If you don’t have a current one, start assembling the information you need to make a representative document of your work history and aspirations. Make sure it includes your present situation and all the skills and experiences that would interest a prospective employer.

If you don’t know how to start, there are dozens of books that can show you how. Having a résumé says you are ready to take full advantage of any opportunity that crosses your path. It lets you—and anyone who is interested in you—know that you are capable of marketing yourself in the workplace so as to secure a position that is commensurate with your abilities and earning power.

Your résumé doesn’t have to be pretty as long as it is neatly typed, easy to read, specific, and never longer than two pages. Remember, your résumé is a summary of your work history, not the third chapter of the Book of Genesis. Anyone who reads it should know immediately what you are capable of doing and whether you potentially fit a current or future opening.

Your résumé should accomplish only two goals: to help the person reading it decide whether he or she wants to meet you, and to help you organize and acknowledge all your skills and accomplishments. When you send out your résumé, make sure a cover letter accompanies it.

Advice, Tips

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