When you submit your resume to a recruiter or to a prospective employer, the last thing you want to happen is for it to go straight to the waste basket. You want it to get you invited for a job interview or at least be filed in their database for future consideration. Here are quick and easy tips to avoid that fateful trip to the waste basket.

Tip No. 1: Make a good cover letter to accompany your resume. There are good articles written on how to do this. Writing a good cover letter is one of them. Limit it to just one page.

Tip No. 2: Personalize your cover letter. Research the company to which you are sending it so you will know the name and the title/position of the person who will receive it. Avoid using form letters. Recruiters do not like them.

Tip No. 3: Make your resume attractive and well organized by being consistent. Each element should be presented in an identical way from section to section. For example, if your first heading is left justified, all your succeeding headings should be left justified. When you are done, examine the format. Does it look uniformed? If it doesn't, revise it.

Tip No. 4: Do not be fancy. Don't use colored papers and multiple fonts. Use 2 fonts at the most. Avoid highlighting too many details in your cover letter and resume so they do not look cluttered.

Tip No. 5: Indicating your objective that tells the reader what your value will be to the organization, not what you want from them. Remember, the employer is looking for somebody who has something to bring to the table. The sample below illustrates this.

OBJECTIVE: Customer service representative with five years of experience in automotive manufacturing seeking a sales position with a major auto dealership.

Tip No. 6: List only key qualifications (hard skills) that match the job requirements. You do not want your resume to go more than 1 page..

Tip No. 7: Avoid personality traits (soft skills) unless they are relevant to the position you are applying for. Possession of strong communication skills is an example of this.

Tip No. 8: Present your work history in a concise and organized manner. Use bullets with brief and clear headings, not paragraphs. Chronological format (from the most recent) is widely preferred. To indicate dates, limit the details to month and year. Do not go beyond 10 years..

Tip No. 9: Relevant professional licenses and affiliations in relevant professional organizations are good to see on your resume.

Tip No. 10: Print your cover letter and resume in a good printer such that there are no ink smudges. Then put them in a suitable envelope such that they are not folded.

If your resume survives the critical preliminary evaluation, you have a chance of being invited to a job interview. If you need help, it pays to call a professional.

About the Author:
Jaime is a former partner of an executive recruiting firm in Boston, MA. She has extensive experience in the business of talent acquisition and career consulting, having worked closely with many decision-makers and hiring managers at Fortune 500 companies. Prior to her career in executive recruiting, Jaime spent several years honing her writing skills as an editor and copywriter. To learn more about Resume Writing, you may visit: http://www.jcresumes.com