Find more "space" images on Office.com\ImagesResume expert Kim Isaacs has a few strategies for making sure your resume is seen by human eyes in this fourth of five series.

One of my favorite subjects in school was astronomy--I was mesmerized by all things celestial. Little did I know at the time that one of my curiosities--black holes--would directly relate to my work in the resume writing industry. I now know that a black hole's gravitational pull has attracted a vast quantity of resumes that will never see the light of day again.

Here's the standard drill: Submit your resume online and wait. And wait and wait some more. (Wash, rinse, and repeat.)

Believe it or not, there are ways to increase the chance of your resume being read by a human. Here are a few strategies:

  • Target Your resume and cover letter should be focused on one job target and your relevant qualifications. As it has become increasingly difficult to secure a new position, many have resigned to "take any old job" and modified their resumes so they look like a jack-of-all-trades. This approach usually backfires. Hiring managers want to look at your resume and see if you match what they are looking for. They don't have time to try to figure out your career goal for you.
  • Format Properly If you are copying and pasting your resume into a text box, convert it to plain-text (AKA "ASCII") first. This will give you more control over the look and feel, and will avoid the garbled mess that could occur if you copy directly from a formatted Word document.
  • Add Keywords Employers and recruiters who use electronic resume database systems rely on keywords to find candidates who have the required experience, skills, and education. You can read more about how to incorporate the right keywords into your resume.

Want to really avoid the ominous resume black hole? Don't rely on online submissions as your primary method of job searching. Networking--and the personal relationships that develop from networking activities--is the key to differentiating yourself in today's competitive job market. Take the time to build your online connections via social media sites as well as real-life contacts.

--Kim Isaacs

Kim Isaacs is a firm believer in the power of a resume to jump-start careers and change lives. She is the director of ResumePower.com, a resume writing firm that prepares job seekers for success in a competitive job market. Kim has served as Monster's Resume Expert since 1999.

More resume resources

Looking for more ways to spice up your resume? Bob's blog post about creating Graphic resumes with Publisher can help you take your resume to a whole new level. Find resume resources and more on Office.com.

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