No employee is hired on the strength of his resume alone. It is important to understand what a resume can and cannot do for you as a candidate, and how to utilize this critical tool to your best advantage.

At the resume stage, you are among countless candidates who all look about the same to the employer at that point.  Only a few will stand out of the pile and be invited to interview.  In today’s highly competitive job market, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get on the short list, and land an interview. You want your resume to leave no doubt about your qualifications for the role, so that the interview process can be focused on your chemistry and your ability to fit in with the organization. If your resume doesn’t pass this stage, your excellent interview preparation will be of little consequence.

The difference between a successful resume and an unsuccessful resume often comes down to the candidate’s understanding of what the resume should in fact do for him.

Your resume has three basic purposes: 
1. To present a clearly identified objective in a positive and unique way.

2. To support your objective with related experience and accomplishments.

3. To provide a script and point of reference to use during the interview process.

Like any marketing piece, your resume’s initial role is to capture the interest of the employer and communicate a pertinent message.  It should tell the employer what you want, with a clearly stated objective.  It should then indicate why this is a reasonable goal, with noted qualifications.  And it should then prove its case with examples of achievements. 

On average, an employer will devote less than one minute to a single resume, and then move on.  Increase your chances of getting noticed by appealing to the employer’s needs.  Stick to what is pertinent.  Be articulate and concise in your wording, and keep the information focused on your objective and your ability to achieve it.

If your qualifications and achievements are not presented in such a way that clearly supports your objective, you will risk loosing credibility, and cast doubt on your ability to identify and achieve realistic goals.   Be sure to leave the reader with the impression that you are able to identify realistic goals, and stay focused on achieving them.

Try to keep your resume to one page, two at the most. Beefing up the resume with hobbies or other unrelated content may have an undesired effect. No matter how impressive the content may be, if it fails to relate to your objective or the job description, it may in fact leave the employer feeling that you would be better suited somewhere else.

A resume is not intended to get you a job. It is intended to get you an interview.  Present yourself in the best possible light based on the position you are applying for, by crafting a resume that clearly states your goals and your ability to achieve them.