The first time you make contact with a future employer is almost always through a resume submission. Since hiring managers typically have to wade through hundreds of resumes sent in response to an open position, it is vital for you to communicate clearly and effectively how you and your skills will benefit the company (especially since hiring managers typically spend less than 30 seconds reviewing each resume). Interviewing well is the key to getting the position you desire, but without a good resume you’ll never get to wow them in person. Before you begin writing, think about two things: what you can do and what the company wants from the position

1. What you can do:

An accurate idea of what you’re capable of doing is extremely important in any job search. It will help you: determine what you want out of your career; identify your present skills and strengths; examine your weaknesses and find ways to grow. Keep in mind that what you are capable of doing isn’t the same as what you want to do interests and skills are separate entities, and employers assume you’re interested in a position if you apply for it. They need to know the skills you possess to do the job. A skill is anything you do well, whether through personal aptitude, experience, or a combination of both.

In order to develop a profile of your skills, list all of the positions (volunteer or paid) that you’ve held, extracurricular activities, or projects completed during your education and the responsibilities that were associated with each. Once you’ve completed this list, make another detailing the skills you developed and used in completing these duties.

Now that you have a skill profile, categorize your skills. While you may not use all of your skills in one category, when you are tailoring your resume to specific position you can pick and choose that appropriate aptitudes to list.

2. What the company wants from the position:

An accurate idea of the duties, responsibilities and skills necessary for the position you are applying for is immeasurably helpful in helping you write your resume. For each position, carefully go through the job description to see which skills the employer is looking for. On your resume, you want to highlight the skills and accomplishments that you possess that are most relevant to what the employer is seeking.

If the position description is vague, call the company and ask to receive a detailed description or speak with someone who can tell you more about the position. These efforts may not be successful, but it is definitely worth trying if your resume gets a better response because of it.