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Please write to dearsam@dispatch.com. Samantha Nolan is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer with a graduate degree in Marketing and Communication and owner of Ladybug Design, a full-service résumé writing firm.

For more information, call 614-570-3442 or 1-888-9-LADYBUG or visit www.ladybug-design.com.

As we near the busiest time of the year for job seekers, I thought we should review the basics including what sections should be included on a résumé and what should and shouldn't be in each section. As always, e-mail your job search, résumé, cover letter and interviewing questions to dearsam@dispatch.com. Happy job searching in 2008!

One major downfall I see in résumés is that the majority lack visual appeal, are typically created using very common templates, and are inconsistent in the use of fonts and spacing. While content is important in grabbing a hiring manager's attention, the aesthetics of the document can compel or repel one's interest. For that reason, it is imperative to be consistent in your formatting choices. Create a theme for how your information is presented, and engage the reader through the use of a professional and visually appealing layout.

If you are struggling for design ideas, review the samples on my Web site at www.ladybug-design.com/ casestudies.html or check out any recently written résumé book in the library. Most contain hundreds of samples of professionally written and designed résumés and will provide inspiration to make your résumé engaging.

The heading on your résumé should include your name, address, home and possibly cell phone numbers and e-mail address. Take a moment to look at your e-mail address and verify that it reinforces the professional tone of your résumé and does not contain birth years, ages or other personal information that should not be presented on a résumé.

Likewise, review your voicemail messages and make sure they are professional and don't disclose information of a more personal nature.

If you are planning to relocate and are not seeking employer reimbursement for the move, think about placing a local and a current address on your résumé to minimize the appearance of seeming expensive and timely to recruit (only possible if you have a friend or relative in the destination of choice). The goal by doing this is not to mislead a hiring manager as doing so would only lead to you losing credibility during the interview process. Instead, the goal is to reinforce that your move is a certainty and you are not seeking relocation expenses. To do this effectively without being misleading, make sure you present both addresses (current and upcoming) and make a note in the cover letter pertaining to your upcoming relocation and self-funded move.

Defining your purpose or objective is critical to the development of this section, not to mention an effective résumé. Instead of simply stating an objective, common in résumés of 5-10 years ago, this section, along with everything on your résumé, should be developed to sell yourself for the types of roles you are seeking.

Instead of presenting a selfserving statement about what you want, present an employer-centric section marketing what you can do for them. Develop this section based on a primary objective, presenting a brief summary of your key qualifiers related to your objective. Engage the reader by understanding the keywords for the positions of interest, and infuse those keywords throughout this summary and the remainder of your résumé.

This is typically the most difficult part of a résumé to write. As a tip, start writing your résumé from the bottom up, beginning with the easier sections and leading to the summary. Write the summary last so that you have a clear picture of what you have to offer your target audience. Think of this section as the executive summary to your résumé, it should tell the reader everything they need to know to evaluate your candidacy. Taking the time to develop this section will serve you well in an interview as it serves double duty and can fuel your answer to the question, "Tell me about yourself."

A strong professional experience section, with achievements highlighted, is critical in driving a successful job search. As a general rule, you should plan on including about eight to 15 years of experience depending on how much of that experience enhances and supports your candidacy. Senior executives can include more experience as it is assumed they have the experience to complement their high-level objective.

Include only years, not months, of employment in order to minimize the appearance of gaps, overlaps, frequent job hops, etc.

Quantify experiences to add personality to your résumé (numbers jump off a page and draw the reader's eye), being sure to focus more on accomplishments versus daily responsibilities. And when presenting accomplishments, highlight them as such, do not intermingle them with daily responsibilities or the hiring manager will not be able to ascertain your "value."

Just as important is what not to include. Don't tell your life story; your résumé is not a narrative of everything you have ever done. Instead, prioritize your experiences and present the "big," saving the "small" for value-added content to present during an interview. Don't omit anything that will get your foot in the door, but don't include so much that you lose the reader's interest.

Omit the education section if it detracts from your candidacy. If you completed one to two years of college quite some time ago, and a degree is not required for the positions you are pursuing, then focus instead on any professional development you have completed. Don't include the year of graduation if it ages your candidacy and never include high school information, as it is assumed you have a diploma.

The sections that can be included on your résumé are virtually limitless. Gauge each piece of value-added information as to whether it reinforces the professionalism of your résumé and relates to your purpose. Sections you could include might be Professional Affiliations, Military Experience, Honors and Awards and Volunteer Work. Remember that while some aspects of your life may be important on a personal level, your résumé should only include those items that reinforce your professional candidacy. Sometimes it is hard to separate the two, but it is very important to distinguish those items that are a passion for you as a person versus you as a professional.