As managers sort through sky-high piles of resumes, they are sometimes faced with digging for information they'd prefer to see spelled out on page one.  Your resume should act as a powerful tool to help you convey your value and sell your worth.  Here are some tips on how you can do just that.

#1 Uncover Your "WOW" Factors and Incorporate Them Into Your Resume

Reflect on your academic and professional career and ask yourself: "What specific accomplishments am I most proud of?" Whether it's a fellowship you received, a significant challenge you overcame at work, or a degree you worked hard to earn while working full time, it had better be reflected in your resume.  If you have difficulty identifying a specific achievement or admirable quality, reach out to former employers or colleagues.  You may also want to review past performance appraisals.

#2 Make Your Key Strengths Easy to Find

Once you have a clear picture of what qualities you have to offer, make sure they are easy to locate on your resume.  Draft a powerful professional summary, qualifications list and/or strengths section that captures your most admirable qualities and achievements.

#3 Follow-Up

After submitting your resume to a hiring manager, don't forget to follow-up.  Reach out to the hiring manager or send a quick email to further express your interest.  Managers can be bombarded with hundreds of resumes for a single posting, so it can never hurt to distinguish your resume from the pack.

Additional Quick Tips

• Don't forget your cover letter
• Address your resume to a real person, rather than a general Human Resources department
• List strengths and qualifications where they can be easily found
• Don't forget to follow-up