Writing a Resume

A resume is a formal way of listing your past jobs and your education.

There are two general ways to write a resume. With the first type—the traditional resume—you focus on your experience. You list your jobs, starting with the most recent, and then work your way back.

The second type of resume is known as a "skills" resume because it focuses more on your skills than your experience. These are best for newcomers to the job market, either right out of school or entering the workforce for the first time.

The type of resume that’s best for you depends on a few factors. If your work history has been steady and focused mainly in one field, the traditional resume may work best. If there are gaps in your work history, you've changed careers, or you've had a variety of unrelated jobs, the skills resume may be best for you.

Your local library has many books on writing a strong resume. These books can give you good tips for wording to use and avoid, and ways to format a resume.