As a professional writing service we view thousands of resumes on an annual basis. These resumes come in all shapes and sizes with everything from clip art to graphics, bolded text and highlighting. Despite the wealth of information currently available detailing the merits of a successful resume, candidates continue to go with their instincts and turn in one resume disaster after another.

The simple fact of the matter is that employers, screening professionals or HR personnel do not want fancy fonts, highlighted text or hieroglyphics. They want a professionally formatted, reader friendly document that provides them with a detailed but succinct insight into the potential employee's professional background.

Employers want to see quantifiable achievements. They want to hire candidates who show percentage increases, growth and increases in profitability or increased market profile. Whatever your particular profession may be, employers all want to see the same thing, results. Employer's benefit from hiring conscientious, focused and highly motivated candidates who have a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with team members to achieve common goals and objectives. They want to interview candidates who demonstrate initiative and innovation, leadership abilities and a strong commitment to success.

You may think that these characteristics come across during the interview process. This is very true; the interview process is a great place to demonstrate your personality and unique qualities. But how do you get to the interview in the first place? That's correct, through submission of a highly effective resume that sets you apart as a candidate of choice. Employers need to determine if the candidate is actually worth interviewing. As cold as that may sound, interviewing is a timely and expensive process. It requires management to be offsite in the company of HR professionals for a significant period of time as they attempt to evaluate a series of candidates before determining who has the appropriate personality and experience to fit into the organizational culture.

The fact remains that the only way to secure an interview is to submit a strong and professional resume that clearly details your strengths, experience and expertise and demonstrates your level of commitment. It is a marketing document that has one goal, to sell your skills to a hiring manager and secure a new position with greater opportunities, benefits and rewards. Savvy candidates understand this only too well and are very aware of the level of competition within their own field. They recognize the need for a professional document that promotes their candidacy effectively.

More and more candidates are seeking professional help or coaching when it comes to creating a resume. They understand that to level the playing field somewhat, they must deliver a quality resume into the hands of the hiring manager if they want to have even a slight chance of securing an interview call back. The resume shouldn't be a list of every mundane task completed within your professional lifetime. No employer wants to sit down and read a repetitious stream of information that relates to nothing in particular. You must carefully consider your career and select the highlights, achievements and accomplishments that proved most rewarding to previous employers and to you personally.

Think of goals achieved, targets met, projects completed, etc. These quantifiable achievements demonstrate an individual who can execute and follow through on assignments and objectives. It demonstrates motivation and commitment, two qualities that are of utmost importance to the employers of today. New employees need to be able to make a significant contribution shortly after joining a new company. For this reason, managers want to hire candidates who have the ability to think on their feet, develop solutions and find their own way upon hire. That is not to say that you will be ignored on your very first day in your new role. It simply means that employers need to hire people who can be up to speed in a very short period of time. Your resume is your platform for showcasing these abilities and more.

The guidelines for resume writing continuously ask candidates to prepare documents that are designed with the employer in mind. A resume should not be designed as a piece of art or a frivolous piece of documentation. It is not a personal tribute to your working life. It is a very serious career document that is your chance to secure a position of choice. It offers you the opportunity to secure a role that will bring you professional success, personal fulfillment and monetary rewards. It is too important to not take seriously.

Candidates may complain about the pricing of professional resume writing services, but the reality is that professional resume writers understand the employer's needs and can create documents that truly establish the candidate as a credible and viable prospect. They understand the competition and can enhance a candidate's profile utilizing a mix of their personal characteristics and professional background to set them apart. They understand the job market and indeed the qualifications required for different roles. Their experience both in the field of professional writing and the job market prove a vital resource for any serious candidate. The outlay may seem like an investment, but the return it yields is certainly worth the payout. For a relative fee you get to work with a professional who understands your background, the hiring manager's needs and can create a resume that matches your skills to the job requirements.

In summary, avoid fancy fonts, bolded, italicized or highlighted texts. Never use graphics, logos or clip art and print your resume on high quality bonded white or off white paper. It may look cute on pastel colored paper, but it will not enhance your candidacy with an employer. Or better still work with a professional resume writer who can give your resume even greater credibility. Submitting a resume is a serious business and will be considered as such by the serious candidate. The serious candidate just may be your direct competition.