The number one reason job candidates in the Tampa Bay area fail to receive job offers, begins with the quality of their resume. With the double digit unemployment rate across the state of Florida, the time has come to take an aggressive approach to resolving the problem. While job seekers are increasingly turning to professional resume services, here are the top five tips for the "do-it-yourself" writer.

Never write in second or third person.

Some individuals believe they should refer to themselves in second or third person throughout the resume. Making statements such as "Scott Brown is an expert manager," or "Mr. Jennings generated one million in sales." Whether the resume is created by the job seeker or a writing service, it is only appropriate to craft the document in first person. For example, "I managed a program that reduced costs by $25,000 in 2009."

Avoid the absence of a focused objective statement.

The objective statement is the candidate's opportunity to express their value to a given company. This sentence should never be vague, nor should it be found anywhere other than the top half of the first page. Without a well-stated objective, the hiring manager or recruiter will not attempt to interpret what position the job seeker is applying for.

Don't use the same size text on the entire document.

The size of text can highlight certain important aspects of a person's skills and experience, and take attention away from others. Utilizing bold and italics can also enhance a resume. Make certain to highlight the objective statement and the skills summary portion, as these are the two main areas of the resume that hiring authorities review first.

Do not print your resume on cheap paper.

Every job seeker should have at least three hard copies of their resume to take with them on interviews. To stand out from the competition, it is a recommended practice to have copies printed on high-quality, resume-grade paper available at local office supply stores everywhere. Resumes printed on inexpensive copier paper can have smudges, curled ends, and creases.

Never include information management does not need to hire.

Including hobbies and personal information on a professional resume can be inappropriate. The candidate should target including facts about their own value, as it relates exclusively to the employer. Additional information only serves as noise for the very busy hiring manager.

Knowing what to avoid when writing a resume can be just as critical as knowing what to do. As the job market in Tampa Bay begins to improve, it becomes more important than ever to have a resume that performs.

Christina Archer is the owner of I-CareerSearch, helping candidates land their next job faster and more efficiently. An entrepreneur and author of the new book, Landing Your Dream Job In Any Economy, currently available at http://www.publishamerica.net/product88364.html, Christina has provided a roadmap to enable job seekers to differentiate themselves from their competition within the job market. Offering free resume evaluations, I-Careersearch offers a host of free and paid services to job seekers. Premium members receive full job search management services, to save them both time and money. For details, go to http://www.I-CareerSearch.com or contact Chrisina directly, at christina@i-careersearch.com.