In the world of writing articles, reports, presentations or otherwise, the five Ws remain constant. Why? As with many things in life, structure plays an important role. Construction and design when writing your resume or cover letter is just as key.

Answer these questions and add that necessary quality and substance to your documents. Remember, you might get only one chance to impress your potential new employer.

Who

Try and make your resume and cover letter as closely targeted to your target job posting, employer etc. as possible. What industry, sector, field is your best fit? Who would benefit the most from your expertise? Make every application count in terms of who you target.

What

What are you hoping to achieve with your resume? Again, what industry or product or service draws on your knowledge and experience? You can change industries in your career but the reality is that in a tough market, better more lucrative positions will come to you if they match your intelligence and know-how.

Where

The closer to home the position, the more likely to get the call. It’s that simple. HR people, employers etc. want to minimize risk and maximize expediting the right candidate. Where you live, and the convenience of you commuting to said job, is critical. Go with jobs that capitalize on your availability. Many employers expect overtime today also – another key factor.

When

When are you available? When did you last do the role and duties of the position in question? Make your resume as accurate as possible. It saves time and money and answers critical questions prior to interviewing.

Why

Why do you want this job? Why are you the best candidate? Why should we hire you? Why are you interested in this company? These are all likely suspects in an impromptu telephone screening – and the real thing, the in-person interview.

Make sure you get your data as closely matched to the five Ws – and bring home the big W. (The win that is.)