* Use strong, action oriented language that describes specific skills or accomplishments.

Go through your resume from top to bottom and eliminate weak language. Don't write "Was in charge of large graphic design department that increased company revenues" when you can say "Managed 12 graphic artists in major creative projects that increased revenues by over 3 million last year."

Whenever possible, eliminate all forms of verb "to be" (is, are, was, am and so on), as demonstrated in previous example. Instead, replace them with strong action words that paint a compelling picture.

* Add bullets.

Bullets are a great way to transform lists that would otherwise make tedious reading in paragraph form, or that would benefit by a cleaner layout. They make job of reading your resume more pleasant for reader. A perfect candidate for bullets is a list of accomplishments related to a single job. For example, "Postmaster, 1998 -2003" followed by 3 or 4 major accomplishments in bullet form.

* Write a specific, concise job description.

Work is like that, too. We often bring too much baggage. It may not look like baggage, but it weighs us down just same. It's disguised as past relationships with bosses; previous work experiences; mind-talk about whether we can or can't do something; how we've been treated in work (and life), or how we think we have. And usually there's at least one duffle bag stuffed with our expectations.

I've found in twenty years of management most people bring suitcases full of self-doubt, old patterning from old relationships and self-fulfilling prophesies to work every day, and it stifles them. Most people let past work experiences dictate their future ones. So if they've worked in three different jobs or companies, those three job experiences are packed into suitcases they're lugging. Some people end up lugging dozens and dozens of them.