This is a guest post written by Khyneesha Edwards of Resumes by Neesha.

The days of objective statements, reference listings and passive content are over. In today’s insta-society, you’re lucky if a recruiter gives your resume 10 seconds of their day.

Think of your resume as prime real estate. Investing in a few actions words, a little color and a bomb layout is all you need to close the deal and get that interview. Ready to get to work? Keep reading.

1. Professional Title

See that white space underneath your name? It’s begging for more attention, so why not add your professional title? There’s no harm in truly owning what you do. This validates your expertise and shows recruiters that you’re serious about your industry.

If you’re keeping your options open and applying for different positions, consider leaving out a title or creating multiple versions of your resume with different titles. Make sure you coordinate your content! If your resume contains several food service related positions, you may think twice before listing ‘Makeup Artist’ as your title. Wait until you’ve got a bit more experience under your belt.

2. Contact Information

There’s no doubt that you should include your phone number and email address, but if you’ve got your address listed, it’s time to say goodbye. Recruiters don’t care where exactly where you live. If you feel compelled to list your whereabouts, opt for your city and state instead. Applying for positions countrywide? Leave your location off.

Dying to sprinkle a little millennial magic on your resume? Let it be the plug for your website or blog. You should definitely list your LinkedIn profile and you can even add your social media handles. Beware – if they’re on the NSFW side, leave them off and make them private. Your resume’s no place for access to your MCMs and late-night Twitter rants.

3. Education

You worked hard for that degree, so be sure it’s in a prominent position on your resume. Did you graduate with Latin honors? Show it off! If you’re still waiting to walk across the stage, list your expected graduation date. Once you’re a few years out of school with a few positions under your belt, remove your G.P.A.

4. Areas of Expertise

Otherwise known as your ‘skills’ section, your areas of expertise show what you can do. Not to be confused with soft skills like leadership or timeliness, hard skills are the star of the show here. These skills relate directly to your industry experience and education. Think search engine optimization, visual merchandising or social media marketing. Leave off basic level skills like Microsoft Word or Powerpoint. If you’ve got a Bachelor’s degree or higher, it’s assumed that you passed your high school computer classes.

5. Relevant Coursework

If you’re still gaining experience but have the required education for your industry, list your coursework on your resume. This is a great way to fill empty space without being too fluffy or distracting. Choose 4 or 5 mid to high-level courses that will help you in your professional roles. Once you gain more experience, replace this section with awards, honors and certifications related to your journey.

6. Industry Experience

This is the most important section of your resume. Personality is the number one thing to keep in mind here. Rather than simply listing details you might find in a job description, talk about how YOU completed those details. Numbers, names, places, and dates will set you apart. Include about 3-4 of your most impressive and relative details. No need to list that internship from freshman year of college 6 years ago. A maximum of 5 industry positions should do just fine. Save the rest for LinkedIn.

If you’re applying for different positions, be sure to edit this section so that the information listed is relevant to the position you’re applying for. Look for key words within job listings, find parallels within your personal experience, and you’re all set!

Now that you’ve got all the details, head over to resumesbyneesha.com for a personalized, professional resume package. I’ll create compelling content and design an eye-catching layout to catch your potential employer’s eye. Whether you have an existing brand or are starting fresh, there are tons of design options waiting just for you!