The objective of a resume is to effectively market yourself so you stand out (from other resumes) and score an interview with a potential employer. For this reason, it should not simply be a templated list of job descriptions and generic skills that every other applicant is likely to use. Yet, most resumes I receive follow the same mundane structure (yes, people actually put “punctual” and “email” as skills).

Here’s the good news. For those who actually put some thought and effort to create an effective self-marketing document, it’s not so difficult to stand out from the crowd. Here are some tips on how to write a resume. 

Specifically, if you can attract the reader’s attention in the first 15-30 seconds by using industry-specific keywords, accomplishments (rather than tasks) in your previous employment while decluttering your resume by removing useless information that waste valuable seconds, you’ll dramatically increase your chances of getting on the “A” list.

Here’s a 5-part series on Your Resume.