Your resume is your opportunity to sell yourself to a prospective employer. Employers receive many resumes, and their valuable time is consumed reading them. Therefore, if the resume is too lengthy or lacks focus, interest will be lost.

Aim to give a clear and concise word picture of yourself and your abilities. Imagine you are a prospective employer reading the document and think about what you would want to know about an applicant.

Tips on formatting your resume:

Do: Use a clear font such as Arial, Helvetica or Courier in 12 pt.

Don't: Use underlining and/or italics.

Accompanying Letter: A brief letter outlining your employment objectives and summarizing your skills relevant to the position and why you are ideal for the job, is always extremely helpful.

However, the letter must be very focused and positive, and should include some facts about the company to which you are applying.