When looking for a new job - most people know that the first step is to create a resume. Your resume should detail your employment history, your education and experience at the very least. But, there are some other elements to consider so that your resume will get noticed from among the hundreds or even thousands of others. Unfortunately, many people make the mistake of creating a resume that reads like a job description. If this sounds like your resume, here are some other elements to consider.

Your resume should include the following:
1) Profile Section
2) Keywords Section
3) List of Achievements

The profile section is your Unique Selling Proposition or Value Proposition Statement and answers the question, "why should we hire you?". It is a good way to open your resume and entice the reader to continue. It is a summary of who you are, your skills and your expertise. Your profile section should be as focused as possible. Too often people create a profile that is generic because they don't want to limit themselves in their job search. They argue that they want the prospective employer to consider them for any or all available positions. Unfortunately this approach is doomed to fail because if you don't know what it is that you want, then the hiring manager won't either, regardless of the available openings. This approach will not only limit your job search, it will also limit your chances of landing any interviews. If this is you, then by all means, create more than one resume with each one focused on a different position. To create your unique selling proposition, start by jotting down all of the reasons you think someone should hire you and keep it focused on a specific area of expertise. Then, jot down your years of experience, credentials, education, skills and abilities along with any other career achievements. You should then summarize all of this information into four or five sentences.
The next thing to consider is a keyword section. Keywords are important because nowadays, most companies require you to complete an on-line resume submission form on their website or if you send them your resume by email or snail mail, they will scan it into a database. The company recruiter or human resources professional will then perform a search of their database to pull up all qualified applicants so that they can begin scheduling interview. If your resume does not contain the keywords that they've used in their search of the database, your resume will not come up. You should include a list of at least six keywords in bullet point form. To come up with appropriate keywords, review some job postings from the newspaper and the internet. You should also include your software knowledge in your keywords section, particularly if you are in an Information Technology career. Examples of keywords or phrases include; Cold Calling & Prospecting, Contract Negotiations, Staffing & Supervision.
Your list of achievements will generally follow the two aforementioned sections. Your achievements help the hiring manager to paint a picture in his or her mind as to what type of benefit they might realize from hiring you. Your achievements should communicate some benefit to the employer such as saving money, making money or saving time. These are benefits that all companies want. You should try and use numbers or percentages in formulating your accomplishment statements. Start by describing the situation or problem then, describe the steps you took to resolve the problem and finally the result you achieved (hopefully it improved production, saved you employer money or increased revenue somehow).
Including these three elements in your resume will give you an edge over your competition. Never underestimate the power of the resume, it is the first step in landing that new job.

Laura Whitelaw is the founder of Best Choice 4 Resumes and a Certified Resume Strategist who prepares professional, attention grabbing resumes that land interviews. Her background includes several years working in the employment services field as well as some time working in corporate training and development. Visit http://www.bestchoice4resumes.com for free job search and interview tips and to download a free report "Top 10 Q & A's To Help You Ace That Job Interview".