Get Resume Results in Three Steps

If you've been applying for jobs and wondering why you don't get called in for interviews as often as you expect, perhaps it's time to rework your resume. The standard resume that starts with an objective statement and provides a dry list of job titles doesn't work anymore. Instead, follow these tips to create a successful resume that gets results.

1. Focus on Challenges, Actions and Results

An achievement-based resume is one of the strongest ways a job seeker can make herself known to a hiring manager or job recruiter. Design a successful resume that focuses on challenges, actions and results to make it stand out from the crowd. For each accomplishment that you list, state clearly what obstacle you faced and how you overcame the challenge. Be very specific about the actions that you took to solve a problem, attract new clients or generate new revenue for your company. As you discuss results, provide quantifiable data that demonstrates how you saved money or time for your employer. As you focus on these points, you find yourself with a successful resume that gets results.

2. Provide a Summary and Context

In framing a successful resume, it's crucial to provide context for the content the contained without your resume. Rather than starting with an objective statement that may not match up with what the employer is looking for and that makes your resume look outdated, begin your resume with a concise summary of your skills, highlighting the ways in which you can bring value to a new company. Provide context for your achievements to make sure anyone reading the resume can recognize what they mean. It's okay to brag about yourself a little when you're writing a successful resume, as long as you stick to the facts.

3. Keep It Short

Job recruiters and hiring managers spend less and less time reviewing resumes, which means that a successful resume needs to be short and to the point. Choose a format that lets you highlight your key attributes at the very top of the page, in case the job recruiter doesn't read all the way to the bottom. Keep your resume to one page if at all possible, and be ruthless about cutting out anything that doesn't sell you as a top candidate for the specific job for which you're applying. Lose any mention of part-time jobs or career detours; hone in on the few pieces of vital information you want your job recruiter to know. The more concise it is, the more likely your resume is to get results.

Job seekers need to take time to write and rewrite their resumes to make them stand out from a flood of similar documents all using the same types of templates. To write a successful resume that achieves the results you want, start by listing everything you can think of, and then relentlessly hone it down and edit until your achievements and skills sparkle when the job recruiter sees them.

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