Resume writing tips to create powerful attention grabbing resumes and get job interviews.

1. Get unstuck with these 26
resume writing tips
The ABC’s of
Powerful
Resumes
A publication by
Match Resumes and Careers
www.matchresumesandcareers.com

2. Your talents and expertise are valuable!
As you begin your job search and discover the increasingly competitive job
market, think about your past accomplishments and contributions. The key to
creating a powerful resume is differentiation. Communicating the value you bring
to employers will make your resume stand out.
An effective resume creates a picture of relevant knowledge, action, and results.
Carefully read the job announcement and determine specific qualifications to
highlight. Think of your resume as a marketing document designed to sell YOU.
Keep in mind, the number one purpose of the resume is to get the interview.
INTRO

3. A Resume’s Attention Grabbing Characteristics
FIRST IMPRESSION5 … F
• Organized
• Professional
• Clarity
• Easy to Scan
• Writing quality
• Spelling, grammar
QUALIFICATIONS
… F
• Experience
• Education
• Professional skills
• Technical skills
• Transferrable skills
• Job spec matches
PROBLEM SOLVING
… F
• Proof of abilities
• Success stories
• Progression
• Rewards
• Goal oriented
• Teamwork
1 2 3

4. Here we go
I am going to walk you through an A-Z list of best practices for creating your
masterpiece resume.
Increase your interview opportunities
Put you ahead of competing candidates
Entice recruiters to want to know more about you
26 essential elements that’ll make
your resume attract attention.

5. Resume writing ABC’s
Accomplishment statements—
Incorporate success stories that
demonstrate your expertise and
prove your value at work.
A

6. Resume writing ABC’s
Bullets with metrics—Use three to
five high impact concise
statements for current and
previous jobs to showcase
qualifications and achievements.
B

7. Resume writing ABC’s
Clarity – A well-organized resume
that is prioritized to the particular
job application will be interesting to
the reader compared with a
generic format.
C

8. Resume writing ABC’s
Differentiation—Beat the
competition with details and
success stories that set you apart
from other candidates who have
similar basic qualifications.
D

9. Resume writing ABC’s
Expertise—Employers are looking
for specific problem solving
capabilities. ‘Advertise’ your
expertise and provide proof in your
achievement examples.
E

10. Resume writing ABC’s
Focused—A resume that is
focused on the position, the
company’s issues, and the
company culture communicates
the candidate’s genuine interest
and motivation.
F

11. Resume writing ABC’s
Gaps in employment history—
Employers prefer consistent work
history, so use an appropriate
strategy to address periods of time
off from working.
G

12. Resume writing ABC’s
Headline—Create a visually
appealing headline with a large
font for your name. Below it include
your phone, email, LinkedIn url,
city and state. Next list the job title
instead of an objective.
H

13. Resume writing ABC’s
Interviewable—an effective
resume will present talking points
for your interviews. Inspire readers
to want to know more about your
past successes.
I

14. Resume writing ABC’s
Job history with context—
Incorporate numbers and metrics
such as dollars, percentages, and
improvement measures to provide
context to accomplishment
statements.
J

15. Resume writing ABC’s
Keywords—Sprinkle career
documents with specific industry
buzzwords, qualifications, skills,
software and technology
competencies, and relevant
credentials.
K

16. Resume writing ABC’s
LinkedIn—Utilize this *FREE
professional resource to serve as
your online profile and networking
platform. Include your LinkedIn
customized URL on your resume.
*Note: premium LinkedIn subscriptions may be
beneficial to certain job seekers.
L

17. Resume writing ABC’s
Marketing oriented—A resume’s
main purpose is to capture the
interest of an employer and get
you an interview. It is your
professional expertise
advertisement.
M

18. Resume writing ABC’s
Needs based—Answer the needs
of the employer by customizing the
resume for each application.
Generic resumes rarely work.
Recruiters screen resumes for
specific qualifications.
N

19. Resume writing ABC’s
One or two pages? A good rule to
thumb is one page for less than
five years’ work experience and up
to two pages for higher career
levels and more experience.
O

20. Resume writing ABC’s
Position title—Reference the
specific job title for the target
position in the resume and/or cover
letter to grab the reader’s attention
and provide clarity.
P

21. Resume writing ABC’s
Qualifications—Meticulously
incorporate the specific
qualifications language from the
job announcement to ensure any
reader can determine your resume
is a good match for the position.
Q

22. Resume writing ABC’s
Results oriented—Prove your
value with examples of past
achievements supported by value
impacts to current and past
employers.
R

23. Resume writing ABC’s
Skills/Expertise—Clearly state you
have the capabilities to solve the
specific problems of the employer.
Readers typically scan the first 3rd
of the document to confirm
qualifications.
S

24. Resume writing ABC’s
Technical competency—Most jobs
require technical experience and
knowledge in specific areas. An
expertise section on the resume
makes it easy for the reader to
verify these requirements.
T

25. Resume writing ABC’s
Uncrowded—Resumes are
usually scanned in less than 10
seconds. Avoid filling the pages
with dense text and small margins.
Make it easy for the reader to
quickly capture your relevant
qualifications.
U

26. Resume writing ABC’s
Visually appealing—Impress the
reader with a well organized
document. Remember, your
resume is your first impression,
make it a good one.
V

27. Resume writing ABC’s
White space—Clean and wide
margins, and spacing between
sections improves the readability
of your document. It is better to
use two pages than to cram every
detail onto one page.
W

28. Resume writing ABC’s
X-ray vision—Proof read your
document as if you could see
through it! Spelling and grammar
mistakes are widely referred to by
recruiters as reasons for resume
rejection.
X

29. Resume writing ABC’s
Years of Experience—Referencing
work experience from twenty years
ago may not be necessary if it
doesn’t add relevant value to the
resume.
Y

30. Resume writing ABC’s
Zeal—Paint a picture of passion
and zeal for professional success.
Referencing your
accomplishments, awards, and
contributions to your employers
shows the reader you are
enthusiastic about your work.
Z

31. Resume writing ABC’s
The ABC’s of resume writing are incorporated in custom career
documents produced by Match Resumes and Careers. Serving clients
who prefer collaborating with a certified professional resume writer, we
accelerate the job search, and win targeted opportunities and better
compensation.
For a free consultation please contact Deborah Olson,CPRW; owner
and certified resume writer at Match Resumes and Careers.
www.matchresumesandcareers.com
206.310.7357
A-Z