If so, keep reading. Writing a resume, while not complicated, is rather time-intensive and requires a fair amount of thought. You cant get around it, though. You need one. You need a GOOD one. Unless you are the CEO of a major corporation, you will need a resume just to get a foot in the door (Read: Get an Interview).

To start things off, dont think of the end result just yet. It is too much to think of all at once. Yes, it would be nice if you could simply snap your fingers and pop out an awesome resume, but it doesnt work like that, so it is best to take it in steps. One step at a time and you will end up with an amazing marketing piece that will WOW your next employer.

Here are the steps you need to help you write your own resume:

Step 1 Write down the last three jobs you have held and the following information for each one:

Name of Employer, City and State
Dates Employed
Position(s) held
Responsibilities
Accomplishments (what did you do that made you so great)

Step 2 Where did you go to school? (List college(s) or high school if you have no college experience)

Name of Institution
Dates Attended
Degree conferred or area of study
GPA (if over 3.0 on a 4.0 scale)

Step 3 List any awards, honors, publications, foreign languages, or anything else that might make a difference to your next employer

Step 4 Write down what you want to do at your next job (job target or objective)

Step 5 Time to put it all together. At the top of the resume, you will list your name, address, city, state, zip code and phone number. Proofread it about 100 times to make sure it is right. If the prospective employer cant reach you, youre dead in the water.

Next, list your objective statement. State what type of work you are looking for, but add a twist at the end to show the employer you want to fulfill the organizations needs above all else. It might look something like this:

"To work as a graphic designer, showcasing outstanding technological experience to further the market reach of XYZ Corporations leading brand of excellent products"

What you do from here depends on the type of format you use. For ease of explanation, this article will focus on the Chronological Format, although you could easily develop your qualifications into a Functional or Combination Format.

When you have your objective statement completed, its time to focus on your education. Just list everything you identified in Step 2. Keep any tabs you use consistent throughout this section as well as throughout the resume.

Your work experience comes next. List your employment in reverse chronological order, meaning the most current position comes first, then the one before that, and so on. If at all possible, try to list your responsibilities in terms of results achieved rather than duties performed. Also, use verbs that imply action. These are often called Action Words or Keywords. You can find an example here: Action Keywords

If you have any related "Other" categories, list them after your work experience. This might include Volunteer Work or Professional Associations, Awards or Publications. If they will not help you look good in the eyes of the employer, it does very little good to list them, so think this section through carefully.

The last section you might want to include is called, References. The only thing, which is hard to figure out, is that no one ever actually lists their references, so its quite an odd thing to put down on your resume. It offers nothing to encourage the employer to want to meet you face to face. If you choose to include this section, add the requisite Furnished upon request.

Writing a resume is a necessary evil. You have to have it, but its a pain to write. At least you have the information you need to write it correctly. Everyone needs a little help every now and then.

Carla Vaughan, Owner/Webmaster www.Professional-Resume-Example.com

Carla is the owner of a web site devoted to assisting candidates in the job-search process. She holds a B.S. in Business from Southern Illinois University and has authored several books.