Audience
A résumé always needs to be tailored to its audience, so before you start to construct your résumé, it is imperative that you determine what types of skills and experiences are required for the job you are seeking. If you are applying to a variety of different positions, it is advisable that you create several different versions of your résumé, each one tailored to the specific type of position you are seeking. You should eliminate any irrelevant information from your résumé.
If you are applying to a posted job, it is generally easy to know what skills the employer desires since this information is probably detailed in the job description. If you are sending out unsolicited résumés, however, you will have to do some research on your own to determine what skills are important to the job. A good place to start is by conducting research about the organization where you are seeking a job. Conducting informational interviews is also an excellent strategy, since this will provide you with the opportunity to learn more about the skills that are necessary in a particular field or at a particular organization. According to a study cited in Daniel Goleman's book Working with Emotional Intelligence, employers cited oral communication skills, interpersonal abilities, teamwork , and adaptability among the skills most valued in employees. Other valued skills include follow-through, common sense, integrity, dependability, initiative, good work habits, enthusiasm, motivation, intelligence, and problem solving abilities. Most graduate students possess many of these skills, and emphasizing some of these traits in your résumé can be effective.