Workplace

Are you tired of sending out your résumé and not getting any calls? It might be time for a résumé make-over. So, here are four creative ways to freshen it up, courtesy of Yahoo Hot Jobs:

• Cut out unnecessary résumé stories, especially if they’re not relevant to the job you’re applying for. Ronnie Ann is a blogger at Work Coach Café. She says that employers aren’t interested in your diverse job history. They just want to know if you’re right for the position. In other words, if you're a professional accountant and a certified dog groomer, play down your dog-grooming experience when you apply for jobs in finance.
• Another way to freshen up your résumé: Use exciting language. Strong verbs make your résumé more vibrant. For example, replace “Responsible for daily bank deposits” with the phrase, “Oversaw bank deposits.” Make sure you’re the subject of every verb you use. For example, when you describe your last position, avoid saying, “Duties included writing press releases.” It’s much stronger to say: “Wrote all company press releases.”
• Also, turn your résumé upside down. Why? Because it will help you analyze your résumé’s formatting and appearance. For example, does it look word-heavy? Is there more stuff on the top or bottom? Emily Bennington is the coauthor of "Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job." She says sometimes a résumé will catch her eye simply because it's beautifully formatted. The content on the page is the most crucial, but hiring managers notice the packaging, too.
• The final tip: Write an entirely different résumé. Career experts suggest writing a letter to a family member about your job accomplishments. Then start turning it into a draft résumé by removing most personal pronouns like, “I” and “we” and cutting out articles or transitions like, “a,” “the,” and “and.” What’s the point of that exercise? Thinking of your résumé as a story where you’re the hero is a great way to make it fresher, more personal, and more effective.