LAYOUT

PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Your Name
Your Address
Telephone, Fax
Email

POSITION APPLIED FOR:
Employers always want to know which position you're applying for, as they might have several openings. Don't make the employer guess. If you do, he'll file your resume under "G" for "Garbage".

YOUR OBJECTIVES:
This is your sales pitch. Keep it short. Keep it precise. Don't ramble. Stay focused. Write no more than one sentence. Or two, but only if you absolutely have to.

EXPERIENCE:
This is your work history. Use the chronological, functional, or combination approach - whichever suits your needs. All three are good.

Include the following facts:

• Dates of employment. Make sure you don't leave a gap in years. Employers like to see the fact that you were always employed. Even if you were unemployed, put down something that you did that was meaningful, like going back to school, or volunteering.
• Name and location of your employer.
• Type of work you did. Give not only the position title, but also a very brief description of what you actually did.

EDUCATION:
Use the chronological method to summarize the skills and education that make you the ideal candidate for the job you're applying for. Don't use the shotgun approach, which means trying to get a broad coverage. Stay focused. Emphasize those skills, the education and training that specifically pertain to the position you're applying for.

This is where a lot of people make themselves irrelevant by throwing in everything but the kitchen sink. Don't make the employer wade through everything you've done. Lead him through the highlights of your education and training that clearly fit the type of skills he or she is looking for.

REFERENCES:
You will be expected to list the names of people whom the employer can contact for information about you.

Make sure you get the permission of the people you'll be putting down as references, because nothing is worse than a cold call from someone you don't expect to be calling.

Give the following information about each reference:

• Full name (spelled correctly)
• Title (Mr. Ms, Dr.)
• Title of the position held by the referee
• Name of business and address
• Telephone, fax, email

There is only one way to get a job interview - through a powerful resume. It's time to get busy and write, design, and hone your effective sales tool. Make yourself marketable!

To get you into the right frame of mind, think of yourself as a product. Your resume is your sales tool. Now sell yourself! Make yourself desirable! Get yourself hired!