Resumes are inescapable

Resumes are inescapable. Even if 94% of executive positions are filled through networking contacts, each and every one of them had to hand in a resume at some point in the process - to a recruiter, a MBT Sawa,  the hiring manager, or a combination of all three. So take a step back and look at your resume with these three things in mind:

* Your resume is your sales pitch. You may not like the broad concept of "selling yourself," but that's about what's happening here. Put yourself in a recruiter's position and ask yourself, "Is this guy or gal worth my time?"

* Your resume isn't just a rehash of your history. If it were, there wouldn't be an entire industry built up around resume writing. You have to be interesting and stand out from the increasingly large pack.

* Your resume must demonstrate the value you can bring to the company. No one wants to read between the lines anymore - not when there's a stack of resumes waiting for a quick scan behind yours. Hit 'em over the head with how much better you can make their company - in simple numbers, not in wild boasting.

And let's not forget the worst-case scenario - getting fired or laid off. You may not be "ready" for a job search if one of those two events comes to pass. But if you're prepared - that is, if you're resume is up to MBT Tembea Coffee,date, and if you've checked it against the three points above - then at least you'll be able to hit the ground running.