Free Resume Writing Tip:

Targeting Is the Key to Writing a Great Resume

Here is a free resume writing tip for you. Writing a great resume means targeting it to the job you want. Build a resume that makes sense to the employer.

Yes, your resume is a marketing tool for you. But, in reality, it's not all about you.

Or at least it shouldn't be. Do you know how many resumes a typical hiring manager looks at for each job? Usually hundreds.

No, that's not a typo ... hundreds of resumes are typically submitted for most decent jobs advertised online or in the newspaper.

But only a small fraction of those resumes are targeted to each specific employer. Using this free resume writing tip is where you can go to the head of the pack. Just take the time to think about what you really want and how that fits in with what the employer really wants. Display that knowledge in your resume, and you're sure to be invited in for an interview.

How to Target Your Resume to a Specific Audience

Follow these 3 free resume writing tips when writing a great resume to customize it for a specific job or employer target:

1. Resume Tip #1: Make sure you know what you want to accomplish in your career or professional life. Know what position or job responsibilities you are aiming for.

2. Resume Tip #2: Do some research on the company you want to hire you. This is easy to do on the Internet. Almost everyone has a website these days. Go to their site and read through every page to get a feel for their culture. Be sure to read the job advertisement carefully to learn about what they're looking for in a candidate. Talk to people in the company if you can.

3. Resume Tip #3: Customize your resume to match the qualifications and experience they are looking for with your accomplishments. Use as many keywords as you can.

As you build a resume, the more closely your content matches the content of a job posting, the more likely you will be to get that coveted interview and land a job of your dreams. If you don't feel qualified to do this on your own, think about getting professional help from a resume writing service.

So there you have it... a truly golden free resume writing tip you can literally "take to the bank." When writing a great resume, targeting is the key. And, by the way, you should also always target your cover letter in the same way. These are essential rules of successful job hunting. Ignore them at your own peril.

Learn More About Writing a Resume

• Start here to learn how to create a resume
• Get tips for effective resume writing
• Learn about the different resume formats you can use
• Use the right resume fonts, for maximum impact
• Should you use resume objectives or a power statement?
• Find out about resume layouts
• Why specific resume wording matters

If you have resume questions, Ask the Expert has answers...

• How to show your work history
• About listing your education (or lack of)
• Dos and don'ts of cover letters