Revised or new resume? Forget resume "laws" you learned from your teacher or professor. That was then. This is now. You have more to say and less chance of getting someone to spend more than 11 seconds with your resume. Here's what NOT to do and what TO do:

Keep your resume to one page or you'll die in the morning. Old information. Two pages are "legal." You have my permission! Sometimes three pages will work. More than three is considered a "book."

Use Bill Gates' Word document resume templates. Not! a) They "inhale" pond water, b) They tell the reader you used a Bill Gates' Word document resume template. Translation; you filled in blanks. You can do better than that.

Put all dates on the left hand column. Who said so? Question authority including me. (See below) Begin with your job title then show years only to far right. Show no employment gaps. Short time employment or promoted in less than 12 months? Show: 4/2008 - 11/2008!

Update old resume and you are good to go. Big mistake. Customize and tailor your document to match the job opening and title. On page one headline job title in 18 pt type, bold faced, centered directly under your name, address, etc. Better chance your resume lands on "keep pile."

Stress job duties; don't worry about results. Just the opposite. Confine job descriptions (KJRs) to two sentences. Indent bulleted results by writing statements of accomplishment or achievement. Not easy, but worth the work. (See bonus item below).

List more than 10 years of employment. Caution! Readers dose off. After listing approximately first 10 years in detail condense prior jobs under "Earlier Experience" in one paragraph. E.g., "Earlier served x years as Director of Finance for xyz company in Elmira, NY."

Apply on line only & don't bother mailing hard copies. What? USPS your cover letter and resume FLAT in a plain white (not manila) envelope marked "Personal & Confidential" via Priority Mail. Add P.S. saying, "Courtesy hard copies enclosed of online application."
BONUS ITEM: Use three steps: a) Describe a problem you discovered, b) Being very specific write what action you took, c) Write results of action you took. Use non-rounded numbers, dollars or percents; how long it took you to do it; and ask yourself, "Is it believable?" "Do I own the results?" and accept our invitation to claim your instant free access to no-charge professional resume and cover letter teleseminar Sundays 9PM US Eastern (on the web or on the phone, your choice) via http://resumesteve.com/

From Stephen Q Shannon - The Resume Guy