Most people don't realize that a resume is really a personal marketing "brochure." Yes, you are selling yourself: your skills, your knowledge and your time to the lucky employer who hires you.

Eight seconds is the amount of time that a professional bull rider must stay on his bull in a rodeo. That is also the span of time that your resume has to catch the attention of a potential employer. Is it a keeper or does it get relegated to "The Pile?"

Here is a sample of my resume Top Ten that will help you get one step closer to being hired. It should also help put you in front of the pack that just dumps their life experiences on a piece of paper, without any forethought.

Resume Tip #1) Brevity. This is not the place to put in the kitchen sink. If possible, a resume should be no more than one page. If you MUST put your experience from 30 years ago, simply list the job titles and highlight from and to dates.

Resume Tip #2) Be Direct. Your name and contact details should be easily identifiable. Don't put hide it in small print in an obscure area of the resume. Use bold letters for your name, which also sends a subtle message that you are a confident individual. And, don't forget your email address. We are in the 21st century, after all.

Resume Tip #3) Be Specific. Tell the prospective employer what type of job / position you are seeking. The employer should not have to guess by searching through your resume. That, in my opinion, is the kiss of death. Remember the eight second rule.

Resume Tip #4) Nice guys and gals don't have to finish last. And, in fact, nice looking resumes generally find their way to the top. Be sure to keep your resume as uncluttered as possible with proper spacing, formatting, and "white space." And, certainly, make sure you check it over for spelling and grammatical errors.

Resume Tip #5) Honesty is always the best policy. If you misrepresent something in your resume, you could find yourself with not just a pink slip, but perhaps even a trip to the courts. Keep your resume to the point and accurate. You never know when a white lie comes back to haunt you, especially if you've floated many resumes around.