A resume is a summary of your skills, accomplishments, and experience designed to capture a prospective employer's interest. Simply put, the purpose of a resume is to secure an interview. With employers receiving hundreds of resumes, you must make sure that yours is the one that grabs the employer's attention with just a glance.

1. Your resume should be up-to-date. Create a good first impression by highlighting your most current skills and abilities.
2. Use a design that grabs attention. Many employers scan resumes into a database; don't waste your money on special bond paper with matching envelopes. It's best to stay with a laser printed resume. Handwritten, typed, dot matrix and even ink jet printed resumes can look messy and unprofessional.
3. Be consistent. Choose a pattern of spacing, an order of information presentation, or format of highlighting and be consistent throughout.
4. Create content that sells. Resume design should get the employer's attention, but it's the descriptions you include of your skills and abilities that will generate interviews.
5. Be concise. Your resume should be a clear and concise summary detailing your successes, achievements, relevant education and certifications.
6. Omit needless items. Don't use valuable space on your resume on irrelevant publications, memberships or recreational activities.
7. Quantify your experience. Cite numerical figures, such as savings on budgets, improved efficiency, etc., to demonstrate your progress and accomplishments due directly to your work.
8. Proof read. Misspellings and poorly constructed sentences communicate a negative impression about the job seeker. Mistakes will usually cost you the job interview.
9. Keep references current. Always keep a current, up to date list of business references on hand. Don't forget to ask people first if it is all right to use them as a reference.
10. Target your resume and cover letter. If you are going for a specific job, tailor your resume and cover letter accordingly to bring out the qualities you possess which will help you secure the position.