As a former Human Resources pro I reviewed thousands of resumes. The following suggestions should help you avoid getting yours in the slush pile.

One of the toughest parts of writing a resume is organizing the information so that it flows seamlessly for the reader. You don't want the recruiters to have to dig for information because most likely they will not and they will toss your resume.

A resume is a tell-tale of what you have accomplished. It's important to maintain a professional appearance in your resume. In other words, advocate yourself without going overboard.
Let's start with some of the things you will need to create a professional resume:

• Computer
• Printer (optional)
• White or off-white paper
• Access to the Internet

The 5 Steps

1. Write or type out a rough draft to include your past jobs, education and special skills. Don't forget volunteer work! Your rough draft should list all the tasks and duties performed for every job. Each job should contain a 2-line summary describing your title and main duties. Be sure to list accomplishments at every job. For example, if you increased sales by 10%, be sure to list it. It should be followed with 3-4 one line descriptions in a bulleted list. Follow an old writing rule--no more than 10 words per sentence. You want your resume to be clear and easy to follow.

2. Whenever possible, tailor your resume to job you are applying for. Use the job description in the ad to help you highlight matching skills and keywords! Do not embellish the information on your resume because many employers conduct background searches. In the recent years, I have noticed an increase in the use of background search firms by companies. Do not jeopardize your standing now or in the future by creating a fictional resume!

3. Make sure your resume is grammatically correct--no typos! If you are not a good writer hire a resume writer to review and edit your resume.

4. Use the same size font (a 12 font works best) throughout the text in your resume. The only exception is your name, which should be a few fonts larger. You want to make sure the hiring staff remembers your name. Include one physical or mailing address, phone number and email address. And be sure to use your current contact information in order to get a response.

5. Use plain white or off white stationary to create a professional resume. Beige paper is fine as long as it is plain paper. Avoid personal or flowery stationary. Same rule applies to the use of silly fonts, pictures or graphics on your resume. Keep resume to 1-2 pages maximum. You want your qualifications to stand out not the pink butterfly stationary. And yes, I have seen a resume on such stationary. But no, it probably will not get you the job. Keep it simple and polished!

A Final Note

Remember that your resume is the first impression you are making to the recruiter. You want to make sure that you impress with your skills in a professional resume. Add a cover letter to further highlight skills that could not fit in your 1-2 page resume.

Additionally, do not add references to your resume, age yourself by adding dates to educational information or include memberships or hobbies that are irrelevant to position. References should be supplied on a separate reference sheet.

Most recruiters spend about 1 minute glancing over each resume. You have but one shot at impressing them. Make sure you give it your best to avoid ending up in the dreaded deleted pile!

Sabrina S. Siracusa invites you to check out WriteOn!, a website where writers and employers can get free, informative articles, post and look for writing gigs. To get more information visit http://www.writergirl.biz/WriteOn!/index.php