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&lt;p&gt;It&#39;s not a shock to let everyone know that the job market remains highly competitive. With no net jobs reported in August 2011, finding one is literally like finding a needle in a haystack.&#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For job seekers, it&#39;s important to have an updated resume that not only helps them stand out from the crowd, but highlights their talents to ensure they land the best possible position.&#160; Here are four quick tips for making your old resume stand out better:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img style=&quot;margin: 4px 9px; float: left;&quot; src=&quot;http://www.vault.com/VCM/homepage/carousel/man-holding-resume-263x252.png&quot; alt=&quot;man holding resume&quot; title=&quot;man holding resume&quot; width=&quot;271&quot; height=&quot;185&quot; /&gt;1. &lt;strong&gt;Change to a functional resume&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Switching from an objective-based resume to a functional one is a good way for job seekers to highlight their skills and focus attention to their career goals, rather than just their job search.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A functional resume eliminates the objective statement all together and replaces it with a expertise or executive summary. The summary should include four or five top skills that best showcase a candidate&#39;s talents and responsibilities. These skills are often put into bullet point examples.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Within a functional resume, the summary is typically followed by employment history, then education. Any additional educational, training, volunteer or career notes are then listed in the last section.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2. &lt;strong&gt;Streamline&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Potential managers usually take about seven seconds to scan a candidate&#39;s resume to see if it should be considered for future evaluation. It&#39;s important that a resume is short and easy to read. While many job seekers want to cram as much as possible into a one-page overview, a resume shouldn&#39;t be bogged down with unnecessary jargon and large numbers. Eliminating salary requirements, references and personal information is another good way to streamline a resume.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;3. &lt;strong&gt;Specialize&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A truly effective resume is one that is customized to fit a specific job opening. Job seekers may want to have a number of different resumes on hand that are tailored to a meet the description of a certain position. Keeping in mind that a human resources manager is often the first one to look at a resume, adding keywords that are geared toward the exact job may also help the candidate stand out in the field by showing exact skills rather than general qualifications.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;4. &lt;strong&gt;Eliminate dates&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For older candidates, dates on a resume can send the wrong message, but leaving out early job positions may not be a good idea if they are relative to a person&#39;s work experience. Job seekers can cluster early work experience into a &quot;prior positions held&quot; section and eliminate specific dates. Job seekers should remember that the most effective resume will emphasize skills and talent rather than just serve as a check list of where they worked in the past.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;--Published Courtesy of Brafton&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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