6. Show What You Can Do Today

Focus, first and foremost, on your recent experience that is most relevant to position at hand. Less relevant and/or dated experience should be either eliminated or summarized in brief point form near end of your resume. When reviewing your resume information, a prospective employer wants to know what you are doing now, what you have done recently, and how that relates to job requirements of post they are trying to fill.

7. Be A Straight-Shooter

Be completely honest. When people lie or "creatively exaggerate" on their resume, they are almost invariably exposed, sooner or later. Think about it - who really wants to get a job based on a lie(s) and then have to live in fear of eventually being found out? We often read in newspaper about high-profile folks who get caught in a resume falsehood or exaggeration, and it isn't very pretty.

8. Follow The Instructions

Submit your resume in exactly form that prospective employer requests. If they say e-mail or fax is okay, do it that way. However, if they ask for it by regular mail, send it way they ask. They must have reasons for requesting it in such a form and they are geared up to process it that way. If your resume is to be sent by snail mail, use complete address that they specify, or it could go to wrong office, especially in a large organization.

9. Don't Get Lost In The Mail

Be careful to respect certain conventions that potential employer may require in your resume. For example, make sure that cover letter mentions exact name of specific position you are applying for, and competition number, if applicable. Sometimes an employer will request that job title and/or number be printed on outside of envelope. You would not want to miss out on a job because you didn't follow minor administrative requirements.

10. Keep The Cover Short and Focused

In cover letter, don't repeat what is already detailed in body of attached resume. It is a "cover" letter. It should be short and to point. Introduce yourself first, and then briefly summarize why you believe that you have qualifications and experience to fulfill duties of position better than anyone else. Express enthusiasm about job and company. Close by stating how you are looking forward to hearing more from them soon, and that you will follow-up if necessary.

The above list can be used as a "checklist" both during preparation phase, and when reviewing your resume just before submission.

To see a fully-formatted "real-life template" of a resume, click on following link:

http://www.writinghelp-central.com/resume-sample2.html

3. Develop A Simple Outline

Before sitting down to write, put together a simple point form list of all of key points you want to cover, and then organize them in order in which you are going to cover them. (I know, I know... your Grade 6 teacher told you same thing... but it actually does work).

4. Keep research Documents Close By

When you sit down to write, make sure that all of your key background materials are spread out close at hand. This will allow you to quickly refer to them without interrupting writing flow once you get going. I keep as many of source documents as possible wide open, and within eyesight for quick and easy reference.

5. Just Start Writing

Yes, that's exactly what you do. Once you have prepared mentally and done your homework you are ready to write, even if your writer's block is saying "no". Just start writing any old thing that comes to mind. Go with natural flow. In no time at all you will get into a rhythm, and words will just keep on flowing.

6. Don't Worry About The First Draft

Once words start to flow, don't worry about making it perfect first time. Remember, it's your first draft. You will be able to revise it later. The critical thing at outset is to write those thoughts down as your mind dictates them to you.

7. Work From An Example

Get an actual sample of type of document that you need to write. It could be something that you wrote previously, or it could be something from an old working file, or a clipping from a magazine article, or a sales brochure you picked up. As long as it is same type of document that you are writing. Whatever it is, just post it up in your line-of-sight while you are working. You'll be amazed at how it helps words and ideas flow. The main thing is to have an example to act as a sort of visual template.

In my experience this last one is ultimate secret for overcoming writer's block.

To help with this, be on lookout for good examples of writing that you may see in newspapers and magazines, and clip out useful ones for future reference.