Your resume should be viewed as one of the most important marketing tools that gets you in the door to meet with hiring employers. While your resume alone will not land you a job, it can certainly help with your job search goals. From a title that matches the job you want, to including keywords that make your resume stand out, there are some key essentials that you need to consider when developing your resume.

1. Provide the right contact information. If possible, provide a contact number and email that you can isolate specifically for your job search. For instance, using a personal email account that is a nickname can impact the way a hiring manager views you even before you have had a chance to meet. Also, furnishing a phone number that is not readily accessible can impede your ability to respond quickly.

2. Titles mean everything Your resume title allows you to customize and differentiate, and is the first thing hiring managers view when searching for candidates. Your resume title should always be customized to the job you are applying to. Remember, you can Post your resume on jobs.localjobnetwork.com and store up to five versions in your account.

3. What’s your objective? Defining you objective will help hiring managers determine what your career goals are immediately; hence, help them quickly determine if you are the right candidate. If you are targeting a specific position, make sure the objective mirrors the job opening as well as your longer-term career goals

4. Don’t be shy, highlight your accomplishments. Providing hiring managers with an overview of your accomplishments, not only your skills, lets you readily sell yourself. This is where you can showcase how you contributed to your employer and the type of employee you are. Be careful not to oversell here, but do not shy away from outlining key areas in which you succeeded. Did you receive an award or recognition? Did you achieve a promotion? Did you cut costs or streamline workflow? Did you increase revenue? Include what you have accomplished and highlight accordingly.

5. Target and focus on keywords that count. While time consuming, customizing your resume to each job you apply to is an essential element of the process. Hiring managers search for candidates that have skills directly in line with their job openings. Incorporating references to these skills or experience will impact where you resume ends up - ultimately, at the top of the pile.

6. Highlight all areas of your education- This should include formal training and any certificate programs or online courses you have completed. Provide potential employers with a detailed listing of your training, especially those courses that are directly related to the job posting.

7. Appearance counts. Just like dressing for success is important, the appearance of your resume is just as vital. Make sure your resume is formatted appropriately and spell-checked to avoid typos and misspellings. Take the time to write and edit your resume. Online tools like our professional writing service can help you craft a winning resume and lead you closer to your job goals.