If you want to get an employer’s attention, don’t send them an employment history. Send them a results-driven, easy-to-scan executive resume.

While many people think they are one and the same.

They’re not.

The reaction they get from employers isn’t the same either.

Here are a few reasons why.

Old-School Executive Resume (Employment History)

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In our competitive job market, many candidates are competing for each position. There is only one winner and there’s no prize for second place.

Everyone looking for a job has heard that it’s important to send a thank you note. But the percentage who follow through is small.

That means, sending a thank you note is a sure way to stand out in a positive way.

It’s one of the quickest, and easiest, ways to get an employer’s attention. To keep you top-of-mind once the interview is over.

Here are 5 ways to make sure you continue to be remembered in a good way.

#1 Act Fast

Send a thank you ASAP. Try to email a note as soon as you can. Have a thank you template that you can revise as needed depending on the specific job interview.  Unless your handwriting is illegible you might want to follow up with a handwritten note as well. When was the last time you received anything besides a business letter in the office mail?

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One of the biggest differences between a resume or LinkedIn profile written by a professional and one that you write for yourself is that professional writers begin by developing a strategy. This strategy helps them decide what information will be included in your resume and how it will be presented.

Perhaps the best way to illustrate what I mean by strategy is to provide an example that demonstrates a lack of strategy. Otherwise known as how most people create their career documents.

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Generally, there are two things that mark a not so great resume. Poor content and lack of style. While an eye-catching resume can help you stand out from the crowd, without compelling content it’s unlikely that anyone will be inspired to contact you.

The hallmark of most poorly written resumes are the phrases “responsible for” and “duties included.”

People mistakenly believe that saying that they are responsible for managing a team or running a department or overseeing a large sales territory will impress the reader.

Not so.

Being responsible for something doesn’t show impact.

For example, if you’re a VP of Sales you may be responsible for opening new markets. But, what does that actually mean?

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There are a several elements that make one resume more effective than another. First, a resume needs to grab the reader’s attention. It needs to present what the candidate has to offer right up front. It also needs to sell the candidate to the recruiter and hiring manager.

A 2012 study done by TheLadders found that you need to get a recruiters attention fast. The results of their eye-scanning study showed that recruiters made a yes or no decision in less than 6 seconds.

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Many people embellish the truth a little on their resume. Most common is when candidates “clump” all of the jobs at a single company under their current and, probably, highest position.

A reputable resume writer will warn his or her clients not to do this. However, it happens all the time.

If you’re considering exaggerating on your resume. Don’t.

Getting caught in a little white lie will likely put you out of the running.

The majority of employers said that discovering a lie on a candidate’s resume might derail his or her chances of being hired according to survey conducted by CareerBuilder.

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Strong marketing documents can help you get in the door. But, as you know, they are not that easy to write. So, before you spend an hour composing a cover letter, spend ten minutes reading the following proofreading and style tips.

While these guidelines will help with your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile, following them will improve all your written communication.  Always represent yourself in the best possible light.

Here are 20 steps to the write stuff.

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A breadth of experience, combined with a solid career progression are prized by many employers. Unfortunately, the biggest concern for many job seekers who possess those assets is age discrimination. Particularly those of a certain age.

There’s no doubt that some employers do discriminate. However, often the reason they are reluctant to hire candidates over 50 is because they are afraid they won’t be current with their skills or familiar with not-so-newfangled things like social media.

While to-date there is no anti-aging cream for your resume, there are ways to ensure that your resume doesn’t make you look old and, maybe worse out of date. Here are four.

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Today every job is temporary. When our parents, or grandparents, were in the workforce it wasn’t uncommon to have a job for 20 years. That’s not true today.

Even if you’re one of the lucky ones who’s never been laid off or fired that doesn’t necessarily mean job security is a sure thing.

We’ve had a local cable news program covering Fairfield County CT for over 30 years. Last year, a European telecommunications company bought our local cable company. Last month, they announced that they are closing the production studio to New Jersey.

So the “as local as local news gets” station is going to be coming from a production studio 2 states away.

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You probably already know that recruiters don’t spend much time reviewing each resume. Hiring managers don’t either. So by all accounts your need to get their attention fast.

The often referred to study done by The Ladders found recruiters reviewed resumes for 6 seconds before making a decision.

When I was recruiting I spent more than 6 seconds reviewing candidate resumes before making a decision whether or not to contact them for an interview. The recruiters I know spend more than 6 seconds too.

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