The purpose of your resume is to land you an invitation to interview. Is yours going to deliver?

Chances are, the hiring manager has a stack of resumes on her desk, all representing people who are vying for the same position. On her first pass, she's going to whittle that down to a manageable number. She'll quickly scan each document, looking for reasons to exclude the vast majority of them. (Trust me when I say that's not difficult.)

If she's lucky, she'll find a handful of candidates who look - on paper - as though they may warrant further consideration. If you make that first cut, she'll probably spend a little bit more time with your paperwork, and if you've written a good enough document, you may get the chance to interview.

Want to create better odds that your resume will do the job and get you invited in? Following are 8 things to keep in mind when you're writing or reviewing yours:

1. Is it clear how your background fits the specific position in question?

Often, candidates make the mistake of submitting a "generic" resume. That's not good enough. Every time you apply for a job, you should tweak your resume to make sure your qualifications are presented in such a way that it's crystal clear how you'd be a match for that position and that company. Of course, your cover letter will also be customized each time.

It's obvious when you haven't taken the time to do this; a cookie cutter resume and cover letter could send yours straight to the circular file.

2. Is your career progression easy for the reader to see?

Have you been promoted? Have you been given increasingly more responsibility? It's important. Make sure that's obvious in the way you present the information. Poor layout can really hurt you here.

3. Does your resume read like a position description?

If it's simply a retread of something that might have come out of HR, it's not going to impress anyone - it doesn't say anything about you and what you've accomplished. You need to include quantifiable information. Results, results, results.

4. What do you lead with?

I'm a recruiter, and I never read "objective" statements (I am not unique). Why not? They don't say anything. Don't use one. That space at the top of your resume is crucial; the hiring manager need to see immediately what you're all about and what type of position you're a fit for. Use that space to summarize your unique selling proposition.

5. How well is your resume written?

Three important things to keep in mind as you're crafting this document:

Do you understand your "audience?" Are you writing from his or her perspective rather than your own (i.e. what's important to the reader)?

Is it clear how your qualifications are a match for the position?

Do you present quantifiable achievements that clearly show how previous positive impact on company bottom line?

Not everyone is a born writer. If you don't' write well, find someone who does to proof your document.

6. Is it laid out well?

Make good use of white space and margin alignment. The format should be clean; the font should be easy to read. Lay it out so it's easy for a person to scan - how does the eye flow across the page? Use bullets, but not too many.

7. Avoid a functional format

It's not a good way to convey information; you could be the best candidate on the planet but this format will almost always get tossed. Remember - it's going to be scanned initially. If what you're all about isn't immediately clear, you lost your chance.

Here's something else to keep in mind: people who use functional formats are often trying to hide the fact that there are gaps in their work history. Hiring managers often assume this to be the case when they see functional resumes.

8. Is it Concise?

You've heard this before, but it's important. Do not exceed two pages.

Bear in mind: on that first pass, the hiring manager will likely have determined whether you're "in" or "out" before she makes it to page two.

That doesn't mean page two isn't important (if you make that first cut and your resume warrants a closer read - and certainly if you're going to be interviewed, she'll review it more carefully) but be as succinct as you can and understand it's the first page that's going to determine whether you get anywhere in the process.

Follow these pointers and you'll give yourself a better shot at what you want: the chance to interview.

Rebecca Metschke is the author of The Interview Edge, a comprehensive career guide for those who are serious about their careers. Gain a professional advantage using proven tips, tools and strategies that will help ensure you're as marketable as you can be. http://www.TheInterviewEdge.com