Patricia Smith, with a worried note in her voice, told of her daughter's career problem.

Gail Anne had returned to school to study human resources, Smith said. Her new diploma hadn't helped much; nor had her "glowing references" from the not-for-profit sector. No one had even talked to Gail Anne's references because she couldn't get an interview. Nearly a hundred résumés had been sent, not one person had called back.

This concerned mother blamed employers. They weren't calling Gail Anne because she lacked experience, she felt. "Why won't employers give young people a chance?"

Nothing sounds alarm bells for career counselors like the phrase, "Hundreds of résumés have been sent and yet no one has called". A résumé that doesn't generate calls is not hitting the mark. Gail Anne's was a case in point. Inflexible employers were not the problem, her résumé was. It was not targeted, in any way, to the work she was going after.

Still, at first glance, her résumé did meet some of today's requirements. It was offered on two pages, professionally typed, well laid-out with lots of white space. Her experience was noted in chronological order with at least one accomplishment from each job.

In no way, though, did Gail Anne's résumé indicate her goals. Nor did it address the needs of the employers to whom she was sending it. Most of the important information was there, but it wasn't organized well; and it didn't speak the language of the employers she wanted to attract.

There is no single way to write a résumé. In fact, there are as many ways as there are people, jobs and opportunities. Still, there is one cardinal rule. It has to be well targeted. On the first half of the first page, a résumé has to state, in clear and unambiguous terms, what you want to do and why you're qualified to do it.

Gail Anne's didn't meet this criterion. The first section, "Business Experience", opened with a description of her last job as a coordinator of a health program. For someone trying to change career direction, it was the worst possible approach. Not until the end of the résumé did Gail Anne mention her diploma in human resource management. By the time employers looking to hire a junior HR person got to the the bottom of page two they had probably turned off; maybe even asking themselves, "Why is someone with a public relations and special events background applying for this job?".

Here's some of the advice we offered Gail:

• Think of your résumé as your brochure. Think of yourself as the product this brochure is promoting.
• Take on part-time or volunteer jobs in your new field so the first job mentioned under "Business experience" relates to your goals.
• Put yourself in the employer's shoes. Pretend you're a manager trying to hire someone for the opportunity you're going after. What ten skills or capabilities are you be looking for? If you can't come up with ten, talk to others familiar with your line of work, and ask them.
• Assess your own background, strengths, skills and capabilities against these needs. As you write your résumé, target these needs and your abilities to meet them.

All kinds of books have been written on résumés. Review what's available in bookstores and libraries in search of those that help you assess your skills, accomplishments and goals. Look, as well, for sample résumés that use the terminology in your field or industry.

Using Loretta Foxman's book, Résumés That Work (Wiley), Gail Anne revised her résumé and sent us a copy. The first section is now a Summary that blends information about her interest and training in human resources with comments about her organizational, administrative, communication and interpersonal skills (all transferable to her new line of work).

This résumé tale has a happy ending. Gail Anne writes: "I wanted to let you know that I got a job with a company as an assistant in the human resources department. The position is temporary for 6 weeks, but there's a good chance that it will go full-time. I start Monday. Thanks again for your advice on my résumé. It really worked!"

If your résumé isn't generating call backs or interviews, it's time to review it.( I'm sorry but this website cannot review individual résumés.) Look for guidance in books, Job Finding Clubs, and search and career planning resources in your community.

Be careful, though, to adapt any advice to your particular situation. Common wisdom holds, for example, that education be noted at the end of your resume. But if you're changing direction, as Gail Anne was, and you have taken training for your new goals, it should be mentioned much earlier.