The resume is a most important informative material that a prospective employer will examine when he goes over job applications submitted by applicants to a job opportunity.  It is thus mandatory for you as a job applicant to prepare your resume in such a way that it can readily attract the attention of the employer.

There are certain keys to successful preparation and writing of a resume. Follow these simple rules outlined here below in order to build a job-winning resume.

• Do use a bulleted style format to make your resume as reader-friendly as possible.
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• Do not get tied down to the "one-page resume rule." It is good to keep your resume to one page, if possible, but if you have to use another as you have a lot of experience to list down, more than one page may be more appropriate. But do not go beyond two pages for your resume.
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• Do a resume design that does not look like everyone else’s. Using Microsoft Word resume templates and wizards now seems to be too common. To be different, consider using another style and design.
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• Do not use justified text blocks; the odd little spaces between words is not advisable. Better to make your type flush left.
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• Do include many means of contacting you so a prospective employer can contact you easily. 
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• Do not lie in your resume; you may just create problems later.
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• Do make your resume as sharp and focused as possible. Employers reviewing several resumes spend just 3 to 20 seconds per resume, so you need a way to show the employer at a glance what you want to do and what you are good at.  One way to sharpen your focus is through an objective statement, which can be very simple and straight forward. You can impress him better this way.
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• Do not discount the possibility of having a functional format for your resume. A functional resume is practical to use especially if there are employment gaps in your career.
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• Do consider having a "Summary of Qualifications," section or "Profile," which can also help sharpen your focus.
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• Do not make the mistake of using personal pronouns (I, my, me) in your resume.
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• Do list your job information in order of importance to the reader especially as related to the job at hand. These could include Title/position of the job you held, name of employer, city/state of employer, dates of employment.
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• Do not leave out information on the locations of your past jobs (city and state). This information is expected by a prospective employer as he may want to check these items out later.
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• Do list your jobs in reverse chronological order as the employer now studying your papers would like to know the more recent jobs you held.
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• Do not mix noun and verb phrases when describing your jobs; it is better to use concrete action verbs consistently.
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• Do avoid the verb, "Work" because it is considered weak. Everyone works, so be more specific. You may use "collaborate(d)"instead.
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• Do think in terms of accomplishments you had when preparing your resume. They are more meaningful to prospective employers than run-of-the-mill litanies of job responsibilities.
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• Do not use job-description language "Duties included," "Responsibilities included," or "Responsible for." Use accomplishments-oriented resume language that sells better to an employer.
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• Do emphasize transferable skills, especially when you do not have much experience or planning to seek a change in careers.
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• Do use numbers to tell employers how many people you supervised, by what percentage you increased sales, how many products you represented, etc. These are easier for him to appreciate in assessing your capabilities.
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• Do not list too much of your experience on your resume. Just list the job experience covering 15 years at most. If you have an extra long list of your work experience, an employer may think you are too expensive for him to hire.