A resume is a selling tool that outlines a person's education, skills, and experience. The reader will probably spend 20 seconds or less screening a resume, so it is necessary to focus his or her attention quickly. Everything needs to be right--from the information the resume contains, to how it's written, to where it's written. A poorly written resume will likely end up in a file, or worse yet, in the trash. On the other hand, the cover letter is a person's second most important marketing tool. A resume should not be sent without a cover letter. Each letter must be tailor made for a specific employer. In this article, the author provides some resume and cover letter writing tips for job seekers in order to be certain that their resumes sell them effectively and help them get selected for an interview. (Contains 2 online resources.)