At best, your resume may be viewed for a few seconds before landing in either the short-listed candidates or rejected candidates pile. Since the resume is your first and probably only chance of making an impression on the recruiter or hiring manager, you have to put careful thought and efforts into writing a resume that gets attention in those few seconds.

Target the job and specific position you are applying to. Do your research and find out exactly what the requirements are. Make a note of the preferred qualifications and determine what could give you an edge over other candidates. Your aim is to make your resume stand out by virtue of your unique talents relevant to the position and the accomplishments that make you the best fit.

Craft an impactful, action-oriented career objective tailored to the position. Take your cue from the words in the job listing advertised or the description of the roles the selected candidate will play. Ensure that the short-term and long-term career goals you express are aligned with the organization's objectives.

Summarize your key skills, strengths and accomplishments that are most relevant to the position in a clear, easily noticeable format, using bullets or as a brief paragraph. If you take the time to determine what the employer is looking for in the ideal candidate, you will find it easier to differentiate yourself from other candidates. Use the profile or summary section to highlight the salient aspects of your background or experience that make you the best fit or at least a likely candidate for the position. So if you possess one or more of the preferred qualifications or come with the exact nature of experience the job demands, outline that fact in your profile along with your accomplishments or proven track record.

Imagine that you are answering the interview question: Why should we pick you over two other equally qualified candidates? Craft your answer in writing in a brief, succinct manner. Chances are, if your summary does not grab the hiring manager's attention, he may skip reading the rest of your resume if he is hard-pressed for time.

Grab attention with brevity. Unless you have a few decades of experience that are all relevant to the position, keep your resume brief and only highlight the most important projects with each employer, focusing on your key accomplishments and not on all the responsibilities you took on. A one- or two-page resume is considered the ideal length.

Focus on keywords. Research the skills, title and other keywords related to the position and ensure that you use them throughout the resume. Use variations of the keywords, synonyms and keyword phrases as well. For example, if you are applying for a copywriter position, copy writer, print copywriter, ad copywriter, print and web copywriter, creative copy writer, content copywriter, copywriting experience--are all keyword phrases and options you need to consider using based on relevance. This is to ensure that your resume makes it past automatic filters and recruiters' assistants and office staff who may be doing the initial screening of resumes. Use the job title or a variation as your resume title as well.

Format your resume in a clean, professional, easy-to-read manner using standard fonts and text size. Make sure there is enough white space and that the paragraph and line spacings make it easier to scan your resume. Make your section headings bold. Break long blocks of text into separate paragraphs or use bullet points.

Tip: Always send a cover letter, even if not asked. Avoid colorful fonts and other creative design elements, unless your resume is meant to showcase your artistic talents for the position you are applying to. In all other cases, use black text against white, standard fonts in normal, readable size ranges. Do not forget to mention your name and contact details.