For the first time in years I had to figure out how to find a job. Having been out of the market for a while I decided to see if I could find jobs online. First I took a quiz to find my ideal job and then used a free resume builder. The best advice I could find in developing my resume was:

1. Is your résumé the right length?
Recruiter or hiring managers don’t care if your résumé is one or two pages long. But they do care whether it is easy to read and gives key information upfront.

2. Does your résumé begin with an objective?
Don’t start with an objective. Recruiters and hiring managers don’t like them because they focus on the needs of the job seeker rather than the needs of the potential employer.

3. Have you listed irrelevant information?
Don’t list your hobbies unless they directly support your qualifications for the position

When you send your résumé out, it must speak articulately for you. You can’t explain inconsistencies, clear up confusion or fill in things that are missing. Your résumé has to make your sales pitch in a clear and compelling manner within 20 seconds. Invest the time to make it exceptional and you will see an immediate increase in the response rate.