Resume Tips:

Distinguish Yourself. Make your resume stand out from the crowd. Take some time to take stock and really think about the skills, experience, knowledge, or insights that make you distinctive and unique in today's job market. Write down the skills, expertise and value that you bring to an organization, and make sure those talents are included in your resume.

Hot Topics. What are the hot issues and trends in your industry? What are people in your field talking about NOW? What emerging technologies, markets or products are up and coming? Make sure your resume includes those hot button topics. You'll stand out as a candidate that's in-the-know and ahead of the curve.

Objective Statements – they're so last century! Don't include an objective statement - they all sound alike, potential employers already know you’re looking for a job, and nobody reads them. Instead, develop a powerful Summary of Qualifications section that lets employers know what experience, skills and professional strengths you bring to the table, and tells them why they should call you FIRST.

Keywords, Keywords, Keywords. In today's world of Applicant Tracking Systems, it's tougher than ever to get your resume seen by the right people at the right companies. Increase your odds of actually getting your resume in the top of the search rankings by using the precise keywords employers are looking for. Spend some time researching job boards and reading job descriptions. Knowing what skills and experience employers are seeking will help you create a resume that gets you the interview.

Cover Letter Tips:

The Rule of Three. Your cover letter has to tell a potential employer three basic things: 1) who you are 2) what you can do and 3) prove it. Include a statement that indicates your level in an organization, (i.e. senior-level executive, director, entry-level professional). Then provide some of the skills you possess that are relevant to the job you're targeting. Include two or three examples of your top achievements.

Call to Action. Be sure to indicate what the employer should expect next. Will you follow up with a phone call or an email in a few days? Say so. You can also ask that they review your resume and then contact you to arrange a meeting. Don't leave the next move up in the air - if you ask a potential employer to go ahead and pick up the phone, they're more likely to actually do it.

Customize it. It's great to have a basic cover letter that includes the information you want every employer to know about your experience, skills and achievements – it gives you a place to start. But don't send a cookie-cutter cover letter for specific job opportunities. Customize each cover letter around the basic information so that employers know you've created a cover letter just for them. Include a line or two about the company and your interest in that particular position.

Contact Information. Use the corporate website, or networking sites like LinkedIN to find the name and contact information for the hiring manager, corporate recruiter or HR Director. Or, simply call the company and ask for the hiring manager's email address.

Spell Check. Proofread. Repeat. When you're uploading cover letters (and resumes, for that matter) to a company website or a job board, it's too easy to make irretrievable mistakes. Develop your customized cover letter as a document first, and then run spell check. Print it out and proofread it. Ask a friend (or two) to proofread it for you, and then proofread it again. After you've made corrections, run spell check and proofread one more time. When you're sure its perfect, then - and ONLY then, copy and paste it into the online application.