In today’s competitive job market, it is impossible to stress enough the importance of writing not just a good, but a terrific resume. With job recruiters and human resources managers getting as many as 400 resumes per job listing, it’s vital to write a resume that stops them in their tracks.

This means that your resume must be written to fit a particular job listing if you want to even have a chance of being considered for the job you’re applying for. This means you need to do certain things such as:

• Read the listing closely and make sure you’re the right applicant for the job before applying. Nothing will get your application dumped in the trash more quickly than applying for the wrong position to start with.
• When writing your resume, use as many of the same words and phrases to describe your skills as are used in the ad or posting because many human resources managers now scan resumes looking for keyword matches. This helps them weed out the desirables from the undesirables. So make sure to sprinkle these words and phrases liberally throughout your resume.
• Use concrete examples of your skills, expertise and successes. Make sure these examples are in line with the requirements listed in the job listing.
  Edit your resume for anything that is not relevant to the particular job you’re applying for. Recruiters don’t have time to waste and will trash resumes with lots of unnecessary information in them.
• Don’t use trite phrases such as team player, multitasker, etc., but instead give examples of those skills. Vagueness will not get your resume noticed. Again, relate these to the specific job you’re applying for. You may be a great communicator, but if the job you’re after doesn’t need that particular skill, leave it out of your resume.
• List specific successes you’ve had that fit the job listing. For example, if you’re applying for a sales manager position and at your last job you not only met but surpassed your sales quota by 10%, say this, don’t just say something indistinct like “exceeded sales quota.” The more specific you are about past successes using direct statements, the more likely it is that those successes will be noted—and remembered.
• Only list past employment and education that is directly related to the position you’re applying for. You may have worked as a waiter while you were in college, but unless that has a direct bearing on the job you’re applying for, don’t list it.

The key to writing a killer resume these days is to be short and to the point, using words and phrases to describe your skills and experience so that they directly relate to the job you ’re applying for. Don’t waste recruiters’ time by filling your resume with fluff that sounds nice or creative. This may get you remembered, but not in the way you want to be!

William Nichols - Staff LaJobHunter.com