Obviously, effective resume writing means turning your resume into a job you desire.

But here’s some important questions:

What does an effective resume actually look like? What elements demonstrate ensure your resume gets your point across? How do you ensure hiring manager’s will be metaphorically ‘drooling’ to meet you?

Simply put, an effective resume presents your knowledge, skills, and abilities clearly. It makes a convincing argument to a hiring team that you are the solution to their problems. [removed][removed]

With just a few lines of text, it tells the story of your experiences and talents in such away that there is no doubt in the mind of your future employer that you could well be the most successful candidate for the position.

Here’s a few preliminary tips and issues to keep in mind:

1. Tailor your resume to the task

A common error made by job seekers is to use one generalized resume for every job they want. This is a big mistake. A generic resume is highly unlikely to push you to the top of the stack of applicants. Tailoring your resume to the job you are applying is key.

Hiring managers will see dozens, if not hundreds, of applications for their open positions.

They don’t have any patience for boiler plate and generalized resumes. They are looking for candidates that are passionate enough about the job to customize their resumes to the position.

2. Spell out your experience and skills in detail

As you tailor your resume to the job posting, be sure you are getting the maximum possible leverage from your past experiences.

If you think your ability to do the job does not match you work experience when you put it on paper, consider using a functional resume format.

Effective resume writing means making sure the link between your past accomplishments and your prospective new job is clear for every job you apply for.

Spell it out clearly!!

Don’t leave anything to the imagination, which is a common mistake many people make when writing resumes. Being too vague about the specific skills you possess will simply mean these skills will be overlooked.

Hiring managers only have a few minutes to look at your materials, so they need to know what you are capable of and if it matches their needs within a few seconds of scanning your resume.

3. Use resume keywords that matter

Pull out keywords and key experience needs from the job listing. This is a crucial part of effective resume writing. Don’t imagine that you will impress a hiring manager with the range of your skills and experiences – show them that you have the exact skills and experiences needed for the specific position you are applying for!

Click here for a full article about using resume keywords.

Ask yourself – or better yet, ask a friend – if they can clearly see the keywords and critical experiences you need to demonstrated fully reflected in your resume. If they can’t, create new descriptions to describe your skills and work experience to draw attention to the way your past has prepared you for future success with a prospective employer.

4. BONUS TIP: Get specific with numbers and figures

Effective resume writing includes using specific points of reference, expressed in terms of numbers and figures, for hiring managers to latch onto – clients managed, units sold, sales volumes, project budget targets success fully achieved, and so on.

The point is to demonstrate that you understand the importance of achieving results and that you can be relied on.

Why do managers love numbers?

Remember, most managers and directors are judged by their results – and these results are usually expressed in numbers and figures. It is a huge bonus for a manager if they can have staff who understand just how important these numbers and figures are to them – because not everybody does!

Numbers provide managers with a way to quantify what you can do for them, and indicate that you are willing to be accountable for results in the workplace. Business owners, managers and directors focus on results first and personalities second.

Though you may be reluctant to get ‘granular’ by including detailed numbers and figures on your application materials, if they are legitimate and meaningful, don’t hesitate to do it!

Providing such detail can provide a significant competitive advantage.

So that’s a few tips for understanding what effective resume writing really is all about.