The complete idiot's guide to the perfect resume

Resumes that work in today's job market. Tough times call for seriously great resumes ; Keywords that get you noticed ; Insider tips for a great resume --

Putting together a resume that wins. Step one: choose the right resume format ; Step two: start off strong ; Step three: knock 'em off their feet ; Step four: make history ; Step five: show 'em you're an achiever ; Step six: give yourself credit for education and more --

Correspondence connection. Job search correspondence ; Thank you notes --

Your job search on the web. E-mail express ; Posting your resume online ; Your social networking profile as your resume ; Blogging your way to a new job --

Portfolio of sample resumes.

pt. 1. Plan to succeed -- 1. Winning resume wisdom -- The commandments -- Thou shalt not write about your past -- Thou shalt not confess -- Shooting yourself in the foot -- Get your priorities straight -- Drop irrelevant info -- Understate too much experience -- Thou shalt not write job descriptions -- Thou shalt not write about stuff you don't want to do -- Thou shalt say less rather than more -- The eight-second test -- Goody two-pages -- Thou shalt not write in paragraphs -- Thou shalt not lie -- 2. Chronologically speaking -- Highlighting your history -- The horizontal slide -- Vertical climb -- A strong start -- Getting labeled -- Background check -- Conservative line -- Get it together -- 3. Get functional -- The times are a changin' -- The career changer's dream -- Skills up front and center -- Re-entry with force -- Long, long ago -- Best foot forward -- Into the real world -- Fill in the gap -- Decision, decisions! --

pt. 2. Six steps to a perfect resume -- 4. Step one : name that resume -- Putting things in place -- What's in a name? -- Giving a clear signal -- Keep 'em guessing -- Showing off credentials -- Home sweet home -- I've got your number -- E-mail giveaway -- Hot URLs -- 5. Step two : ask for what you want...you just might get it -- It's all marketing -- Multiple choice -- The weight of a job objective -- Wording with an objective -- Straight as an arrow -- Spreading your umbrella -- Breaking the rules-- Titles that talk big -- Heading within a heading -- 6. Step three : knock 'em off their feet -- Right from the start -- Say it with style -- Keeping up with the fast trackers -- On the lines of a career changer -- Go figure -- 7. Step four : make history -- Location, location, location -- Writing history -- Fight age discrimination -- Putting your younger foot forward -- Older is better -- Down and dirty formula -- Unsightly unemployment blemishes -- Years go solo -- Filling in the gaps -- Character that counts -- The gapless resume -- Promoting your promotions -- Grass underfoot -- Straight up -- Zipping along -- The happy job-hopper -- Formatting tricks -- 8. Step five : show 'em you're an achiever! -- Chronologically clear -- Functionally sound -- Functional help -- One plus one is enough -- Skills for sale -- Dynamite achievements -- Who's your audience? -- Downplay differences -- Keep it relevant -- First things first -- Lights, camera, action verbs! -- How'd the other guys say it? -- Brainstorming -- Warning! Functional resume ahead -- 9. Step six : give yourself credit for education and more -- Finish lines -- Education 101 -- What if? -- Hot college degrees -- Getting credit for your pending degree -- Interpreting degree equivalents -- Don't have a degree? -- Yahoo! Just got my high school diploma -- The not-so-new high school diploma -- The last word -- Volunteerism that pays off -- Professional schmoozer -- Getting published -- Standing up for your award -- Key point : your computer skills -- Making a hobby of it -- Anything missing? -- What's better left unsaid -- Money talk -- Referring to references -- Forget the personal stuff --

pt. 3. So you need a special resume -- 10. The big winner : an achievement resume -- This resume packs a punch! -- Asking the right question -- Oooh, you're going to look great! -- The perfect one-pager -- Quality vs quantity -- Professional titles count -- Number one in sales -- It's your turn to shine -- 11. A chronological hybrid that adds up -- It's got structure -- Are you the hybrid type? -- Climbing higher -- Variations on a theme -- The hidden functional message -- Standing still -- Putting words on paper -- 12. A functional hybrid that makes sense -- The skillful hybrid -- Looking the part -- Conservative employer alert! -- Red flags down -- Giving order to chaos -- Getting down to it -- 13. When you really are a brain surgeon : the curriculum vitae -- Curriculum vitae vs. resume -- When more is more -- Just the facts -- No objections -- No need to summarize -- Freedom of format -- Hanging out your laundry -- Good schooling -- Are you published? -- Putting on a show -- Joining the team -- Hangin' with the right folks -- Forget anything? -- High marks for a university instructor -- Create your CV --

pt. 4. Wrapping it up -- 14. The big production -- Designer resumes -- Fancy fonts and practical print -- Serif's up! -- Simply sans serif -- Does size matter? -- Sharp-shooting bullets -- Shady bars -- Spacing out -- Resume reality -- Mastering your resume -- In the mood to reproduce -- Looking classy on paper -- Getting it out the door -- Stuffing envelopes -- Snail mail -- Special delivery -- Fax magic -- E-mail flash -- 15. The cover letter connection -- The secret to success -- Salary small talk -- The template of zoom -- A head start -- Set the date and the place -- Hello, hello! -- Jumping in -- The meat of the matter -- Getting what you want -- Ten-four -- By example -- Name-dropping -- Getting personal -- Take my hint, please! -- Getting the hang of it -- After a job interview --

pt. 5. The electronic job search

16. The ABC's of e-resumes

What is an electronic resume?

The e-resume appeal

Data in the database

The inner workings

Keyword : search

The e-creation

Electronic headings

Key placement

Breaking into the banks

Electronic to paper

17. E-mail express

Easy e-mail resumes

Staying out of trouble

Getting attached to files

Direct message

Getting the job done

Doubling up

Better save than sorry

Capitalizing on headings

Bite the bullet

Straight quotes

Characters that count

Give me a break

Using your notepad

3-2-1, take off!

18. Banking on success : online resume banking

Resumes in a bank?

Who pays the bill

The employer's dream

Headhunting on the Web

Who's looking for whom?

The professional approach

Specializing in special interests

It's a regional thing

The big guys

The downside of uploading

The invisible job seeker

Headhunter overkill

Telemarketing alert

Go to the bank and fill out the forms

Blankety-blank

The heart of the matter

Keeping up-to-date

Getting out while you're ahead

19. It's all a scan : scannable resumes

Who or what's reading your resume?

Get with the program

Scanning woes

Formatting at its finest

The skinny on scannable fonts

Nothing fancy-schmancy

Printing protocol

Into the database

Ever ready

Portfolio of sample resumes.