How To Write An Effective Resume

Much has been written about the best way to put together a resume, what to include, what to omit, what to gloss over etc. But what exactly makes the difference between a winning resume and one that gets relegated to the 'no' pile?

In these tough economic times we find competition for every job is fierce. The people who have been looking for some time know this only too well. Often periods of unemployment are difficult to explain in a resume, and lying about them is perhaps the worst mistake an applicant can make in their resume.

If they are smart however, they will not have sat at home complaining about tough times. Those who have got off their butts and taken a bridge job or done some volunteer work will be the ones who stand out from the crowd. A bridge job is one that many use as a filler - it pays the rent and keeps food on the table. It is probably one that you are very much over-qualified for, pays less than you would like, and doesn't come with benefits.

But an employer will notice such a job (with brief explanation) on your resume and immediately identify you as a go-getter.

The same applies to doing volunteer work in times of unemployment. Helping others is a very positive thing to do, and not only will such work look good on your resume, but it will be good for your soul as well.

When talking about your skills, experience and accomplishments there is a fine line between being over-confident and boastful, and showing just how good you are. The best way to handle this is to tailor your resume to the job for which you are applying. In this way you can go into more detail about your demonstrated achievements in areas that would apply to the position in question.

In this way you are highlighting to the employer exactly how your demonstrated achievements are appropriate to the job, and what an asset you will be to the company.

While you don't leave out other experience - it is important - you don't need detail unless it is relevant to the job.

Don't leave any time gaps in your resume, even if you were unemployed. This will only raise questions in the reader's mind and may mean the difference between your resume falling into the 'interview, 'maybe', or 'no' pile. When the reader is looking at sometimes hundreds of resumes, it may not take much to be relegated to the 'maybe' or 'no' pile, when it is the 'interview' pile you want.

If employing such techniques are a challenging for you, don't settle for a 'good enough' resume. There are some fantastic templates that can be downloaded and adjusted to your personal experience. These contain proven winning phrases and attention getting layouts. So, if in doubt - consult an expert.