If you are a student/fresh graduate applying for your internships, or just applying for seasonal work, you may come across a point where you’ll need to mention your availability on resume.
This topic may sound small but it plays a role in ensuring a good impression and securing your interview slot. Are there any tips or tricks when it comes to highlighting your availability on resume? Let’s find out.
How to Highlight Availability on Resume
1. Keep it Above the Fold
To effectively highlight your availability on resume, the best way is to place it “above the fold” of your resume. “Above the fold” refers to the upper half of the first page of your resume.
Positioning your availability below your contact information makes it much easier for hiring managers and/or recruiters to notice it. You could also include your availability in your Resume Introduction/Professional Summary section which is located above the fold.
To recap: The Resume Introduction section serves as your formal opening statement and it helps employers to identify your skills, working experience, and strengths immediately. Adding your availability here could serve as a suitable closing to your introductory statement.
Example:
“A meticulous and caring fresh graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing seeking employment as a junior nurse in hospital DEF. I seek to leverage my 2 years of experience and outstanding results to bring the best service for patients in the intensive care unit.”
2. Be Simple & Concise
It is not common to include your availability on resume when applying for jobs in Malaysia, but try to keep it short and simple if you choose to do so.
Why is it important to keep your availability statement short? A simple and concise availability statement is crucial so that your resume focuses on highlighting the right items more than others.
In this case, your audience should be able to focus more on your skills, experience and achievements rather than your availability. Consider these statements in your resume:
- “Available for work starting 1st June 2022”
- “Available to work from January 2021 until March 2021”
- “Available for work in Winter 2022”
- “Available to work in rotating shifts”
These examples are simple to read, easy to understand, and will not take away the spotlight from your main resume items.
3. Positive Tone Matters
Instead of listing down your unavailability, you should focus on your availability which is more helpful for swift decision-making. It would be much easier for hiring managers to schedule interview sessions with you.
Be straightforward and mention the time frame that you’re available and maintain a positive tone. Proofread your content to ensure that it sounds straightforward and humble. Finish by bolding your availability to ensure that it stands out just enough for your audience to notice it.
Sharing Availability Reasons: Yay or Nay?
The answer is straightforward – No. Your resume should be simple, short, and concise to maintain a professional format.
There’s only so much you can include in a 2-page resume. Extra texts will take up unnecessary space that could instead be used to address better things about you.
As such, it is not suitable to include your reasons for your availability on resume. Stay focused on the essence of your resume, which is to highlight your marketable skills, work experience, and achievements.
Closing Remarks
When applying for jobs in Malaysia, it is more common to include your availability on your cover letter or mention it during your job interview. You should only add your availability on resume if it is a requirement.
One final reminder: In order to ensure that your job application process goes smoothly, you should not neglect proofreading your resume. Imagine inserting the wrong month and date for your availability – you’d be wasting everyone’s time.
Need help on job interviews next, or thinking of creating your own video resume? The Job Majestic platform has all the career guidance you’ll need to achieve a successful career.
