The purpose of a resume is to get an interview for the job you want. The modern resume is a personal advertisement that presents you in the best light to entice employers to grant you an interview. How you write your resume and make it appear to employers is an important factor in getting an interview. The modern resume must stand out from the competition and earn the immediate attention of employers.

Target your resume to a specific employer. Your resume should show an employer why you are the perfect answer to their needs, but you first need to find out what those needs are. Look for clues in their job advertisements and website, ask somebody in the industry, or ask them directly what they are looking for in a candidate. Once you have this information, you can tailor your resume to that specific employer.

Divide your resume into two sections: "assertions" and "evidence." Nicholas Lore, founder of the Rockport Institute, an international career-counseling network, encourages job seekers to spend the first half of the resume talking about your abilities, your qualities and your achievements. Lore calls this the "assertions" section. The second half of the resume he calls the "evidence" section, in which you back up the assertions you made in the first section with evidence from the past. Evidence is the information that fills a traditional resume, including your work history, education, awards and professional affiliations.

Write a brief resume summary. This should be written at the top of your modern resume to begin the "assertions" section. Write a few concise statements about your qualities, abilities and experience that will quickly show the employer why you are the perfect fit for the job. The assertions you make in this paragraph will be backed up in the evidence section of the resume.

Use boldface type in the evidence section to highlight your accomplishments and make the resume easier to read. Boldface should be used for section headings, job titles, degrees and anything else that you want to highlight for employers.

Create bullet-points to list your career accomplishments. Bullet-points help employers quickly see what you have done in the past without having to search through the resume. Employers will only spend a couple of minutes on reading your resume, so it is essential that you make it easy for them to find your accomplishments.

Tips:

Do not forget to include your most current contact information at the top of your resume where it is easy for employers to find. Double check your email and phone number to ensure they are the most up-to-date versions.

Do not include personal details such as pictures or family information on your resume. The modern resume should focus on professional abilities.