Unfortunately, that’s not the way to impress a hiring manager or a recruiter. In today’s job market, what you have to prove most is that you’re the ideal candidate for the position. That means focusing on one industry, one job (preferably from a posting you’re interested in) and dovetailing everything you’ve done toward that opening.

Some of you might now say that it’s impractical to do that if you’re submitting your resume to 20 or more openings in a week.

The truth is that your resume needs to be custom-tailored to each of those many openings. Why? Because if you’re skilled in accounting, sales, retail management, graphic arts, childcare and customer service, a firm that’s hiring for an accountant isn’t going to care about anything other than your accounting skills, as they relate to the job responsibilities of the position.

Don’t kid yourself that a hiring manager or recruiter will be impressed with all that you can do. Too much of this on your resume and you’ll confuse them as to what your skills really are and why you’re applying to their opening at all.

The best resume is focused, targeted, and relies heavily on accomplishments – not tasks – to tell the story of you.

Stay on point and be certain to tweak each resume to fit the opening. It will take some time, but it will also shorten your job search in the long run.

Don’t give them that chance. Although your background may be impeccable, the details you provide could be painting a negative view of you as a viable candidate. To make certain you’re not sabotaging your chances, keep the following in mind:

1. Don’t use cute or weird email addresses. For example, an administrative assistance should never use an email that states prettyblonde@email.com or available4fun@email.com. Someone in a fiduciary capacity would be wise to avoid outofcash@email.com. No one should use luv2party or luv2drink. You get the idea. Keep it simple and professional – your first and last name or your initial and last name.

2. Never use your current company’s email address when you’re looking for a new job. An employer will wonder why you’re taking emails and phone calls from a new employer when you haven’t yet left your current position. It strikes the average person as dishonest, so don’t fall into that trap.

3. Avoid listing hobbies or interests on a resume. Even if you want to shout to the world that you’re a diehard Trekkie, that info’s going to look downright weird on a resume, especially if you’re competing for a position in management. Never list activities that cause a hiring manager to worry about your health. This would include extreme sports. No one is apt to hire an individual who may be hurt, out of work for extended periods and eat up the company’s health care plan.

4. Never write a resume in the first person using personal pronouns (my, I, we, etc.). It’s not professional. Always use third person.

5. Don’t state ‘references are available upon request’ – that’s a given. Also, don’t provide references unless asked for them.

6. Never include high school education on a resume (unless you’re applying to the federal government). Again, it’s a given that everyone in this country has a high school diploma or a GED.

7. Don’t include a photo on your resume. The only exception would be if you’re applying for a sales position in which there’s a lot of personal contact with clients. In that case, you’d use a professional looking headshot – no vacation photos.

8. Don’t include personal info on your resume such as marital status, date of birth, religious affiliation. It’s simply not done in this country.

9. Never use an objective to open the resume. An objective is telling the hiring manager or recruiter what you want. They don’t care about that. They want to know what you can do for their company. Paint a picture of yourself as the perfect candidate in an outstanding opening summary.

The above are just a few of the many details that could trip you up in your search for a new job. By avoiding these and keeping your resume professional and on point with what you can accomplish, you’ll go a long way toward getting that coveted interview.

Most job seekers will use the popular reverse-chronological format. That is, you list your most recent job first, followed by the next most recent and on and on.

Others might opt for the combo format. It’s a mixture of reverse-chronological and functional. In it, you’ll list your skills in a functional style beneath the opening summary followed by professional experience in a reverse-chronological format. The functional skills are what you do in your job. For example: an accountant might list reconciliations, tax returns, AP/AR, etc.

Both the reverse chronological and combo type resumes give the hiring manager quick, easy access to what you can do.

However, the functional format hides important information from the hiring authority, mainly where you gained your experience. In a functional format, you’d list your skills, knowledge, abilities after an opening summary and then you’d simply list the name of your employers along with dates in the professional experience section. There would be no details as to where you did what.

