To write a good resume, you need to know why you have to have one and what makes a good resume. The resume is the key that opens the door to the interview. {It does not get you a job!} There are several parts to a resume: Contact Information Skills Objective - Targeted Employment History Education Other Relevant Information.

There are many ways to write a resume and you must choose the one that fits you best and is the one your industry prefers The format that puts your best foot forward is one that is easy for the employer to read and tells the employer very quickly what skills you have that they are looking for.

Contact Information Objective – Objective – Targeted to the position Relevant Skills – Relevant Skills – support your experience Employment History – Employment History – supports your experience Education, Seminars, and Professional Affiliations.

Full Name (first and last, no nick names) Full Address - including street address, city, state and zip code Cell phone number address

Target your objective to the position you are applying It should be straight and to the point, such as: Customer Service Representative – Nike, Inc. Employers are not mind readers – make it easy by letting the employer know exactly which position you are applying to.

Information is in chronological order. Your present or last position first and then backwards to your first position. No more than years back Create a list with your job title - company name and city - dates you worked EX: Mechanic L.L. Smith, Portland Addresses, supervisor’s name, and wage information do not belong on the resume

Your skills are broken down into targeted areas; such as Office Administration, Nursing, Teaching, Pharmacy They can change each time you write your resume Use action verbs to eliminate unneeded words and information An employer will be able to tell a lot about you from your action verbs. If you tell the employer you Organized, Managed, Assisted, Counseled, Trained.

List your most recent education first Don’t forget about the seminars that your companies provide at your workplace or sent you to attend, can fall under Related Education If you list college, you do not need to put down high school If you have military experience, show your education under this heading and your time spent under Employment History.

Contact those you have chosen for your references to make sure it is okay with them to be a reference for you Keep these on a separate sheet from your resume Don’t send with the resume unless requested Include name, title/position, address, telephone, relationship and number of years known If you can, have 2-3 personal and 2-3 professional references

Check to make sure your phone number is correct If you are making a career change stress what skills are transferable to support your new career objective Neatness counts – a poorly structured, badly typed resume is a reflection of the applicant 50% of the success of your resume will depend on its appearance Employers give about 30 seconds to your resume initially – make it easy for them to find the information that is relevant to the position you are applying for Have your resume reviewed by several people

Building your toolkit

Your cover letter is important because it shows the employer how you are a good match for the position When sending a resume be sure to include a cover letter unless the employer indicates they don’t want a cover letter The cover letter consists of three parts: Opening Middle Closing

The first paragraph tells the employer how you found out about the job and that you are interested. This paragraph needs to show some enthusiasm. Start your letter with a little pizzazz Paragraph two gives the employer a few good reasons why they should pick you over other applicants. Tell them about your past work experience or key skills, and personal qualities you would bring to the position.

In paragraph three you tell the employer that you are looking forward to interviewing for the job and how they can contact you It is important that you change your cover letter for each company. Employers look for communication skills and this is the first place they see your skills – do it well.

Be sure to address the letter, by name and title, to the person who could hire you. When it’s impossible to learn their name, use a title such as Dear Hiring Professional – today we don’t use…To Whom It May Concern or Dear Sir or Madam Express your enthusiasm and interest in the job and in the company Avoid generic phrases such as “Enclosed please find” – this is a letter to a real live person.

Set yourself apart from the crowd – identify one thing that makes you unique, such as: a specific talent for getting along with everyone something that goes beyond the basic qualifications of the job. Be specific about what position you are applying for and what skills and experience you have that relate to the position Keep it brief – one page – but powerful!.

It should not be a “template” letter. You should write a separate cover letter for each position you have applied to The letter should make the employer want to read your resume Always have someone proofread your letter before sending. Letters should be typed unless the employer asks for a handwritten letter. Keep copies of your cover letters as a way of tracking where you have applied.