If you are looking for a job, one of the first things you should do is write your resume. Though you could pay a resume writing service to do it for you, writing your resume yourself is actually a good exercise in identifying your strengths and weaknesses in relation to your career field. You can choose from a variety of resume formats. The three most common formats are chronological, functional and a combination of the two.

A chronological resume is probably the most traditional. You begin this resume by placing your name and contact information at the top, and then listing your work experience from the most recent to least. This chronological list should include the dates of employment, name of employer, job title and basic duties for each job. If you have large gaps in employment or little work history, this type of resume format is probably not for you. The chronological list will emphasize those gaps and may look bad in the eyes of a potential employer. People favor chronological resumes when they want to show stability and increasing responsibilities over a period of time.

A functional resume is terrific option if you are switching career fields, returning to the workforce, or have little work history. With the functional resume, you stress achievements and skills, rather than work history and job duties. A functional resume should show your worth to a potential employer. Be specific when listing your achievements. For example, your list might include: “Increased team sales by 70% in a six-month period.”

The best bet is to create a combination resume. As with the other formats, begin with your name and contact information. Next you should proceed with a short work history section. In this section, don’t be detailed or give dates, merely list previous employment that you are trying to highlight. Underneath that section, emphasize your achievements, skills, certifications and education.

Most employers and job candidates are most familiar with the traditional chronological resume. However, a resume that combines elements from both the chronological and functional resume formats may be the best way to sell yourself to potential employers.

To find resume templates, look no further than your word processing program. Programs like Microsoft Word have resume templates built-in.

Good luck!

Once you have been offered a job, you might find out that the salary isn’t exactly as much as you had expected. If you research, prepare and plead a good case, you can try to negotiate a better salary with the potential employer.  Research to see if company’s offer is competitive. By using the Bureau of Labor Statistics and professional associations in your field, you can find out if the salary being offered is within industry standards.  If you are relocating for the job, consider the cost of living in the new locale. You can use the ACCRA Cost of Living Index to find out how much your salary is worth in a specific city.

Prepare yourself to explain to the employer why you are worth a higher salary. Be specific about what you will do to increase the productivity and bottomline of the company. Submit a counter offer and shoot a little higher than you are willing to settle for. That way, you will have some room for negotiations.  If the company isn’t willing to budge on the base salary, try to work out a deal for stock options, extra vacation time, performance bonuses or other perks.  If all else fails and you really want the job, accept it under the condition that you can re-negotiate salary again in 90 days. However, don’t accept the job if the salary is so low that you will quickly become disgruntled. There are plenty of other jobs out there.