When a hiring manager sees a functional resume, the first thought is that the candidate is trying to hide something. That might be job hopping, dated work experience, etc. What’s more, it’s impossible for them to know if you dealt with tax authorities (as stated in the functional section) at ABC Firm last year or XYZ Firm twenty years ago, as listed on your resume.

You see the problem. They don’t know you and you’re making it impossible for them to get a clear picture of your relevant and recent talents.

If you have been a job hopper or if your work experience is dated, it’s still better for you to use a combo type resume than a functional one.

One of the few times a functional resume can work is if you’re a contractor (self-employed) and the names of the individuals you work for (professional experience) isn’t as important as what you’ve done for them, especially if you’ve accomplished the same type work for each client.

Remember, you have seven seconds or less to compel a hiring manager to read your resume. Don’t put stumbling blocks in your path to an interview by choosing to use the functional format.

Unlike the days of GM (once known as Generous Motors) or a time when you could simply list your experience on a piece of paper and expect a job offer, today’s work prospects can be few and far between. The only way to safeguard your future is to be prepared for anything and have an outstanding resume at the ready.

Even if you’re not about to be laid off or don’t want to move from your company to another, a resume will come in handy if you’re seeking a promotion. In many companies, senior staff are being let go because of bloated salaries. If you have the talent, skills and knowledge to step into those roles, prove it with an achievements-focused resume. And, if you’re not looking to climb the corporate ladder, you can use your resume during your annual performance review to remind your supervisor of the stellar work you’ve done during the year.

If you are facing layoffs or downsizing, then you can’t do without a professional resume. In most industries, the newly unemployed will be competing with dozens, if not hundreds, of other equally-qualified candidates. A fraction of those individuals will get an interview and even less will be put on payroll. An impactful resume will give you a fighting chance.

At job fairs and even in your everyday life, having an up-to-date resume may be the difference between protracted unemployment and getting the job of your dreams. You never know who you’ll run into at social functions, church, your children’s afterschool activities. Those acquaintances and friends may be able to get you noticed with the hiring managers at their companies, if you have a resume that clearly showcases your skills and expertise.

Don’t make the mistake many do during this holiday season and tell yourself you’ll wait until New Year’s Day to worry about it. If you can create a stellar resume yourself, then start doing so now. If you can’t write the kind of document hiring managers want to see, then contact a professional resume writing service without delay.

This year, give yourself and your family the greatest gift of all – your job security and a solid financial future.

More and more companies are demanding that their employees prove their worth. It’s not enough to simply come in on time, engage in the tasks in your job description, then go home, especially if you’re in a contracting industry or your company is downsizing.

To be retained in this poor economy, you need to show your employer that you are invaluable. And if the worst happens and you’re laid off or your employer goes out of business, then you must market yourself to another company as being their only choice in a new hire.

How do you do this?

At your current job, keep updating your resume with all of your accomplishments (those activities in which you have either made your company money or saved it money). An up-to-date, polished resume will be invaluable should a promotion come available or if staff is going to be cut and your job is on the line.

If you’re looking for new employment, updating your resume is even more essential. Hiring managers and recruiters don’t know who you are and they won’t believe blanket statements like “I’m great at what I do”, “I’ll be an asset at your firm”. They want proof.

The only way to provide that proof is to again showcase what you’ve done at previous jobs. Make your resume accomplishment-focused rather than task-focused.  There may be hundreds of other individuals who can do what you do on the job. But there’s only a few that will excel, proving they will grow a company, adding to its success.

From the first day of any job, you should be looking five years down the road to what you want next and how you intend to succeed. During that time, you should do all that you can to make certain your employer sees you as an asset rather than a liability.

Keep a running record of what you’ve achieved. That running record is a resume. Make certain it’s always updated, always ready for the new job search.

The kind of employee you should be is one that everyone wants. All you have to do is prove it.

Once you get past those initial concerns, your next thought may be:

1. The format you like best. Reverse chronological, functional, a combination of the two.

2. Presentation or template choice. Resume writing companies often have several from which to choose in a variety of fonts.

