A few friends of mine are looking for jobs right now and- as you probably know if you're looking- it's slim pickins out there.  I came across this aritcle today, thought it gave some pretty good tips to make a killer resume!  If you're currently hunting for a job- best of luck!

_______________________________________________________________________

Looking for a new job? Been a while since you dusted off or spiced up your resume? One of the biggest challenges facing job seekers in this market creating a compelling resume. The following six tips will help you persuade a potential employer that you're the best person for the job:

1. Target the content. Take the time to tailor your resume to the requirements of each position you're applying for by highlighting your relevant skills and experience. If you're applying for a data entry job, focus on your experience doing that -- rather than the time you spent as a camp counselor, for example.

2. Start with a bang. To capture your readers' attention right away, begin your resume with a brief summary of your qualifications. By clearly describing your professional background, as well as any designations you possess, at the top of your resume, you'll stand out as a hiring manager plows through dozens of documents.

3. Emphasize ROI (return on investment). It's a common resume trap to highlight a "laundry list" of skills you possess instead of showing how you used those abilities to impact the company's bottom line. For example, rather than saying, "trained employees on new timesheet process," you might write, "developed a PowerPoint presentation and gave hands-on instruction to 25 staff members, cutting timesheet-related tasks in half."

4. Don't Limit Yourself To One Page. While the traditional advice has been to limit resumes to one page, most managers today are willing to read past the first page. Nearly half (44%) of executives polled said they prefer resumes that are two pages long. Employers are willing to spend more time reviewing application materials in an effort to determine who is most qualified for a certain job Just don't go overboard: Hiring managers want to see that applicants can prioritize information and concisely convey the depth of their experience.

5. Choose your words wisely. Many organizations electronically scan resumes and search keywords; so, if your experience matches what the company is looking for, try to include the exact phrases and specific applications listed in the job description. This will increase the number of hits your resume generates during the initial screening process and improve your chances of being invited for an interview.

6. Sweat the small stuff. 84% percent of executives polled said it takes just one or two typos in a resume to remove a candidate from consideration for a job opening; 47% said a single typo could be the deciding factor. So in addition to proofreading your document several times, ask a few close friends to review your resume before sending it out. They may spot problems your spell-check didn't catch.

Some other important resume don'ts: 

1. Don't list a quirky e-mail address on your resume. Employers generally don't want to ask "partygrl8@abc.com" in for an interview. Instead, create a separate account for professional purposes.

2. Don't include irrelevant personal information, such as your favorite food or hobbies. If you volunteer at an organization or speak a second language that relates to the job, it's OK to mention that information.

3. Don't use complete sentences; hiring managers prefer short, bulleted statements.

careerbuilder.com

http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/careerbytes/CBArticle.aspx?articleID=976&cbRecursionCnt=2&cbsid=60fe9283421f4186bb4d662f8df94321-276100292-wj-6&ns_siteid=ns_us_g_resume_rules