Looking for a job can easily become a full-time responsibility. And when writing your resume, you need to craft it appropriately for each open position. There are certain rules, of course: include your updated contact info, make certain it is readable and include the requisite career and education history.

1. Personality

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Who wants to be like everyone else? I suppose if you are seeking a certain dress suit required corporate position, then maybe there is a particular “stuffy” model (and a severe loss of individuality). But for many industries, showing a bit of personality in your resume is a great way to stand out in the stack. Use design skills if you have them to structure a unique (but readable!) layout, or hire a professional to create a letterhead containing a logo based on your name. Write it as if you are applying to your dream job.

2. Action Words

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Think of your resume as a cause and effect. You do this by adding verbs that end in –ing (such as managing, increasing, resolving). When you list a job responsibility, ask yourself, why is this important? Yes, you may have managed 20 departmental employees… so? Sure, you completed so many tasks on a daily basis… and? What was the result of your management skills on your team? Did you increase productivity with the creation of a certain report? This is how the bulk of your accomplishments are listed.