3. Page length. One, two or more?

While you’re pondering these choices or considering what the resume writer suggests, it’s important to remember one thing: What you like or don’t like is not as important as what the hiring manager expects to see.

That’s right, your opinion as to style, page length and template choice isn’t important. After all, you’re not the target audience for the resume. The hiring manager or recruiter is. Therefore, it’s best to keep their preferences in mind. And to trust your resume writer.

Professional resume writers know from experience what will fly with a hiring manager or a recruiter. They know not to list every single thing you’ve done in your professional or academic career even if the data is dear to your heart. They know personal information isn’t wise to include either. Yes, you’re very proud that you once won a music award. However, if you’re no longer in the performing arts, the hiring manager couldn’t care less about that part of your background.

Other pitfalls to avoid include:

1. Going back too far in your work history. That invites age discrimination.

2. Keeping your resume task oriented (daily duties) rather than showcasing accomplishments (results of what you’ve done).

3. Failing to quantify achievements.

4. Writing a ‘general, one-size-fits-all’ resume that is so generic none of your skills stand out.

Even if you’re tempted to tell the resume writer what you prefer, it’s best to listen to the advice she or he has to offer. If you’re told a two page resume is best, given the resume writer’s past experience, then believe what’s said. Your resume writer wants  you to succeed and to get an interview.

Trust the experts. Listen to what they propose. Benefit from their years of expertise. And put the hiring manager or recruiter’s preferences first rather than your own.

Why?

There are numerous reasons:

1. To use it as a reminder to yourself of what you’ve accomplished. If you let years go by without recording how you made your company money or saved it money, it’s unlikely that every significant accomplishment will be easy to pull from memory when you do need to look for a new position.

2. To remind management of your achievements during your annual reviews. By presenting your immediate supervisor with your updated resume that details all you’ve done for your division or office that year, you’ll be in a better position to get the raise you believe you deserve.

3. To employ it as a gauge for your career progression. If after several months you have absolutely nothing to add to your resume in terms of accomplishments or new projects/tasks, perhaps you’re stagnating at your job. That could mean trouble, especially if your company is downsizing. If you’re part of the deadwood, you may be one of the first to go.

4. To be prepared for the unthinkable: your company closing without notice because of an owner’s decision not to keep the place afloat or the company being bought by a competitor who will replace you and others with individuals from his firm.

In life and in this economy, anything can happen. It’s always best to be prepared with an effective resume to use in-house, for applying to new jobs or to assure yourself that you are doing the best you can at your current position.

In one way that’s true – if the resume has extraneous data unrelated to the job search and is filled with fluff, the above reasoning makes sense.

However, if pertinent data is excluded from a resume in order to reach an arbitrary page length, that can be as disastrous.

Too often I’ve seen clients sell themselves short by asking for a one page resume when their background clearly calls for two pages. In order to reach their desired page length, margins have to cut to the point where text appears to be running off the page. And the text must be reduced to a size that’s unreadable to most.

Certainly, the page length is where the client wants it, but is it wise?

I know it’s not. No hiring manager will look at a stellar, superbly organized resume filled with pertinent data on the candidate’s knowledge/skills/abilities and dismiss the individual because of the resume’s length. That simply doesn’t make sense.

If you’re an executive with many years of experience, submitting a one page resume will surely reduce your chances of an interview, especially if you’re excluding vital data in order to meet page length.

Remember, content – not length – is what’s important. A modern, effective resume is as long as it needs to be, provided it contains relevant information about you in relation to the targeted job.

As with the varying countries nationalities, cultures and mores, resumes are most assuredly different for various parts of the world.

