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Step 1
Determine your strengths and divide them into three categories of lists. Consider your personal and professional experience when making the lists.
Know-how - The things you do well. Knowing how to get people to follow a schedule or knowing how to negotiate a lower price are both examples of know-how.
Skills - The things you have learned to do. Learning how to operate a switchboard or designing greeting cards are tangible skills.
Capabilities - The things you are capable of doing in the future. Make an employer see what you can do for him. Providing grammar perfect copy and building a new marketing plan are capabilities -
Step 2
Create a five to six sentence summary paragraph using the information from your lists. Use keywords and active verbs to communicate your experience. Remember that you are trying to sell yourself to a potential employer. Place this paragraph on the resume right after your name, address and contacts.
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Step 3
Follow the paragraph with a bulleted list of summarized accomplishments in the field you are looking to enter. Keep the emphasis on any experience relevant to the position.
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Step 4
The next section should list your employment history. Simply list the place of business and your title, the location and the dates you were employed there. If you are looking to downplay an absence from work, only list the years you were employed. You can clarify the missing time in an interview if needed.
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Step 5
List your schools and your courses of study. It is not necessary to list your date of graduation, but only list the year if you feel it’s important. The same can be said of a grade point average.
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Step 6
Finish your resume with a capability summary. Reiterate about five to ten keywords that describe your abilities.
