10 Ways to Make Your Resume Stand Out

Make your resume more attractive to employers.

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Get Noticed - The old adage of wanting to stand out in a crowd couldn’t be more true than when you're looking for a new job. Experts say a recruiter spends only six seconds on each resume they review, so you want to be sure yours stands out for the right reasons. Keep reading tips from Adecco, a job hunting resource, to help your resume get more traction. — Britt Middleton (Photo: Peter Dazeley/Getty Images)

CON: You Could Miss Out on a Valuable Experience - Many employers value hands-on work experience and proven success more than multiple degrees. Continuing school, especially if you go directly from undergrad, rather than working in your field first, can make you an expensive entry-level worker if you haven’t actually worked. (Photo: Ariel Skelley/Getty Images)

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Streamline Your Approach - Unless you're in the creative field, leave the colors, boarders, icons and pictures off your resume. A section for a summary of qualifications, education and certifications, work experience and technical skills is all you need to demonstrate you’re the right fit. (Click here for an example of an effective resume.) (Photo: Ariel Skelley/Getty Images)

Give Notice With a Professional Letter - Quitting via email or text is tacky and unprofessional. Instead, writing a letter that gives adequate notice (two weeks) shows that you are mature. It also leaves a good impression, which is important because you never know when you might need them in the future. Also, make sure to make enough copies of your letter for all of your managers, including HR. (Photo: Eric Thayer/Landov)

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Re-evaluate Your Header - You don't want to put your contact information in the header of your resume because many job databases will not extract this information automatically. And what is the point of having an excellent resume if no one can contact you? (Photo: REUTERS/Eric Thayer/LANDOV)

$134 million - Estimated loss of revenue to American companies during opening week of the tournament due to employees watching basketball games instead of working. (Source: Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.) (Photo: Getty Images/STOCK)

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Don't Use Resume Templates or Tables - Recruiters tend to modify your resume (adding their company logo or removing your contact information, for example) before submitting it to a client. Using a resume template or table can result in formatting issues. In short, the more work the recruiter has to do, the less likely they are to stay interested in you. (Photo: DreamPictures/Getty Images)

Collect Recommendations and Testimonials - Not just the old school kind, though. Did someone just big you up on Twitter? Reply and retweet, then screenshot it and post it on your website.  (Photo: Stockbyte/Getty Images)

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Stick to Simple Formats - PDF files don't translate as well into applicant database systems, so you will want to avoid using this and stick to .RTF or .DOC formats, which are more communicable. Also, a PDF document doesn't allow a recruiter to modify your resume, which could deter them from pursing your further.(Photo: Stockbyte/Getty Images)

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Ditch the “Objective” - Instead of wasting the valuable real estate at the top of your résumé to state the obvious with a generic statement, create an executive summary. Think of it as all the flattering things someone would say about you if they were introducing you to the hiring manager — it should make them want to continue the conversation. At four to six sentences, it should include what you’re great at and what makes you a better hire than everyone else who wants the same position. (Photo: EPA/JUSTIN LANE /LANDOV)

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Don't Follow the Rules - The "one page" rule, that is. However, being concise is important because a recruiter will lose interest after two pages. (Photo: EPA/JUSTIN LANE /LANDOV)

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Stay Relevant - Keep your work experience relevant to the past several years. For example, you won't need to include restaurant or retail work from high school and college after you have gained a few years of experience in your field. (Photo: John Moore/Getty Images)

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Don't Bury Your Strengths - "If you have more work experience than education, place the work experience section above the education — but be sure to mention your degree in your summary of qualifications to make sure recruiters don’t overlook it," says AdeccoUSA.com writer Jenni Chelenyak. (Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

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Skip "Objectives" and "References on Request" Statements - Listing an objective runs the risk of disqualifying you from certain positions if it is too narrow. "Only include an objective if you’re looking to change careers. As far as references, recruiters assume you will provide them if asked; so the line simply wastes space," says Chelenyak. (Photo: REUTERS /JOSHUA LOTT /LANDOV)

Racism - Legally sanctioned racist policies in employment, housing, restaurants and other areas have been eradicated, but a new kind of racism has evolved since King’s death. As San Francisco State University political scientist Robert Smith explains, situations continue to arise in which African-Americans who have equal or even stronger credentials than a white job applicant will be passed over in favor of the white applicant. “It’s hard to tackle because people deny they’ve done it,” Smith says.(Photo: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

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Use a Simple Font - Stick to a serif font like Times New Roman because it's easier for online resume scanning programs to "read." Set your margins at .5 inches around and use a font no smaller than 11 point. Don't use bold or italic text. (Photo: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

Programmers - Many countries are looking to import programmers and developers including Australia, Ireland, Brazil and the U.K. (Photo: Getty Images/STOCK)

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Don't Leave Email Waiting - Some recruiters will call and email you if they think you're a match for an opportunity, but some may only contact through email. You should check your email regularly so you don't miss potential opportunity. If you're not email savvy, it is best to leave your email off your resume and list your phone number instead. (Photo: Fuse/Getty Images)