You'll hear lots of opinions on what a resume should be, but stick with these universal truths and you (and your resume) will succeed. When it comes to resume writing, distribution, reaction, and follow- up, you need to know:

? Why your resume hasn't worked for you so far ? What you can do to improve it ? How you can customize your resume for various jobs and situations ? How you can make sure your resume does not end up in the trash can ? How you can ensure that your resume gets you an interview ? What you should do after the resume is in the right hands ? Why it's smart to keep tweaking your resume even though you have a job you like ? How to prepare an e-resume ? Why having a scannable resume is important To do a terrific job, you must understand scannable keywords and e-resumes so that you won't miss out on the good opportunities that come with working the Internet. This knowledge comes in handy whether you're a professional resume writer, a brand-new grad, a laid-off job searcher, or a worker who has been long gone from the workplace (raising children, globe-trotting, doing senior retirement things). Just keep following up on print ads and tack on the multitude of e-opportunities.

CREATE A RESUME THAT STANDS OUT
In the great stacks of resumes for a given job, yours should jump out of the batch. The first look at a resume lasts only a few seconds, and following that, the hiring manager discards most and saves only a few to examine more closely. If you make it to the small stack, your resume probably will get passed around to several people involved in hiring, or your potential coworkers. Your resume must be able to survive group inspection, which requires general excellence that pleases all the people all the time, as well as specificity that addresses the job opening and flaunts skills that match the job. You'll know you've succeeded when you revise your resume to the point that you start getting calls to interview for jobs you want. When reviewing your resume, picture a hiring manager sorting through hundreds of resumes for a job opening. This is only one part of that individual's busy day, and it may be his or her least favorite duty. You want to grab his or her attention with an outstanding resume-not irritate him or her with a bad one that leaves out important information, or is thirty pages long and laughable. Have empathy for the person on the other end of your resume. Present words that distinguish you as a worthy candidate who will make the company a better place: more profitable, more comfortable, more efficient, and/or more productive.