Writing a great resume is absolutely critical. This is because your resume is the first point of contact is that you will have your potential employer. If it does not catch their attention then it will also be the last point. You need to make sure that it stands out from the crowd and gets you that crucial interview. Reading a resume example may give you a few pointers, and here are a few more things to consider.

When writing your question me you may have heard that you need to follow a specific format. This is not necessarily true as it is there to market you in your particular situation. It therefore needs to do exactly the job that you need to. There are of course specific things that need to be included in any resume.

It’s a good idea to create a rough plan of what you want to include in your resume before you begin. You may wish to gather all the relevant documents before beginning and to arrange them in order for quick reference.This will help you present your resume in a clear and coherent manner.

Your resume has to advertise you and should consist of two sections.

Section 1: This should list your abilities and achievements. This is essentially the section where you can advertise how great you would be for the position you are applying for. It should focus on the special skills and abilities needed by the employer. You have to be able to emphasize why you are an exceptional candidate for the job.

Section 2: This is where you have to back up your abilities and achievements with hard facts. This is where you list your educational achievements and qualifications, and previous jobs held. Be sure to highlight any relevant areas of experience in your previous jobs or education. You should list all your job titles and the company name in reverse chronological order including the dates that you held the jobs. You should then write down the all your relevant qualifications and training and any courses and awards that you have done. After you have completed this section then you can list any affiliations and organizations that you belong to if they are relevant to your job application.

There are various other measures that you can employ to try to get that precious interview:

Make sure that the title of your resume matches the title of the job that you are applying for.
Try to pick a design of resume that is eye-catching and easy to read.
Spend some time thoroughly analyzing the job description. You should try to identify any keywords that have been used by the employer and should make sure that these keywords can be found in your resume.
Also spend some time thinking about the needs of the employer, not just the ones identified in the job description but ones that might be hidden. Make sure you refer to these hidden needs and how you can solve them in your resume.
Try to ensure that your resume builds a mental image of you and that the image matches the job you are applying for. This means using language appropriate for that position.
You should never send out the same resume to different employers without first tweaking it to match their specific needs and skills.
Make sure you list any technical skills in a clear way so that they stand out to the employer.
List only relevant qualifications and educational experiences. You should not be too bothered about listing these in chronological order but rather should concentrate on listing them in order of relevance.
When listing your experiences try to think of relevant examples of how this has benefited past employers.
Above all make sure your resume portrays you are someone who gets things done, and who actively seeks to resolve any problems.
Don’t be too self-effacing in your resume as if you are a may never get to meet the real you.
On the other hand make sure that any descriptions of past projects are succinct and to the point.
Get someone you trust to thoroughly proof read the document as it is all too easy to miss simple grammatical errors in something you have been concentrating hard on.
If you are older you may not want to list your entire work history but just to choose relevant jobs you have held in the past.
Try to make your resume look as tidy as possible, and choose a legible font for it. Headings should be done in bold, and it should be printed on a decent quality paper.

You do not need to include references in your resume but should say that they are available on request. It can be tempting to follow a resume template that you found on the Internet, but you may find these quite restrictive for your individual needs. It is far better to look at a lot of examples of resumes and then to design your own template around them.

Your prospective employer will not be checking to make sure you have followed a specific format, as they are much more interested in seeing how you may be the perfect fit for the job advertised. When you have completed your resume just give it a final once over to make sure that it is easy to read and all the information is in the correct chronological order.

It needs to be easy for the employer to pick out all the relevant information so this must be clearly presented. They will not spend the time hunting around for this information but will just pass on to the next candidate. It is not easy writing a great resume, as it is a real act of self-promotion. However the reward of getting that dream job should keep you going. It is well worth checking and rechecking before you send it out. This is your one chance to get an interview, so make sure it is clear why you are the perfect person for that position. Checking a great resume example will provide you with valuable information.