How to Prepare Your Best Resume

In building a resume, there are five essential sections that every resume must have: Header, Job Objective, Education, Experience and Miscellaneous. In your header, include your name, address, home and cell phone number and a professional sounding email address. You may use a font size larger than 12 for your name but don't make it overpowering to the rest of the document.

The next section is the job objective, this is where you make a statement about the job that you are looking for. Starting with a generic statement, target a job posting by taking a few keywords from the listing and place into your own statement. This makes your resume unique to that company. Under Education, list any schools you have attended, the dates and any degrees awarded.

For Experience, list all of the places that you have worked, the dates and major duties that you performed while employed there. DO NOT list why you left (i.e. quit, leave of absence or fired), this is a question that might come up in the interview. Don't volunteer any unnecessary information unless directly asked. The last section is miscellaneous.

Depending on your work history, you can personalize this section somewhat with volunteer work, co-ops, internships, military service, awards or hobbies that you enjoy doing outside of the office. It shows the employer that you have a life outside of work. Sometimes you may have the same hobby in common with a boss and that may get you a foot in the door. Print a rough draft using Times New Roman or Arial font in 12 point type face. Have a few friends critique it for any errors before getting it printed on good quality stock. That's it, good luck!

by
Brian G Chadra