If you are graduating soon, you need to be aware of the importance of a strong resume. Your resume is essentially a sales tool, selling you to employers. So how do you make yourself stand out from the crowd? You might hire a professional resume writing service to do the work for you; but even if you ultimately decide to write your own resume, there are a few things you should keep in mind as you begin the process.

First, have a clear objective in mind. Writing a resume without an objective is like shooting an arrow at a blank wall. Without a target, how do you know what you are shooting at? The more specific your objective, the better a resume you can create. If this means creating different versions of the resume for every job you apply for, then so be it.

Second, don’t include information that is completely irrelevant to your objective. Focus on transferable skills – the skills, abilities and knowledge you have gained from all your combined experiences that will be beneficial to you in the job you are seeking.

Finally, be sure to include any volunteerism, internships, co-ops, research projects, and other experience that have helped you become the person you are. You may think you have no work experience, but if you think carefully back over your years in school you may realize that you have had experiences that have been just as valuable as a job in helping you apply the skills you’ve learned in class.