Listed “achieved the rank of Life Scout”. As a proud Life scout myself I knew just how incredible this accomplishment was.

The same resume had a flowery 5 line description of a mission that led me to believe he was a district leader and learned a foreign language.

I think in your case crafting the resume to the job will be important. You’ve got to pique the hiring manager’s interest enough to get them to schedule the interview. Anything you can add that makes them think “maybe this guy would be good for the job” is what it will take to get you in the door.

Hitting a home run in the interview is what gets you the job. The person I did hire for this accounting job has an accounting degree, but worked for several years in banking, then education and for the last few years as a radio DJ, but never really in accounting.

In the interviews she convinced me she was bright, had enough of the technical skills, and possessed the self motivated, achievement oriented attitude that I look for when hiring.