Your resume has to sell you in short order. While you may have all the requirements for a particular position, your resume is a failure if the employer does not instantly come to the conclusion that you "have what it takes." The first hurdle your resume has to pass--whether it ends up in the "consider file" or the "reject file"--may take less than thirty seconds.

The most effective resumes are clearly focused on a specific job title and address the employer's stated requirements for the position. The more you know about the duties and skills required for the job--and organize your resume around these points--the more effective the resume.

You will need information to write a good resume. Not just information about jobs you've held in the past but also information to select the most relevant accomplishments, skills and experience for THIS position. The more you know about the employer and the position, the more you can tailor your resume to fit the job.

Writing a Resume

HotJobs.com By Jeannie Kim

Your resume has only a few seconds to impress - or to end up in the trash.A strong resume needs a solid foundation, and no amount of trickery can mask poor organization. Start with these basics.

Contact Information: List your contact information at the top of the resume. Include your full name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address. If you have a personal Web site, include the URL only if the site shows off your skills or applies to your career goals.

Objective: The objectives section gives recruiters an immediate sense of who you are and what you're looking for, without forcing them to wade through the entire resume. If you decide to include an objective, stress what you'll add to the company, not what you're looking to take away.

Experience: List your experience chronologically, with your most recent job first. If your latest experience wasn't the most impressive, arrange your list by importance. Include the company name, location, your title and dates of employment. Also, give a brief description of your accomplishments.

Remember these tips:

• Emphasize your most important responsibilities even if they weren't your primary duties.
   

• Use active voice. Strong sentences are those in which a subject performs an action (active voice) as opposed to an action being performed on the subject (passive voice). "I planned an event," creates a stronger impression than "An event was planned by me."

• Impress employers with cause-effect relationships and tangible results. Quantify your achievements with percentages and numbers like "increased enrollment 20 percent" and "supervised three-person staff."

• Use descriptions to highlight your sense of initiative. Paint yourself as a "go-getter" with strong verbs like "proposed," "launched" and "managed."

Skills/Interests: Today's workers are more tech-savvy than ever, so make sure you mention your technical and computer skills. List programming languages, software programs and operating systems you've used as well as certifications you have. Don't forget "soft skills" like foreign languages and public speaking.

Always include memberships in professional organizations, because it shows you're serious about your career. Mentioning your interests is optional. Listing activities and hobbies can portray you as a well- rounded person, but it can raise eyebrows, too. Be careful what you list. (You should probably keep your passion for professional wrestling to yourself.)

Education: List your most recent education first and work backward. State your degree, major, minor, dates of attendance and the school's name and location. You may also want to add your GPA (if 3.0 or higher).

References: Don't waste valuable space on references. Employers assume you'll provide them upon request.

Finishing Touches

• Create several versions of your resume, each tailored to the type of position you're applying for. Writing multiple resumes can be time-consuming, but it's a small price to pay for the job you want.
• If you're applying for a specific job, research the position and company. Pay attention to the job requirements, and highlight your qualifications as they reflect the hiring company's needs.
• Be concise. Stick to one page. Make sure every word is meaningful.
• Choose fonts that are easy-to-read, clean and consistent. Don't use non-traditional or overly creative fonts.
• Read, edit and re-read your resume to make sure it's well written, clear and typo-free. Do it again. Then, ask your friends and family to do the same.
• If you use an online resume, consider saving a text (".txt") version that will look good on any computer. Send your resume as an attached file and also paste the text into the body of the e-mail just to be safe. Online resumes should also include plenty of keywords, since they may be searched.

With some self-evaluation, careful organization and savvy choice of words, your resume will rise to the top of the pile on any recruiter's desktop.

SAMPLE RESUME

CHARLIE CROWLEY
6693 High Street
Nutley, New Jersey 07110
(201) 123-4567

Job wanted: Part-time after school and weekend job
...Stockroom helper ...Grocery bagger ...Golf Caddie ...Dishwasher
...Theater maintenance helper ...Arcade guide

• Reliable. Willing and able to show up on time.
• Honest and trustworthy.
• Good attitude around others. Willing to help, patient with people, do my share, willing to learn.

Paid Work Experience

1996-97 Handyman
 

• Worked on Nutley rental property owned by my relatives
  ... Replaced broken wood fence.
  ... Painted inside and outside walls.
  ... Cleared out trash left by tenants.

Fall 1995 Babysitter
 

• Do on-call work for parent during football games.

1995-96 Bagger after school, weekends, vacations
 

• Bagged groceries at US Army Commissary, Hamburg, Germany

1995 Woodworker and Salesman part-time during school year
 

• Produced wood handicrafts; sold them to teachers and other students.
  ... Increased sales by giving customers a chance to try out the merchandise and show it to others.
  ... Increased income by raising prices on popular items.
  ... Used woodworking tools to make handicrafts.

1994 Golf Caddie
 

• Caddied every day during summer vacation.

Work Experience in School

Animal Care Project, Nov. 1994 to Apr. 1995
 

• Successfully raised a pig to sell at the County Fair.
  ... Won three blue ribbons. Earned over $200.
  ... Fed pig every day, cleaned the pen, gave the animal shots when it was sick, checked its weight weekly.
   

Free Enterprise Class, 1993 (Junior High)
 

• Sold school supplies such as pencils, pens, paper, notebooks.
   
• Designed, built, and sold wooden plaques which were popular with teachers.

EDUCATION: will graduate from high school in June 1997.