Professional Resumes - Top Ten Features Found on a Professional Resume

You get to where you know things. As a former professional resume writer, I've gotten to where I just know whether or not a resume has been prepared by a resume writing service. And it has nothing to do with typesetting, page layout or the quality of the paper (if I'm looking at a hard copy). Rather, it has everything to do with the quality and content of the writing.

Professional Resumes - Top Ten Features

Want your resume to be able to compete with those prepared by professional resume writers? Well, here's the Top Ten features that stand out on professional resumes.

• The writer has selected a format (chronological, functional, or combo) that complements the unique work history of the candidate, emphasizing positive attributes, de-emphasizing the less flattering attributes.
• Rather than being too general and too accommodating toward too many possible career alternatives, the professional resume is tailored toward a specific goal or objective.
• The writer has led with a an objective statement or summary (profile) section that serves as a strong and compelling introduction to the candidate.
• Work history, education and training are chronicled in a straightforward and easy to read manner.
• Statements pertaining to job descriptions and accomplishments are crafted with care, minimal embellishment, and powerful verb usage.
• Lengthy prose is broken up with bullet points.
• Professional resumes talk the language of the profession in question, without going overboard. For example, the resume of a teacher will include the buzzwords of the field of education, while the resume of a programmer will incorporate the jargon endemic of a technical occupation.
• Keywords are utilized expertly, ensuring that the professional resume will be represented in database searches.
• On professional resumes, there are no mistakes; no spelling errors, no grammatical errors, no resume faux pas like the inclusion of a photo, personal information or references.
• Good balance between written text and white space. Professional resumes are pleasing to the eye.

Professional Resumes - It’s Tough, But Not Impossible, To Compete With A Professional Resume

A professional resume service is not a necessity for every job seeker. If you enjoy the process of writing your own resume, and that resume generates phone calls and job interviews, keep up the good work. However, if the challenge seems daunting or you're your current resume isn't generating the results you'd like, you're only mouse clicks away from a professionally-prepared resume.

David Alan Carter is a former recruiter who offers in-depth reviews of the top Resume Writing Services on the Web, spelling out their pricing and giving each a star ranking. (Note: David's "Top 3 Picks" are resume services that actually guarantee interviews.)