Anyone who’s ever had to create a resume knows that it can be daunting. There are many elements to consider, including layout, fonts, margins and white space. It can be easy to lose sight of what the real purpose of a resume is, which is to show hiring managers that you are an excellent candidate for a role.

To accomplish this, focus on what the employer wants to know, not your own needs or preferences. For example, don’t include your height or weight on your resume, but do highlight your accomplishments. You should also remove personal information that is not relevant to your job search, such as your age, marital status, religion or political affiliation. Likewise, do not include links to social media sites unless they are professional in nature and you use them for job searching or networking purposes.

Lastly, avoid overusing action words, such as “created,” “achieved” and “developed.” Instead, use powerful verbs to describe your experience. This will make your writing more concise and engaging, says Sade.

Finally, proofread your resume thoroughly. Most recruiters and hiring managers will have a story about a resume they threw in the “no” pile because of a misspelled word. Typos will also give the impression that you’re disorganized and unreliable. To avoid them, use a spelling and grammar checker and have at least two other people proofread your resume. Resume writing advice