Christopher Jakovcic; Uvisor.com

1. Name Your Dish
You have roughly five seconds to grab the employer’s attention with your résumé.  Like a meal in a cookbook, the title must stand out.  As you flip through the pages, would you rather stop to read “Chicken with Cheese” or “Poultry Decadence”?  The titles on your résumé are the first things the employer will see; don’t let them be the last!  Rephrase your previous positions to better suit the job opening.  Which is better, a “Janitor” or “Custodial Engineer”?

2. Presentation Is Everything

Sometimes the pictures in a cookbook can sell the dish more than the words ever could.  Make your résumé stand out with a clear, professional, but eye-catching layout.  Stay away from multicolored formats, CAPITALIZED PHRASES, and bolded sentences; this can be obnoxious and actually lessen your chances of getting the job.  Instead, stick with one color format, capitalize only what’s Important, and only bold the word or phrase you want the employer to immediately read.

3. Clear Direction

Let the employer know that you do not plan to work at the company for two months, then quit.  Show the employer that you will be a valuable asset to the organization in the long-run as well.  Stay away from cliché phrases and over generalized statements.  There is no need to devote an entire section of your résumé to this; just place subtle references throughout your résumé.

4. Spice up Your Résumé

Most résumés are dry, boring papers that someone is forced to read.  Don’t let the employer feel that way about yours too.  Use exciting words to explain boring facts that thrill the reader and make him or her want to jump on the phone and call you that second!  Try to wake the reader up with your résumé, not put the person to sleep.

5. Precise Measurements

Anyone can write that they worked as a Sales Representative for twelve years.  An employer has likely read hundreds of résumés with the exact same description.  Offer details on what you did as a Sales Rep that made you unique.  “Sold $50,000 worth of merchandise within the first two years.”  Make yourself stand out!

6. Know Your Reader

Before sending in your résumé, research the company thoroughly.  Find key words that are used repeatedly within the company and implement these words in your résumé.  If you see that the insurance company you are applying to likes to “Build Relationships,” don’t write “Make a Sale” on your résumé. Show the employer that you share the same values as the company.

7. Butter the Pan

On your résumé, don’t simply state that you can type 100 words per minute.  Explain to the employer how this can save the company money.  Try something like, “Can reduce costs through my highly efficient typing skills.”  Keep the explanation short and to the point, and avoid skills that are irrelevant to the job opening.

8. Organize Your Recipe

It’s difficult to follow a recipe that waits until the end to tell you to stir in the milk.  Make sure you place the most important information first since the employer may not even get to the end.  If you are just graduating, education may be a top priority and should appear towards the top of your résumé.  If you have twenty years under your belt, write about your experience first.  Chronology is not that important.

9. The Icing on the Cake

Be sure to customize your cover letter, and I don’t mean by just inserting the company’s name into your old letter!  This is a dead giveaway and will definitely place your cover letter and résumé in the trash.  Write a new cover letter for every job opening and make it specific to that company.  This will show the employer that you put in the effort and are serious about the job.

10. Final Touchups

Proofread your résumé several times and have your friends proofread it for you also.  Avoid little grammatical and spelling mistakes (this can drive the employer crazy!)  Be sure to end your résumé in the first page, include bullets, and avoid paragraphs.  If it looks too long, try editing the layout.  Short, definitive categories can make the read much easier and seem much faster.  Did you even notice you’ve just read two pages?