Your resume is the first step to a new career. If your resume has problems, the interviews will be few and far between. Here are five tips that take just a few minutes to implement. Taking care of the items below will ensure your resume is a help, not a hindrance to securing interviews.

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1) Provide Detailed Contact Info

The best resumes have multiple methods of communication, including redundant or alternate methods. At a minimum, your resume should have a current phone number and often-used email address. By adding multiple email addresses and more than one phone number, you increase your chances of an employer making contact.

2) Include a Keywords Section

Resume searches are performed by employers typing keywords into a search engine. Think about all the different ways you can say a single term. For example, "Windows 2000" can be listed as "Win2k" or "Windows 2k" or "Win2000" or "Win-2000" or "Windows2000". Add a keywords section at the bottom of your resume to include multiple spellings and ways to say primary keywords listed on your resume. The chances of your resume coming up in an employer's search are much greater.

3) Update Frequently

It is a fact - newer resumes get viewed more often than older ones. On ClearanceJobs.com, you are in control. We give you the ability to refresh your resume to today's date as often as you like. Doing this a few times a week will ensure your resume gets the attention it deserves.

4) Include a Skills Matrix

A skills matrix simply tells employers what specific skills you have, how long you have used them for, and when you last used them. The ClearanceJobs.com Resume Wizard has a built-in skills matrix. If you use the Quick Resume feature, you can create a simple skills matrix similar to:

J2EE - 5 yrs experience, last used 1yr ago
Program Management - 2 yrs experience, currently using
C+ - 6 yrs experience, currently using

5) Include a Detailed Work History

Surprisingly, many candidates do not offer a detailed work history on their resume. At a minimum, you should include your title, job description, dates of employment. To better assist employers, also include the geographic location of the jobs, and performance highlights.