singapore perspective) as the employer is concerned about what kind of "face" they project to their customers and clients as well. Most industries that are production oriented are nonplussed by visuals, but hospitality and other types of service & sales industries as well as office based positions if subject to outside walk in traffic will require this. It's not the US. Discrimination is rampant here and while they no long can advertise Chinese only or Mandarin speaker required (unless dealing primarily with the PRC or Taiwan), they can see via photograph whether the applicant is the right flavour or not. Wrong? By western standards, but by local standards, they are "just being pragmatic" so as to keep from wasting their and the applicant's time coming for an interview.

Well, here they just put "Mandarin speaking required" and we all know what is meant. After all, who can prove that they don't do business with China, Taiwan or other customers who only speak Mandarin? (Not that the locals' Mandarin would be intelligible to people from the 'mainland', but that is another story...)

And that is still nothing compared to countries with less regard for political correctness / fairness, such as Philippines and China. In Phils, it is ok for the recruiter to put an expected age and gender. In China, they can apparently even openly say which nationality they want (and, I would assume, a lot of other things).