Resume is an important marketing document which highlights your skill sets and achievements, thereby generating an interest in the employer to hire you. Here are tips for writing an effective and appealing resume.

a) Brevity:
Be concise in choice of words and avoid long sentences. Short bullet points highlighting your achievements will do the trick. Ideally, resume should not be more than two pages

b) Objective:
State clearly your career objectives, both long-term and short term. It helps form an instant positive impression about a candidates commitment and planning capabilities

c) Relevance:
Your resume should be relevant and in tune with the job you are applying for, or else it just land up in the dustbin

d) Action words:
Use action words to explain your skill sets and work. For example, monitored patient vitals continuously as cardiac care nurse

e) Same Tense:
Use only one form of tense. Let all the highlighted activities be in the past tense

f) Don’t over-complicate  
Unless you are in the creative industry, all a resume truly needs is the four sections: Summary of Qualifications, Education and Certifications, Work Experience and Technical Skills [or Additional Skills and Activities].

g) Avoid generic words
Avoid using words like ‘hardworking’, ‘team player’ and ‘ambitious’ are an easy way to make a hiring manager’s eyes glaze over.

h) Remove irrelevant or outdated experience. 
Avoid including anything over 15 years ago, if you can avoid it.

i) Be Honest
It will come back to bite you. Just don’t do it.

j) Make it readable and printable.
Times New Roman or Arial font, no smaller than 11 point. Set your margins no less than .5 inches all around and don’t change the page setup from Letter size paper. Despite the evolution of technology, a lot of recruiters still print resumes.