An applicant with lesser experience and a properly constructed resume will have better odds of landing an interview than a better qualified candidate with a poorly constructed resume.  Employers quickly scan resumes and contact applicants from resumes that are appealing to their eyes.

Employers scan resumes for 20 – 30 seconds each.  So it is vitally important your resume pops off the page.

Use bullets, bold, and italics properly.  Remember, resumes are scanned, so do only use these in relevant areas.

Ditch the popular templates. Don’t use a common template.  Use one or combine a couple of unique formats that are different from the rest.  An employer may spend a little more time on your resume if it gives them a reason.

Be short and concise. Don’t be verbose in your writing.  Employers will loose interest if it takes too long to get the point across.  It would be worth it to research into using precise words that get your point across quickly.

Update your resume. Are you using a resume from five years ago?  Spend some time and update with relevant and up to date information.  Also, may be worth it to write different resumes for various positions.  Different jobs require different skill sets, so write resumes that highlight different experiences and qualifications.

Good luck and happy hunting!