What separates a good resume from a great one? Here are some tips to help increase the strength of your resume, and give you the edge over the competition:

1) USE A REVERSE CHRONOLOGICAL FORMAT

A "Functional" resume format is one that contains a free-floating list of accomplishments at the start of the document, followed by an abbreviated work history. This is heavily discouraged by recruiters/hiring agents, as it prevents a clear understanding of a candidate's work history.

Opt for a "Reverse Chronological" format that lists positions from most recent to least. Focus intently on those within the past 10-12 years, as this is what hiring agents predominantly focus on. Older positions should probably be consolidated within a "Prior Experience" section listing 1-2 highlights for each, no dates.

2) TAILOR YOUR RESUME FOR SPECIFIC JOBS

No job seeker has the time to create separate versions of his/her resume for every position. However, if you're seeking vastly different positions spanning more than a single industry, you will need to tailor your documents accordingly.

- Start the resume with a boldfaced title that lists the EXACT POSITION you're applying for. This can be swapped out between submissions.

- Create a 3-4 line "Summary" beneath this DEMONSTRATING key attributes that you possess, and are heavily sought after by employers seeking to fill your target position. If you're having trouble, seek out the counsel of a professional resume writer.

When submitting to vastly different positions, simply swap out these 2 sections. Everything else can remain as-is.

3) USE RESUME-SPECIFIC LANGUAGE

Not adhering to the specific language of resumes is a clear sign of unprofessional. A good rule of thumb is to keep it in the third-person past tense and begin every sentence with a verb. An example would be, "Delivered major revenue gains through forging new client relationships and implementing unique product marketing strategies."

Anish Majumdar is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Owner at Resume Orbit http://resumeorbit.com. 95% of clients report a significant increase in interviews within 30 days, and all work comes backed by a 100% Satisfaction or Money Back Guarantee (in writing).

Please submit your existing resume for a FREE CRITIQUE spanning structure, language, and content: http://resumeorbit.com/free_critique.php