A typical employer will spend about 15 seconds reviewing your résumé. That's not much time to catch someone's attention. You need to design your résumé so that employers can quickly see what you have to offer them.

• Your résumé is a personal marketing tool used in securing an interview.
• It is a written summary of your education, work experience, professional skills, and interests.
• It is a sample of your ability to organize and express yourself in writing, clearly, concisely, and neatly.
• Résumé preparation begins with self-analysis. What is your career goal? What are your skills, strengths, values, and interests? What is your experience?
• Target your résumé to your audience. How does your experience match the employer's needs?