Your resume should be viewed and handled as if it is an airline ticket to your destination of choice. This may just be a piece of paper with words on it, and it may not reveal who you are personally but it is the only means by which you are going to get to the interview (your destination) so in that regard, it is just as important as the interview is. Therefore you need to use this document to gain the reader’s trust and not provide any source of hesitation.

As a former employer, I can tell you that when I was hiring I often hoped there were mistakes or things that just didn’t strike me right in the massive stacks of resumes that I would have to go through for different positions. These would allow me to toss that applicant out of sight and out of mind, moving through the pile faster, and narrowing down the interview pool. So these should not be view as mainly a way to stand out in a good way, but rather a way to not stand out in a bad way. No grammar errors, missing punctuation, funny words/wordings, contrived language, outlandish claims! Simply put what you are on paper in a concise, correct, logical form that doesn’t sound like a sell job but rather like an “about the author.”

That said it is helpful to not appear robotic. It is really the blend of no mistakes and the subtle yet unmistakable personal flair that people added to their resume that resounded with me and got them an interview. So how is this done? Well, be honest! If you are hesitant to put something in because you see the potential for misunderstanding, then don’t put it in! If you can’t answer all the questions that come to your mind concerning an entry then it’s best to leave it out.

So to help you understand what I am talking about when I say personal flair or touch let me give you an example. Employers value a good work ethic, right? Well most everyone knows that and I can’t tell you how many times that I read the words “I possess a strong work ethic,” and nothing else! You need to explain yourself—something that proves that statement such as “possess strong work ethic, missed only 5 days in 3 years of work, was voted most valuable employee 3 times and was counted on to assume more responsibility when bosses were out of town.