Initial Preparation

• Before you create your resume, sit down and write out what you want to achieve. The kind of job you want is only part of the picture. Define your skills, clarify your short- and long-term goals and identify your own interests. Your skills should illustrate your accomplishments and highlight any awards you have won in the past. Think about your hobbies and what activities make you happy. Chances are, there is a job out there that might fit. For example, if you are highly skilled in accounting but love animals, you might look for jobs in accounting at animal hospitals and veterinarian offices.
  
  Write down your accomplishments. If you have done volunteer work, think about the skills you used and the contributions you made.
  
  

Decide Your Resume Style

• After you have created a list of goals, skills, accomplishments and interests, incorporate them into your resume. If you are just starting out in the work force, have little experience, are changing careers or are returning to work after a long absence, your best option is the functional resume format. This format focuses on your skill sets and abilities rather than your work history.
  
  If you have a good and steady work record, use a chronological resume to accentuate your work history and accomplishments. This type of resume is best if you are seeking a position in the same field as your last job. It also works well in more traditional and conservative fields.
  
  The combination resume is a mixture of both chronological and functional. This is a good option if you're seeking a position in the same field but don't have a long work history.
  
  

Before the Job Search

• Write down the criteria that makes up the perfect company for you. If you want the opportunity to move up within the company, find out what current and former employees have to say about opportunity for growth -- talk to friends, network online, or read the company's website. If you want to work for a company that is progressive and casual in its outlook, don't apply for a company that has a reputation as being conservative and traditional.
  
  Network with area companies. Call an employer and ask for an informational interview. This is not a job interview. An informational interview is a meeting in which you can speak to someone in charge and learn about the particular job you have in mind from someone who either does that job, or from the unit manager. This will give you a sense of whether the job is right for you.
  
  

Writing Your Resume

• When writing your resume, leave out words that may trigger spam filters, especially if you plan to email copies to potential employers. Instead of using the phrase, "graduated cum laude," use the phrase "graduated with high honors." Don't be wordy on your resume. Use bullets to drive home your skills and accomplishments. This will force you to keep your sentences short and concise. Keep a template of your resume saved on your computer. When you find an employer online you are interested in applying for, revise your resume to fit its requirements and save it under a different name. When applying for a position online, it is imperative that you be alert to all application questions and follow all the steps and answer all the questions. Spell check everything.
  
  

Volunteer

• If you are unable to find a job right away, your best course of action is to stay busy. Volunteer your time and expertise doing something you can put on your resume. By helping out an organization, you will get to know to its employees, managers and possibly its business partners. By performing volunteer work, you will keep your skills sharp and build a network of potential employers. This will help you get an advantage over other potential applicants who may not have done any volunteer work during their job search.