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Resumes have become a source of constant anxiety for so many modern job seekers. How many pages? What do I put first? Should I include dates?

Keep in mind, a resume is not a time capsule or historic chronicle. It is essentially a sales pitch. And you can't have a pitch without the right words.

Because of digitization, modern resumes often need certain code words in order to be effective. Many employers use scanning software to help process thousands of resumes they receive. The software is programmed to look for specific words. Sometimes they're about education or certification, often times they reflect the job description.

So, if you are applying for a job that requires a dynamic candidate with a working knowledge of Leica cameras and Adobe Photoshop Elements 3, somewhere in your resume you need to have the words dynamic, Leica and Photoshop Elements.

What about your age? Despite its illegality, employment counselors say age discrimination is rampant. Some advise you leave all dates off of a resume so they won't be able to rule you out for being too young or too old. But people I respect in the industry have told me a resume without dates screams “reject me.”

You don't have to write a career chronology. Instead, include the jobs you've held in the last 10 or 15 years, along with the dates you were employed. Also include your education and where you got it. You can leave it at that.
Nobody needs to know you were in the same graduating class as Calvin Coolidge – or Paris Hilton.

Finally, a professional resume writer told me software screeners can mangle a resume and turn hash marks and quotes into upside down words. In addition to your paper resume, send them an electronic PDF version that is tamper resistant.