jobs

Using a "skill skeleton" like this will force you to focus on a core message that's compelling and easy for employers to remember. And, of course, it should make the phone ring with job offers!

Be Truthful and Believable

You already know you must be 100 percent truthful in your résumé -- your GPA, actual degrees from actual schools, accurate dates, etc. That's basic stuff.

But it's not enough for YOU to believe what you're saying. The employer has to believe it, too. To encourage that, back up the claims in your resume any way you can, using specific numbers, dollars, percentages and dates.

Here are some wrong and right ways to make your résumé more believable ...

WRONG
"Many years of experience"

RIGHT
"Seven years of award-winning experience"

WRONG
"Saved time and money"

RIGHT
"Saved $437,450 and reduced cycle time by 23 days"

See the difference?

Specific facts and figures are more believable than generalizations. Always. Every time.

For best results, get written documentation for all of your claims, then bring these documents to the interview, where you can expand on points of interest in your résumé face-to-face with a hiring manager.

Now go out and make your own luck!