Your resume will generally receive a 15- to 30-second scan upon first review by an employer. With that in mind, it is critical that your resume -- your "paper handshake" -- makes a positive first impression and compels the reader to put your resume in the "yes" pile and possibly call you in for an interview.
Before you circulate your resume, you will want to ensure it incorporates the basic characteristics of a powerful, interview-generating resume. When evaluating your resume you can follow the same basic steps as professional resume writers. This will increase the chances not only of having it placed into that "yes" pile, but also of helping it rise to the top of the stack.
STEP 1: Ask yourself, "Is my resume in the correct format to best showcase my career history?"
Is your resume the appropriate length, format, and formality for the position you are targeting?
Length: For someone with five or more years of experience, a resume will typically be one to two pages. It isn't at all uncommon for executive-level resumes to be as long as three or four pages. If you are a recent college graduate one page may suffice, but