• Visual appeal, easy to read and not crowded on the page.
• Clearly arrange skills in a succinct presentation.
• Skills listed as they relate to employer needs, step by step.
• A sense that you are an action person who is also a professional and competent person.

  There are three styles of resumes: the Functional, the Chronological, and the Combination. You may also
  see the Targeted resume mentioned rather than the Combination resume. Here's a sample of a Targeted
  Resume for someone seeking a Nursing position.

  It is important that you develop a separate resume which "targets" your skills to each of the different
  employment positions you are seeking. Each style of resume displays information differently, the key is
  to use the display that best "markets" what you are selling.

  Functional Resume

  The Functional resume is best used when:

• You are entering a new career or changing career direction.
• You lack work experience in the type of work you are seeking.
• You have a spotty work history which reflects "job hopping". (Job hopping is when you change jobs a number of times in a short period.)
• Your most recent, or all your work history is in an occupation separate from the work you are seeking now.

  The Functional resume presents your skills by function area, this is very effective when you’re entering a
  new occupation or changing career direction ( and lack direct work experience in the job). Because this
  type of resume displays your functional skills first, the reader is not focused on what you did to gain the
  skills.

  Chronological Resume

  The Chronological resume is a common resume in use today. It’s easy to complete and displays your
  work experience in chronological order. A chronological resume is best used when:

• You have work experience in the type of occupation you are seeking.
• When you have a good work history showing stable job growth and/or reasonable employment duration.
• When your work history indicates well recognized companies in the business group your are seeking.

  The Chronological resume is best used when you’re seeking employment in which you have had previous
  work experience. It is most effective when your recent work history has been successful, and reflects
  work with businesses that are easily recognized in the profession. This type of resume allows the reader
  to quickly see that you have experience in the type of work you are seeking. One drawback of the
  Chronological resume is that it can tend to "date" you by outlining work history through years
  of experience.

  The Combination Resume

  The Combination resume is really a hybrid of the best from the Functional and Chronological resume
  styles. It offers the writer an opportunity to improvise in the development of the resume. A combination
  resume will either have more characteristics of a Chronological resume or more characteristics of a
  Functional resume. The Combination resume is best used when:

• You have some relevant work experience that is of short duration.
• Your education is an important part of your overall skills presentation.
• Your functional skills are limited.
• Your overall background reflects a range of unrelated skills.
• Your work history is not reflective of you as a stable worker.
• Your work history reflects more time in other occupational areas.

  Because the Combination resume allows you to use the best of the Functional and Chronological style
  resumes, it can reflect solid career development very easily.

  The style of resume you choose should clearly, quickly, and directly present your skills as they relate to
  the job you are seeking.

  If you are not sure what skills are needed for the type of employment you are seeking, network with the
  people who are working in similar jobs. Find out, "what skills the employers are looking for in new
  employees" or "what skills are needed, in general, for this type of work". When your resume is completed
  you’ll be able to send a copy which highlights skills you have in common with the ones they have
  identified.

  A few tips to remember

• Your education should be clearly stated, always spell out the name and type of degree, followed by your the major title.
• Computer skills should outline projects which reflect computer proficiency, not just computer literacy.
• Always give examples for any skills you mention, such as class projects to demonstrate skills developed through training.
• All bullet statements begin with an action verb; this will bring life to your resume.
• Arrange bullet statements in order of most important first and so on. This presentation method is the same for each function skills section (group) on your resume.
• It is permissible to "accent" your name when it is not commonly used or is hard to pronounce.
• The resume should not be crowded - containing sufficient "white space" and easy to read font size.