Resume Writing: 8 Tips to Get You Noticed

Recruiters and hiring managers may see hundreds of resumes for one job opening. On average, resume reviewers take 20 seconds or less to decide if the resume indicates a potential candidate, or if it goes into the circular file. How do you distinguish yourself?

Your resume is your ticket into the door of your dream job. A good resume alone won't guarantee that you'll get the job, but it will get you noticed, and in the door for an interview. To follow are some tips to move your resume to the top of the stack, so that you'll be invited for that crucial first interview.

Most employers are looking to hire people with strong written communication skills. If they think that you cannot write an effective resume, then you automatically have one strike against you. A clean, professional-looking resume will often go much further than one that is sloppy, even if the sloppy resume shows more qualifications and experience.

8. Put your contact information at the bottom of the resume.
Your phone number and e-mail address are the least distinguishable items on your resume. They definitely need to be visible in easily accessible spot, but why feature this information at the top of the resume as the first thing the reviewer sees? No one ever got hired because he had a "739" in his phone number.

7. Tailor your objective statement to the specific job opening.
For each job you apply to, make sure the objective is consistent with the job requirements and qualifications. For example, if you are applying for a marketing position at a telecommunications firm, you might want to include that you are seeking a job in the field of telecommunications. If the job is in the field of software, then you might want to indicate an interest in software. An objective is not required-- some people place a "Summary" at the top of the resume instead. Either of these are fine, but using both can become redundant.

6. If you have less than 10 years of relevant experience, limit your resume to one page.
As stated above, resume reviewers will spend less than 20 seconds determining if a resume is worth pursuing. Your message should be clear and concise, and if you feel the need to use more than one page, chances are that your resume has an excess of information

5. Only include relevant experience.
Employers only care about experience that is relevant to the job opening. If you were a waiter in college and you're now applying for a marketing position, the marketing hiring manager will probably not care that you were a waiter. If you have limited relevant experience, expand on that experience and provide more detail rather than presenting irrelevant information.

4. Use numbers.
Numbers quantify and validate what you say about yourself. Examples are: "managed a $100K annual budget" or "supervised a staff of 7 employees" or "closed $1M in sales".

3. Use bullets and be concise.
Resume readers need to be able to quickly determine if the candidate is qualified for the position. Bulleted lists are much easier and quicker to comprehend than long paragraphs. Try to keep your bullets to one line each. If you think that a bullet point needs to be longer, then you could probably turn that bullet point into two separate points, or just focus your message to shorten it.

2. Use action verbs at the beginning of each bullet.
Each bullet should begin with a unique, strong action verb such as "Managed", "Coordinated", "Created", "Developed", and "Sold". Avoid starting your bullets with phrases like "Was responsible for" because it does not sound as strong or as clean as an action verb.

1. Proofread your resume.
Make sure your resume has no typos, spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. Spell check will not catch your typos, so a thorough reading is required. If possible, have a few friends proofread your resume as well.

Once you're called in for the interview be prepared to speak to all of the items on your resume. If you don't think you would be comfortable talking about something on the resume, then leave it off. Now that the resume has done its part in getting you noticed, it's your turn to speak for yourself and demonstrate that you are the best candidate for this position.