When an employer sits down to choose a new hire, a candidate's resume is something weighed heavily in the decision. Your resume is one of your greatest assets when you're hunting for a job, as it puts of all of your qualifications on display in an easy-to-read format. If you have an interview scheduled, don't make the mistake of leaving your resume behind, and carry a few copies with you into the interview room.

Purpose

Resumes have long been used in the hiring world as a means of presenting information about work history and background in a well-organized document. Your resume is your chance to highlight why you're the perfect person for the job. Your job history and past duties, skills, education, awards and accolades should all be listed. A potential employer may request a resume to look over during the interview, so it's essential to have at least one copy readily available. After the interview concludes, a manager uses your resume as a reference to compare you to other candidates as the hiring decision is made.

Limits

To keep things simple for yourself and the hiring manager, try to limit the resume you bring to the interview to one page. Multiple pages could get separated from each other and lost, which could result in an employer making a decision based on an incomplete resume. A single page is easy for an employer to look over during the interview as he searches for points to address, whereas a multi-page resume requires him to flip back and forth to find the information he's looking for. If you absolutely can't contain your resume to one page because you have a lot of experience, do not allow it to exceed two pages. Include your contact information on top of both pages so the second page can be easily identified if it gets separated from the first.

Packaging

The resume you hand a potential employer should be free of wrinkles, stains or tears. Damage to the paper looks sloppy and unprofessional. Carry your resume in a folder or portfolio to ensure it arrives in pristine condition.

Tips

Having a copy of your resume you can use for your own personal reference can be helpful during an interview, as important points and small details can slip your mind when you're feeling nervous. You'll feel more confident with the information in front of you. There is also the chance that a panel of managers will be interviewing you rather than one lone supervisor, so bring a few extra copies of your resume just in case so everyone in the room can have their own copy.