On the surface it seems like it should be easy. But writing a resume that actually gets you interviews and draws excellent results can be a challenge. If you are trying to write your own resume, these expert tips on five essential elements that professional resume writers consider and include in every resume may help.

1) Clearly convey the aim and focus for the resume. Within seconds of picking up your resume, the reader should have an accurate understanding of who you are, what you have to offer, and how you would fit in their company structure. While objective statements are rarely used anymore and including one may make your resume look outdated, many professional resume writers use headline statements and qualification summaries to communicate the resume focus.

2) Incorporate data that makes it obvious that you both understand and have the capacity to meet the employer's needs. Everything in your resume should be pertinent to the position (or type of position) you are applying for. Extraneous content weakens the focus and makes it appear that you don't comprehend the nature of the job you are applying for. What are the aims for the position? What challenges are the company facing that you can help with? What problems do they have that you can help solve? Include content that illustrates how you have achieved these things for past employers as proof that you have the ability to do them for future employers.

3) Use industry-and job-relevant keywords and phrases in appropriate ways throughout the resume. This is important to do so that your resume is recalled from applicant tracking systems during keyword searches. But it is also a good way to establish credibility as a qualified candidate for the profession you are going after. Are you sending your resume in response to an advertised job announcement? Try printing the announcement and circling all the most significant keywords and phrases in it. Now make certain you use these same keywords and phrases in your resume and letter.

4) Brand your resume with content that sets you apart from other applicants, distinguishing you by showing how hiring you would be a better investment than hiring another applicant. Baseline qualifications are the qualifications that are required for the position. Most of your competitors for a position will have these qualifications. Your resume should briefly mention that you have these qualifications as well. But the majority of your resume should show how you surpass these qualifications, and what it is that you bring to the table that is slightly different and better than your competitors.

5) Focus on accomplishments and the results you have produced for past employers. The entire emphasis of your resume should be on accomplishments, and more crucially on the results of your contributions expressed as numbers whenever possible. Quantified accomplishments are eye-catching and compelling, not to mention that they add credibility to your claims. Many job seekers make the mistake of focusing on job responsibilities in their resume. It isn't what you know how to do (or what you claim to know how to do) that will interest an employer enough to pick up the phone and call you for an interview. It is what you do with what you know how to do, and the value and benefits you deliver as results. When you write your accomplishment statements, it is usually a good idea to "start with the sizzle." In other words, write about the result first followed by the action that produced it.

By showcasing these elements, you can help ensure that your resume gets attention in a crowded job market and produces interviews. But, if you still struggle to actually put these elements into practice, don't hesitate to confer with a professional resume writer. While hiring help to write your resume may seem like an unusual thing to do, more and more professionals are realizing that to do so is an investment that pays off big time, helping them to get back to work far more quickly and often at a higher salary than they would have achieved on their own.

Michelle Dumas runs of one of the longest-standing and most respected professional resume writing firms on the internet. Since 1996, Michelle has empowered thousands of professionals with resumes that get results and win jobs fast. Get insider resume writing tips that you won't find anywhere else at her website. Go now to www.distinctiveweb.com