In building your resume, the primary goal should be to make your resume the most powerful piece of document that markets "you". Your resume should highlight all your strengths (that's relevant to the position you are seeking) and make you stand out from the crowd.

Learning good resume writing can seem like a pain in the axx (it always is when you are learning a new skill) but it's actually not that bad. Below you'll find a simple step-by-step guide you can follow to get you going.

First, gather all your information. Grab a plain sheet of paper jot down all your key personal information including:

• work history (including dates)
• experience
• skills
  
• education
• certification and licenses
  
• knowledge
• qualifications
• organizations you belong to
• any special achievements or awards you have been given that relate to the job
  

Begin with as much information as possible. You can filter out the items you don't need as you build your resume.

Next. Decide on the resume format. If you don't have much (or any) work experience, focus on your education and your abilities. If you have plenty of work experience, use just the relevant information. If you have gaps in your employment history, use a format that is less focused on dates and more on your abilities. But no matter which resume format you choose, keep your resume down to one page.

Next. Make a list of your qualifications for the particular position you are applying for. Brainstorm the reasons why you would make a good candidate for that employer. Summarize them into a sentence or two (put this near the top of your resume). The job objective should include a compelling one-sentence statement about the specific job for which you are applying.

Next. Consider what your qualifications are. Write them all down on a piece of paper. Go through the list and edit them to include your unique qualifications (or selling proposition) that makes you stand out from the crowd. These can be experience related or skill related or accomplishment related. Write simple true statements about yourself to sum up your qualifications.

Next. List your previous employment along with job titles and major skills for each position. List the most recent position first. If you have many years of positions, drop off anything older than 10 years old (these can be covered in your interview).

Next. List your educational background including the name of the school you attended, the location, the degree obtained and the year of attendance (optional). If you have specific technical education or courses that pertain to your position list them here. If you've won any awards or special honors, list them here as well. You can add a statement saying you will provide references on request but don't list them on your resume as they take up too much space and aren't necessary.

Finally, arrange the above items in a nice format. Use a resume writing software if your budget allows. Choose one easy-to-read font and use it throughout the entire resume. Keep everything formatted to the left of the page to make it easy to read. Use bold for the main section names as well as for your own name at the top. Be sure to include your contact information (i.e. your address, phone number, email address).

That wasn't too bad was it? Now go get 'em tiger!!