A resume is one of the best marketing tools you can use to introduce yourself to a potential employer. Your resume should include relevant information about your qualifications, work experience and skills as it pertains to that specific job or industry. Some employers request that you include a salary history with your resume.

Determine the information you want to include in your resume. Make a list of the information that pertains to the specific job or industry in which you are seeking employment. Include a career objective, along with information about your education, work experience (including internships and volunteer work), skills, qualifications and memberships.

Make a list of your earnings at each of your previous jobs. Include the employers' names, dates of employment, job titles and total compensation. Your total compensation should include your salary, bonuses, stock options, benefits and tips.

Develop a rough draft of your resume, which should include sections with headings and be no longer than two pages. List your work experience in chronological order, beginning with your most recent position. Use bullet points for each sentence and use strong action verbs, such as "produced," "managed," "directed" and "developed."

Create a separate page titled "Confidential Salary History," and list the salary information for each position as XYZ Company, Houston, Texas, 1999-2001, store manager, salary: $40,000. (You also can include your starting and ending salary for each job.)

Prepare your resume using an easy-to-read font, such as Times New Roman in 12-point size.

Proofread your resume. Use the spell-check feature and read over your resume at least twice.

Save your resume to a disk and print out several copies to send to potential employers.