A resume fulfills an important task in the ability to obtain jobs. Even if one must fill out a job application, and thus duplicate some information on a resume, handing in a resume with the application gives one a greater appearance of professionalism. When no job application is provided, a resume is the best way to let a potential employer know how your skills, goals, and experience will fit in with his or her company.

At minimum a resume needs to include information on how to reach you. You should include at the top of your resume, your name, telephone number and a physical address. A P.O. Box may be the way you receive most of your mail, but a physical address gives the employer a greater sense that you belong to the community in which you wish to work. You should also include an email address, and perhaps a website link if it puts the employer in touch with professional information about you.

The resume should also include a quick summary of your education and any degrees or certificates you hold. If you have a college education, listing a high school diploma is unnecessary. You should also not list grade point average (GPA) unless it is higher than a 3.0. If you have not yet finished college or high school, you can include your expected graduation date, and a GPA if it is impressive. Your resume should also include any classes taken that specifically relate to the field in which you are applying.

You should also have a one to three sentence job objective, usually directly following your name and contact information. For example if you are applying for jobs in the publishing industry, a job objective could be something like the following: “Objective: To seek fulfilling employment in the publishing industry in an entry level position.”

Some resumes also include information about your personality type. With more and more companies employing strengths assessment or emotional quotient tests, you might want to list a few bulleted strengths. For example if you are an analytical, assertive, independent, and goal-oriented person, these could be listed. You can test these strengths yourself with books like Now, Discover Your Strengths. Career centers may also offer personality testing.

The resume should also include all relevant job experience. If you are new to the job market, list classes and volunteer efforts. If you have been working for a long time, list relevant job experience only. Normally, you need not go back more than 10 years in a long job history, unless a job you worked before that time gave you skills that can be beneficial to your new employer.

With each job on the resume, you may want to include some bullets of the types of work you did at the job. Only include those things most relevant to a new employer, and don’t spend lots of words on describing your job. If you want to emphasize particular aspects of your job, save this for a cover letter to the employer.

Since the ideal resume does not exceed a page in length, one should not include references unless specifically asked to do so. Instead, state at the bottom of the resume that references can be furnished upon request. Also, in this world of identity theft, do not include your social security number or driver’s license number on a resume. You should also leave out your birthdate, and any information that could potentially be stolen. Once you’ve gained employment, you can furnish these details to your employer. A resume, however, can end up in the hands of many people, particularly if you apply for a large number of jobs.