Creating CVs and Crafting Careers

Jasmine Khan, a talented freelancer, is a guiding light for those navigating the pathways of career development.

Her young journey, filled with passion and curiosity, reflects a profound commitment to empowering individuals through the art of resume writing.

From Lautoka and currently in her final year of university majoring in psychology and human resource management, Ms. Khan has always been drawn to art. She managed to combine skills from her formal studies with her eye for design when she spotted a need for modern and effective resumes.

“Before I started freelancing, I was a human resources (HR) assistant and mostly involved in administration, policy, and recruitment,” she said.

“Whenever I reviewed applications, I admired how certain CVs and resumes struck out visually; however, they were poorly written. I thought to myself, ‘Isa, I wish this was something we were taught in high school’,”.

For Ms Khan, the transition to freelance resume writing was not merely a career choice, but a desire to bridge the gap between visual appeal and substantive content in job applications.

Determined to elevate the standard of resume writing, Ms Khan embarked on a journey of self-discovery and professional development.

Through boldness and a willingness to learn Ms Khan honed her skills, refining her craft with each new project she took on.

“I began offering to recreate CVs and resumes for my friends, colleagues, and family members. They were overjoyed to have a new look on their CV,” Ms Khan said.

“I started spending more time on LinkedIn and following other professional resume writers.

“I realised words matter a lot. I went on to learn a whole new style of writing, I was committed to mastering it and absorbed as much knowledge as I could on professional resume writing and design.”

Despite her growth so far, Ms Khan’s ambitions extend beyond freelance work.

Jasmine Khan built a website herself to grow her freelancing services

With a deep-seated commitment to youth career development, she hopes to create a future where her business serves as inspiration for high school and university graduates navigating the often daunting world of job applications.

“My main goal for my business is to primarily help high school and university graduates in Fiji.

“I understand how confusing and difficult it is to sit down and wonder ‘What can I put on my CV when I haven’t even had a job? Will I even get hired?’

“I have some big plans to involve myself more in youth career development and I hope I can pull it off this year.

“Eventually, I aim to evolve my business into a local creative agency that also offers Career Support and Solutions for everyone.”

As part of her business growth and objectives to streamline her services and expand her reach, Ms Khan decided to establish an online presence.

Leveraging her creative skills and newfound knowledge of website building, she embarked on the journey of creating a website for her business—a hub where potential clients could learn about her services and easily connect with her.

“It was fairly easy for me as I had used previous website-building tools but that was it,” Ms Khan said.

“I was only familiar with the tools but I did not know how to structure and contextualise my website.

“Shenal’s workshop was delightfully engaging and very educational, the way she was able to explain very complicated technical concepts into bite-sized info was spot-on.”

For those seeking to craft standout resumes, Ms Khan emphasises the importance of clarity, professionalism, and attention to detail.

“There’s a difference between simply listing your responsibilities versus what you achieved, improved or contributed throughout your work experiences,” she said.

“This is complemented by highlighting your areas of expertise, categorising your skills, showcasing projects and achievements where your expertise and skills were utilised.

“It’s all about illustrating your expertise and the value you bring to the table.

And last but not least, proofread like your job depends on it.”

By: SHENAL HARAKH

• Shenal Harakh is the founder of her eponymous software development agency Shenal (www.shenal.online), which builds tech products for startup clients around the world. She is currently based in Fiji and is running workshops to digitally upskill communities. Head to sign up and keep up to date with new workshops, or follow her work on LinkedIn: Shenal Harakh or Twitter: @shenalyo.

Feedback: frederica.elbourne@fijisun.com.fj