Writing a strong resume has gotten personal. Few employers are interested in a simple collection of facts about the person they are considering entering into a business relationship. Instead, they want to get a sense of who the candidate is and where his passions lie along with his past experiences and acquired education and skills. Creating a professional biography that resonates with your potential boss will get both feet in the door.

Brainstorm regarding your professional life and education. You may want to use sub-headings such as "Education," "Work History," "Professional Accomplishments," "Skills," "Awards" and "Professional Interests" to guide you in getting it on down on paper or into your word processing program. Don't worry about wording or editing at this point.

Pick out your strongest and most engaging pieces from your brainstorming session. Strike through any information that is extremely dated or unappealing in some way. For instance, don't mention your overall grade point average (GPA) but include only the GPA in your major if it's higher. Highlight the things that will prove your value to future employers.

Organize your materials into a coherent scheme. One successful model is to create an introduction that immediately engages the reader and follow it with three succinct paragraphs with pertinent details. Decide where you will put specific information by generating an outline.

Take a look at other professional biographies. Go online to research biographies by others in your field in particular. Gauge what works for theirs, and try to incorporate those strategies as well as consider what does not work and learn from their mistakes.

Create your paragraphs. Begin by letting your words flow and not editing yourself. Try to write for 10 minutes without lifting your pen from the paper or letting your fingers pause in typing. You are telling your story, so let your zest and passion shine through.

Use words that "sell" without being overly immodest. Don't hesitate to write such words and phrases as "natural leader," "self-motivated," "team friendly" and "ethical" when describing your attributes and previous accomplishments.

Revise your biography/resume. Read it aloud, and listen for problems with flow or awkward wording. Make sure to use active voice throughout. For example, change "I was working in customer service prior to ..." to "I worked in customer service." Make all appropriate changes.

Add information or delete from the biography as needed. Most employers expect one-page resumes that hit the important elements and are devoid of filler. If you are starting out without much professional experience you can add to your resume by detailing your volunteer activities. Cut down a longer biography by using concise language. Delete your weakest part(s) if it is still too long.

Begin formatting to include your contact information and reference. Position these important details where they will be easily found. Most will put their contact information at the top of the page and their references at the bottom.

Proofread your resume/biography for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. You can pass your work through an automated "checker," but it is best to scan it with your own eyes as well. Sometimes these computer marvels miss errors and occasionally self-correct spellings or grammar usage when it is not appropriate.

Share your new biography with friends or colleagues. Find persons you know will be objective and tell you what they really think. Take their views under consideration and revise as you see fit.