If you want to get part-time work or a full-time position, a knockout resume is key to opening doors.  A resume showcases your education, job experience, and talents, and it has to jump from the pile that an employer will scour to fill an opening.

For many students, the greatest challenge is completing the "experience" section. They haven't had a real job so they feel they don't have any skills to brag about.  But fresh-faced job-seekers can highlight other experience or skills, such as volunteer work or proficiency in a foreign language.  Don't think of a fast food job as just flipping burgers.  "You will have learned about quality management," says resume expert Shel Horwitz. "You will have learned about producing large volumes while maintaining  identical product."

The point is that many of your experiences have given you qualifications that are important to employers, and it's up to you to bring those out on the resume.

Before you write your resume, you should review possible styles in a resume book or online.  The sample here teaches some important universal lessons.
 

• A Capitalized bold-faced centered name gets your resume off to a great start.
• A "non-jokey" e-mail address proves you living in the new millennium.
• An objective is not always necessary but if you are targeting a specific job, it can help your cause.
• Employers want smart candidates--list your education, including any awards and your GPA if it is higher than 3.0. (As you gain experience, you should list "Education" below "Experience.")
• Show specific responsibilities and accomplishments. Numbers tell a lot (e.g., How many do you supervise? How much money did you save a company?).
• Noun-heavy resumes are in, especially when posting on the internet where employers search with keywords. Use nouns that highlight specific skills , such as relevant computer applications.
• So-called "Soft skills," such as leadership, communications, and teamwork are in demand. Plus, you may be surprised at how many of your interests translate into valuable skills.