With most companies, including those in the insurance, retail banking and actuary industry, having shifted their recruitment efforts online, it has become easier than ever before to apply for any open role. In fact, it has now become standard for jobseekers to fill up an application form on a company’s website, and submit their resume in addition.

However, because different industries typically look for different skill sets, formats and job experiences, your resume should be tailored accordingly. Sure, this sounds pretty tedious, but it’ll help you get one step closer to your dream job if your resume matches what recruiters are looking for.

For starters, you can use our resume template as a reference point, but keep in mind that you’ll still have to customise it accordingly. In the case of the insurance, retail banking and actuary industry, how should you adapt the details in your resume and online applications for top employers such as DBS Bank, Barclays and Aviva?

FIRST THINGS to take note of 

Length of your resume: As a rule of thumb, your resume shouldn’t exceed two pages, mostly because recruiters don’t really have the time to sift through everything. This is especially so for large organisations, who generally receive large numbers of applications. Because of this, recruiters rarely have more than half a minute to scan through each one, so only include vital and relevant details!

Don’t forget to include about two to three internships and/or part-time jobs in your resume. This should make up the bulk of your resume.

Getting started: With these two factors in mind, it should go without saying that your resume should be structured for catching attention and gaining effective exposure. This translates to headings, passport photos (having a face to a name will help a recruiter remember you), contact details (phone number, email address and LinkedIn profile), a link to your portfolio (if any) and a proper arrangement of the sections.

Drawing up a rough draft: When you start drafting your resume, think of the format that suits you best. For instance, if you held multiple internships and/or part-time jobs, the conventional chronological format would show off your experience best. But if you want to go into finance IT in a bank, a skills-based resume would be more suitable. You can even think out of the box and experiment with alternative formats!

Things to take note of: Before you go haring off after the resume format you’re going to use, check for specific requirements with the employer(s) you want to apply for.

For instance, Barclays’ application process is online-only, and requires candidates to submit a one-page resume. Limited space means that you most likely need to use the skills-based resume format.

On the other hand, HSBC has a rough template for applicants to follow, including pinpointing specific sections in their resume, namely, all working experience (including voluntary, part-time work and internships), co-curricular activities (CCAs), positions of responsibility, academic qualifications and scholarships and awards.

Prerequisites for other banks may include omitting salary history and requirements, hobbies and interests, as well as references.

It’s vital that you stick closely to these conditions and customise your resume accordingly, as failure to do so could result in the recruiter completely disregarding your application.

SECOND THINGS to take note of 

Highlight your skills and competencies: It’s important to tailor your resume and include the skills and competencies that recruiters are looking for. You won’t be going in blind, though! Most of the time, you’ll often find the required skills and competencies in the job description, although not all of them will necessarily be listed out clearly in bullet points. Instead, they’ll be hidden in keywords that correspond to certain skills.

For instance, the phrase “able to work in a collaborative environment” really means an ability to work well in teams. Similarly, the description “meticulous” usually means that they’re looking for candidates with an eye for detail.

Include examples relevant to the role you’re applying for: To land the job, you need to convince recruiters that you’re the right fit for the job. Don’t be afraid to highlight examples where you met objectives or targets, whether on an internship, part-time job, or even CCAs. Recruiters understand that you’re a fresh graduate and don’t have much professional experience to speak of!

For instance, if you’re looking to land a marketing role, and you were involved in marketing drives as part of your CCA in school, use it as a relevant example!

Mention your achievements: While you don’t want to toot your own horn, leaving generic statements like “I sold life insurance during my university days” don’t have much of an impact. Instead, talk about your achievements (like expanding your club’s membership), awards you’ve attained, commissions (from sales or freelancing), sales figures and projects (which can be either academic or personal).

These show potential employers that you’re able to work towards, and achieve, targets and objectives.

Offer concrete numbers: No matter how great, mentioning your achievements only shows your ability to reach your objectives – it doesn’t show by how much. To show that, quantify your success by offering concrete numbers, whether in figures, or in the form of percentages.

For instance, to build on the aforementioned example of looking to land a marketing role several paragraphs earlier, when you were involved in the marketing drive, how many tickets did you sell, and what was your measure of success? Was it solely ticket sales? Or was it based on a larger number of attendees?

If you can’t provide sales figures for confidentiality reasons, you can use percentages. For example, instead of writing “Boosted ticket sales”, you can put down, “Helped to increase sales by 30%”.

It’s also good to put your achievements into a timeframe. So rather than putting down “Sold all tickets to the event a week before the opening”, you can write “Completed sales of tickets within three weeks.”

Communication and interpersonal skills: Working in the banking, insurance and actuary industry means that you’ll be interacting with clients and customers from all walks of life. Because of this, solid communication and interpersonal skills are vital. In fact, they can determine how well you do at work!

For example, in your resume, you can include examples on when you assisted other students in their enquiries during your marketing drive, or when you worked with others in your CCAs to achieve a goal.

However, if you do so, be sure to give the situation context, so that your recruiters will be able to understand the situation, such as obstacles (e.g. a language gap), and how you used your communication and interpersonal skills to help. For instance, maybe you explained the marketing drive to international students only with words you knew they understood.

Bonus tips: Employers are always on the lookout for employees who are willing to go the extra mile for their customers or colleagues. Don’t be afraid to bring up these efforts, and explain how they impacted your relationships!

Sharing testimonies by your supervisors or colleagues are an ideal asset to add in, if you have them. But before you list them down, make sure they’re for your ability to build and cultivate relationships. If you don’t want to jot them down in your resume, then be sure to mention them in your interview(s).

Remember: Being able to set objectives, meet targets and deliver is very important in this industry, no matter the role. So, if you’re keen on landing a position – especially a sales position – it’s essential that you showcase your ability to do so.

IMPORTANT: Take note of application deadlines

By and large, most graduate schemes in the banking industry often start accepting applications in August or September. However, insurance institutions usually onboard graduates on a rolling basis as roles become available.

Taking these factors into mind, it’s advisable that you constantly check websites or forums of individual employers to get a better idea of their recruitment cycles.

Bonus tip: No matter the closing dates given, start your research and application process early instead of leaving it to the last minute! Some employers process the applications as they come in, and may close earlier if they receive too many submissions, or have found a suitable candidate.

After polishing up your customised resume and having it sent over with your application (and perhaps a cover letter), be ready for the next stage – interviews, assessments and even psychometric tests! Be sure to not only make your own preparations, but be sure to scour the employer’s website for any advice or guidelines to make things easier. Best of luck!