For example:

In China the guidelines include -

Personal Information (include):

1. Sex

2. Marital Status

3. Date of Birth

4. Nationality

5. Permanent Address

Career Objective: Describe what you want to achieve and position sought

Education:

1. List high school education with reference to specific courses and programs

2. Include extracurricular activities that are relevant to job search

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills

2. Computer Skills

Professional Experience:

1. Indicate whether work was part-time or full- time.

2. Explain all gaps in employment history.

3. If part-time work was chosen, indicate why you did NOT work full-time.

Personal Interests (include):

1. Sports activities

2. Other interests

Format:  Begin with Objective, go to Education, then list Professional Experience and everything else (in that order)

Length: Two pages; no longer than three pages

In the UK the guidelines include -

Education:

1. Secondary education, include dates/names/locations of schools, plus qualifications received

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills

2. Computer Skills

Professional Experience:

1. Include reasons for leaving

Interests/Hobbies: Describe how time outside of work is spent

Format: Education followed by professional experience

Length: No longer than two pages

And in Saudi Arabia the guidelines include -

Personal Information (Include):

1. Date of Birth

2. Marital Status

3. # of Children

4. Nationality

5. Citizenship(s)

6. Religious Affiliation

Education:

1. Include name and address of each institution attended

Professional Experience:

1. Use company descriptors

2. List all employers worked for

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills

2. Computer Skills

Residency Permit/Letter of Release:

1. Note whether you have a transferable igama (residency permit) from your present employer or can obtain a letter of release

Format: Education, experience, personal details (in that order); do NOT leave any gaps in dates.

Length:  Three to four pages is acceptable

As you can see, there are variances by country. Make certain you know the guidelines before you submit your resume overseas.

Do you go with the cheapest? The one with the biggest/flashiest internet ad? The one who guarantees the moon?

Here are a few points to keep in mind when you’re searching for a resume writer:

1. Is the individual certified to write resumes?

This is an important factor. Not all resume writers are created equal. The industry isn’t regulated; therefore, anyone can ‘hang out a shingle’, claiming they’re a resume writing expert.

A true professional will belong to or work for a company that belongs to the Professional Association of Resume Writers (PARW) – the industry’s gold standard. The PARW has a certification program, granting the CPRW (Certified Professional Resume Writer) designation to an individual that passes its rigorous test. Not everyone passes on the first try. The test materials are difficult and comprehensive.

2. Is the individual charging too little or too much?

A lunch at your favorite restaurant shouldn’t cost you more than a professionally written resume. If it does, then the individual doing the work most likely isn’t a seasoned professional. Nor should the service cost as much as a mortgage payment no matter how many years the resume writer has in the field. Check out various sites and you’ll soon determine the average price of a resume. Stick with those companies that most closely match the norm. Not too high; not too low.

3. Is the service a member of the Better Business Bureau or other agencies that keep track of customer satisfaction?

If not, move on to the next company. If a company is a member of the BBB, check out their track record with complaints. Do they resolve them readily?

4. Does the writer or writers have industry experience?

Not only experience in writing resumes, but in the client’s particular industry. Not everyone understands Information Technology or Engineering. If you hire a resume writer who has no idea of the jargon or nuances of your industry, especially if it’s technical, then you’re in trouble.

5. Does the site guarantee the moon?

Something like getting a job in 30 days- guaranteed. Or getting interviews with the resume despite the horrible economy or the fact that industry jobs are being outsourced to foreign countries.

Use common sense when it comes to guarantees. No service can promise every one of its clients that they’ll get a job. That’s just not practical. If they have 20 marketing clients and only two jobs are available, then that means 18 of their clients are going to be turned down. Resumes, no matter how professionally they’re written, can’t guarantee an interview. There are many other factors at work, including whether the individual has the perfect skills for the job. Be wary of too-good-to-be-true guarantees.

6. Great ads don’t make for the best service.

Just because a resume writing company has catchy, intriguing ads or a dynamite site doesn’t mean their service is right for you. As a smart consumer, you still need to determine if their writers have knowledge of your industry, if the service is priced competitively and if they’re a member of an organization like the PARW or BBB.

You’ve chosen your career steps wisely. Now, it’s time to use the same due diligence with the individual or company that will craft your resume.