Start your resume writing process by listing your jobs and what your day to day activities are/were. 

Write job descriptions in easy-to-understand terms, and as completely as space allows. 

Organize these by your employer in the suggested format. 

Next list all your skills, technical knowledge, and computer skills. 

Group your technical skills or other skills at the beginning of your resume under a summary paragraph near the top of your resume. Be brief but be complete. 

Finish with your pertinent education and/or training, seminars, work-related course work, etc. 
Include an objective if desired. 

List "Under contract to" for any contract assignments you may have had. 

Include total number of years experience. 

Give security status, if any. If your security clearance has expired, include the date of expiration. 

Include your name and page number on each page of a multiple page resume (except no number on first page). 

If you want to use a better quality paper, consider a white bond paper with a rag content (available from most printers or paper supply stores). Rag bond, however, should not be used if you are printing copies of your resume on a photo copier (such as Xerox), as the letters may break up on folds.

Use 8-1/2" X 11" paper. 

List jobs in reverse chronological order. 

Include both a permanent contact and present address and phone number. You may be contacted through a permanent address or phone, even after you have moved from your present address. 

Make your resume as legible as possible. 

Include your job discipline(s) near your name at the top of page one of your resume and as a title to each assignment. 

Make your resume visually appealing, keeping your format consistent throughout. 

Try to keep to a maximum of three pages (see "tips" if resume is longer than two pages). 

Avoid much of the following: font changes, columns, italics, bolding, underlining, and graphics (see Resume Scanner Section). 

Keep records of where and to whom your resume is being sent.

Don't include hobbies. 
6 Rules To Get Your Resume Attentionhttps://vimeo.com/113170177
Don't include your Social Security Number. 

Don't use a "Job Objective." A "Job Objective" tells the firms what you want from them whereas a "Summary" tells what you can do for them. 

Don't exaggerate your experience. 

Don't show salary or pay information. 

Don't offer explanations for leaving prior employers. 

Don't use your photograph. 

Don't use abbreviations (except those that are acceptable in the engineering/technical fields, such as IBM, CAD, E/M, etc.).

More and more contract firms are utilizing scanners to input resumes into their computer databases. Because of that, new guidelines are required that will enable firms to scan your resume. Here are a few recommendations that will make your resume "scanner ready":

Use white paper and black ink. 

Don't underline words. 

Don't use script or other fancy typefaces. 

All letters should be of the same quality (no light or broken letters, no smudgy or filled-in letters, etc.) 

Use adequate margins (at least 1/2" on all sides). 

Don't handwrite anything on your resume. 

If using a dot matrix printer, utilize the best quality of type the printer provides (i.e. letter quality, dark copy, etc.). 

Avoid boxes or unusual configurations.

NOTE: If you transmit your resume by using a FAX card in your personal computer, make sure you see what you transmit. Many resumes received in this manner, have problems (extraneous characters, missing copy, strange lines, etc.). Also, the format of the received resume is often different than what you think you are transmitting. Try faxing to a friend or local fax number so you can physically see what everyone else sees!