A professional looking resume is so important when you are job hunting that it should be your number one priority. It is the first thing that a potential employer will see, so you want it to be really compelling so that he or she will pick up the phone and call you for an interview!

Write a Targeted Resume
A resume should be concise, to the point, and easy to read. Most job postings receive hundreds or even thousands of replies so that you have very little opportunity to attract an employer’s attention. The most effective resumes are clearly focused on a specific job title and address the employer’s stated requirements for the position. If you feel that you can perform more than one type job and resist the idea or having a targeted resume, create a second version of your resume to use.

Create a Unique Marketing Document
That’s right, your resume is a marketing document – an advertisement about you. You need to make it unique so that you’ll stand out from your competition. One of the most common mistakes that people make in resume writing is to create a laundry list of job duties. Take the time to spruce up your job descriptions by using active verbs at the start of each sentence and making them accomplishment focused. In other words, think of how your performance positively impacted the employer. Also, avoid using resume templates because everyone does and you’ll want to avoid looking like a clone. Get used to using your word processing program on your computer and spruce up your resume by using bold type, bullet points and a nice and legible font.

Don’t Use Personal Pronouns
Many job seekers use personal pronouns in writing their resumes. It is not wrong to do so but it is not a professional way to present yourself and your qualifications. It is best to reserve the use personal pronouns for your cover letter where you can better convey your interest in the specific position.

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