The best way to get the attention of potential employers, to get them to contact you for an interview is to clearly demonstrate your value.

That means how you’ve solved problems for your current employer.

Employers aren’t looking for someone to take care of daily activities.

They’re looking for someone who will have an impact on the team, the department, or even the company. They want to know “What’s In It For Me?”

If you’re not a senior executive you may think this doesn’t apply to you.

But, it does.

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Cutting expenses is essential when you’re out of work. I know. I’ve been there.

But, some things, like having a sharp interviewing outfit, are essential too.

You probably wouldn’t pull out a suit you wore 10+-years-ago. You probably wouldn’t forgo a manicure. You certainly wouldn’t cut your own hair to save money either.

But, many people feel it’s perfectly OK to write their own resumes.

After all, they’re on a budget and a resume crafted by a pro isn’t cheap.

So why not pull out that old resume, the one that worked just fine 5-years-ago, and just add on their most recent employment? After all the company names, dates of employment, and responsibilities are there.

Unfortunately, many people don’t understand that everything, including resumes, has changed.

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Competition for jobs, the jobs that everyone wants, is fierce. You already know that. You also know having a solid resume is the best way to get the attention of recruiters and potential employers.

So you’ve decided to invest in a professionally-written resume.

But, with hundreds of resume writers out there how do you know which one to hire?

There are several ways to find out about a resume writer’s qualifications and to see if he or she is a good fit for you.

1 Get Referrals

Talk to your friends and family. Ask them who they’ve worked with, whether or not they were happy with the results. Find out what they liked and didn’t like about the resume writer they hired. Even if you don’t get a recommendation, you may find out who to avoid.

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In many respects your executive resume is your calling card. While having supplements like an Infographic resume and online portfolio, an executive resume is often what gets you in the door. To help make that happen make sure that it’s searchable and doesn’t raise any red flags.

There are a lot of candidates competing for each role. Getting the attention of a recruiter or hiring manager isn’t easy. When you do you don’t want to blow your chances.

While on a content is king, there are many other things to consider as well.

4 Essential Executive Resume Components

Skills Summary

Today keywords are essential. Having a keyword-rich executive resume will help your resume pass the ATS evaluation. It will help you engage a recruiter as he or she quickly scans your resume as well.

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There are dozens of articles on how to write a winning resume. I’ve written many myself. But, what every professional resume writer knows is it’s also essential to understand what NOT to include.

HR professionals, for example, don’t want to see photos because they’re concerned about possible discrimination charges down the road. Unless you’re a recent grad, there’s no reason to include your college and/university graduation dates. Doing so will advertise your age. Here are five other things not to include on your resume.

Typos

It should go without saying, but typos can be the kiss of death. One misspelling may not take you out of the running, but several probably will. Read your resume several times. Read it backwards to catch any words that don’t fit, like Microsoft Office Sweet.

Fluff

Fluffy statements and generic wording won’t get you far. No need to say you’re highly educated. One of the first things a recruiter will look at is your education. Same goes with clichés like “excellent communication skills” and “team-player.” Instead, give examples that demonstrate your communication skills, like “successfully negotiated faster payment terms . . .”

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While it’s true that in resumes “content is king” most of us are very visual. Because of this tendency a boring, poorly formatted resume isn’t likely to attract the attention of recruiters or hiring managers. Let alone the new HR associate who may be the first person to see your documents at all.

You don’t need to be a professional to make your resume easy-to-read and add a little punch. Here are five easy ways to transform your resume from muddled to refined.

Add Sections

Resume content should be presented in sections that are delineated in some way. For example Professional Experience, Education, Skills, etc. separated by lines. This can be done easily by using the Borders & Shading function in Microsoft Word.

Adding some formatting to your resume will make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to read.

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Most people think of their resumes as an employment record. A document that lists their positions, places of employment, and job duties.  That’s a big mistake. They should be thinking of their resume as a marketing tool designed to sell the candidate to a potential employer.

If you’re looking for a new job, you need to position your resume as a marketing piece designed to sell you (the product) to a potential employer (the buyer). A marketing tool l that clearly demonstrates what you have to offer, what you can do to help them solve their problems. That is was it takes to generate job interviews.

Transforming your resume means eliminating boring of descriptions of your daily responsibilities; infusing your resume with skills and accomplishments, and making it easy for your buyers to buy.

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What can you do about those dreaded gaps in your resume? The short answer is try to avoid them. You may be out of work, but that doesn’t mean you are out of opportunities.

Enrolling in professional development shows potential employers you’re using your time off wisely. You may decide to take a class or obtain a certification. A less expensive way to keep up your skills and avoid resume gaps is by volunteering.

If you think strategically, there are many ways working for a cause you support can also help your job search.

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