10 Steps in Creating A Damn Good Resume
- Choose a target job (also called a "job objective"). An
actual job title works best.
- Find out what skills, knowledge, and experience are needed to do that
target job.
- Make a list of your 2, 3, or 4 strongest skills or abilities or knowledge
that make you a good candidate for the target job.
- For each key skill, think of several accomplishments from your past
work history that illustrate that skill.
- Describe each accomplishment in a simple, powerful, action statement
that emphasizes the results that benefited your employer.
- Make a list of the primary jobs you've held, in chronological order.
Include any unpaid work that fills a gap or that shows you have the skills for the job.
- Make a list of your training and education that's related to the new
job you want.
- Choose a resume format that fits your situation--either chronological
or functional. [Functional works best if you're changing fields; chronological works well
if you're moving up in the same field.]
- Arrange your action statements according to the format you choose.
- Summarize your key points at the top of your resume.
So don't worry if YOUR resume comes together in some other sequence--as long as you do #1
and #2 first!