Last May, 200 employers in the UK were asked to outline the things they considered to be most important when reviewing a candidate's resume. Their top three were not at all surprising.   First, they look for recent, relevant experience. They also want to see specific work-related accomplishments and achievements, and finally, they look at previous jobs.

The employers defined accomplishments as achievements related to work that could be directly attributed to the candidate. Day-to-day job duties and responsibilities ranked far behind accomplishments and relevant experience.

The employers were then asked if they had ever rejected a candidate's resume due to lack of detail on accomplishments. The answer was an astounding 73% of employers had, in fact, rejected a candidate because their resume didn't point to specific contributions and achievements.

And that's just the beginning – 64% said that achievements meant job seekers could command salaries anywhere from 5% to 25% higher than those who didn't emphasize their job contributions and successes.

So what about the job seekers? What do they think employers are looking for in a resume? Researchers asked 1,000 candidates a series of questions related to their job search. The first question was, "How long did you spend writing your resume?" Given how critical the resume is in the job search process, the response is astonishing - the vast majority - 81% - spent less than 5 hours developing their resume. Only 19% spent one day or more developing this vital document.

Perhaps not so surprising is the fact that 79% of people only think about writing their resume when they're actively looking for a new job and just 6% kept their resume updated on at least a monthly basis.

Candidates were also asked which parts of their resume were most important. Thirty-six percent thought the general format, font, and the look of their resume was most important. Experience came in second and work-based achievements came in a distant third. Only 19% of applicants thought of their work-related accomplishments as most important. Most candidates had trouble remembering what their achievements were, and most didn’t want to take the time to research past performance evaluations or other documents to help them recall details about their contributions in past jobs.

Clearly, there's an enormous difference between what job candidates think a great resume looks like and what potential employers are actually looking for. A well-designed, pretty resume doesn't mean much to an employer or a recruiter. Employers and recruiters want to know what makes you stand out. They want to know what you've achieved, how you've succeeded in past positions and the value you can bring to a new company. They want to know who you are and what you can do to impact revenue, profit, performance, market presence, and competitive advantage.

One way to make sure you're the must-have candidate, and the one whose resume actually gets read by hiring managers, recruiters and decision-makers, is to have a professional resume writer help you create a resume that distinguishes you in the market and highlights the things that potential employers actually want to see.

Professional resume writers can ask the right questions to help you recall and quantify your accomplishments, effectively convey your achievements on paper, and create a resume that will get you noticed, help you land the right job, get the salary you deserve - and help you achieve your career goals. And isn't that what it's all about?

Article by Elaine Basham, The Resume Group.

(Research conducted by Research Now, an international online fieldwork and panel specialist)