Give your resume a makeover

Its a New Year time for a makeover.

When Jan. 1 rolls around its natural to start thinking about making a fresh start. The events that make up your daily routine start to feel stale and enthusiasm levels for things you once loved, or simply tolerated, begin to plummet. So you get a new hair color, a new wardrobe or new furniture.

For job seekers, the New Year can represent a similar wake-up call. Experts say taking steps to reevaluate and reinvigorate a job search leads to a new approach, a brighter attitude and, hopefully, new career opportunities.

Sometimes the best way to relieve the drudgery of a job search is by leaving it behind for a week or two. Job search site Monster.com suggested taking a break as a way to reduce stress and spark new ideas. The sites administrators also recommended reviewing resumes to identify aspects that could be strengthened or spiffed up.

Seeking skill upgrades or participating in informational workshops or seminars are other ways to infuse new life into a job search, said Beth Planck, director of the Grant County Workforce Investment Service at WorkOne. Planck said unemployed workers should examine the positions they have applied for and identify training that would make them stronger candidates for those positions.

That’s certainly one way to rejuvenate or reinvigorate their resume and themselves because they’ll be learning new skills, she said. Slightly or completely changing the targeted occupation of a job search might also be necessary, she said.

If people are feeling like they’re constantly applying for jobs and not getting them, then maybe they need to look at going in a different direction, Planck said. Looking at some career interest inventories or some assessments, maybe there is a different occupation or a different kind of job they need to be searching for.

Networking can provide fresh tips on job openings and a way to squelch the negative feelings that come with searching for months and coming up empty-handed. Planck said job seekers could regain their motivation through positive feedback or suggestions from a trusted contact or friend.

They can refer you to or know where there are job openings but can also keep you positive, Planck said. When people are discouraged it likely could be coming across in and interview or as they are doing a job search.