Finding out whether a position is new or a replacement can be a great help in preparing your resume. If the position is new highlight skills in hiring, budgeting and planning – show the employer you have the skills to get the job started quickly and effectively. If you will be replacing someone find out why as again this will help you to shape what skills are most important on your resume. If the department has been performing poorly then highly any experience you have in turning operations around. If you don’t have turn around experience highlight skills such as mentoring showing your ability to lead and guide employees in need of assistance.

Many people discount the value of including their volunteer work in their resumes. On the other hand, many employers are interested in finding people who are willing to commit themselves and go the extra mile for little in return. Volunteer work is a great way to show you’re focused on impact and not just compensation.

More than two thirds of resumes received include a cover letter so not including one puts an applicant at a distinct disadvantage as other applicants have more opportunity to catch the reviewers’ eye and land an interview. Cover letters are also a great opportunity to draw focus to what makes you an ideal candidate or explain a period of unemployment in your past.

Nothing is more boring than receiving a two or three page resume from a prospective employee that looks more like an essay. Instead, employers want you to highlight what you think your best qualities are, and lay them out from the very beginning. Choose a few relevant qualities. Highlight them, make them bold, put them in bigger font, just do something to make them stand out from the rest of your resume. Once you’ve done that, place them at the very top of the first page. Your interviewer will be much more interested in you if you don’t waste his or her time from the very beginning.

Choppy, short sentences do not get the point across to your potential employer. Not only do they fail to get the point across, but they also let the potential employer know that you are not able to articulate yourself. The information in your resume is not only a chance to sell your qualifications to the hiring manager, but it is a chance to show a little bit of your personality. Boring sentences make managers think about boring people. Boring people don’t get the highly competitive jobs. Expand those sentences and give the managers something enjoyable read.

It is not necessary to go into detail about every accomplishment. Try to be clear and concise. The purpose of the resume is to generate enough interest in you to have an employer contact you for an interview. Use the interview to provide a more detailed explanation of your accomplishments and to land a job offer.