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According to Ric Edelman, author of Ordinary People, Extraordinary Wealth, the purpose of a résumé is not to get a job, it's to get an interview—you will get the job. A résumé should not list all your skills, but rather tease the employer with your achievements. These are ways to make your résumé stand out.

1. Broaden your work experience.
  • Describe your job skills in ways that are transferable to other industries.
  • Don't limit yourself to a specific type of job by simply listing the daily tasks you performed at your job. Expand on how your job impacted the business industry or company.
2. Use strong verbs.
  • Don't talk about your capabilities. Talk about your accomplishments.
  • Use active tenses rather than passive voice.
  • Good words to use are managed, created, led, accomplished and organized. 
3. Target a specific person.
Address your cover letter and envelope to a specific person. Usually a simple phone call to the company is all you need.

4. Target a specific position.
Identify the position you are interested in and tweak your résumé to match the industry.

5. Make it easy to read.
  • When writing your résumé think, "Less is more." Many people make the mistake of putting too much information on their résumés.
  • Don't write to the edges of the paper. Leave white space in the margins and in between jobs.
  • Use a readable font at a reasonable size.
  • One page only. 
And finally... Take your new résumé everywhere you go. It is your new calling card!

Are you ready to get your dream job? Take this quiz.

Try more résumé tips to stand out from the crowd

Published 01/01/2006
Please note: This is general information and is not intended to be legal advice. You should consult with your own financial advisor before making any major financial decisions, including investments or changes to your portfolio, and a qualified legal professional before executing any legal documents or taking any legal action. Harpo Productions, Inc., OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, Discovery Communications LLC and their affiliated companies and entities are not responsible for any losses, damages or claims that may result from your financial or legal decisions.

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