Once you have decided that you are ready to take the time and effort it takes to make a rewarding career change, you will want to work on polishing your resume. A resume is more than just a sheet of paper with your qualifications. It is the first impression you make on potential employers, which is why it’s so important to learn vital tips for effective resume writing. While you may have the most sparkly of personalities, a human resources employee won’t know this unless you make it show in your resume.

A career change resume can be tricky. One of the key tips in effective resume writing is to make sure that your resume is targeted specifically for each and every job for which you are applying. This means tweaking it a little bit to show how you are the best candidate for each position. You do that by effectively showcasing your transferable skills and your accomplishments.

Here’s how:

• The title of your document is important. If you’re sending this resume to a large corporation, the HR rep is going to need to know what position to which you are applying or you’ll be eliminated from the applicant pool.

• If you’re seeking a job as an Operations Manager, you will want to note that in your resume title.

• Avoid using a vague statement such as "I am looking for an administrative position" in your summary. Use specific and targeted language that demonstrates your key strengths.

• Realize that a human resources staff member is going to want you to answer the question with your resume, "Why should we hire you?" This should be apparent in every aspect of the resume.

• Don’t riddle your resume with extraneous language.

• And, when listing your previous work experience, take care that it goes beyond simply a list of duties to include how you benefited that company.

• Be sure to quantify your accomplishments if at all possible. Don’t be shy – use powerful language that shows you actively took on projects, tackled them, and exceeded organizational goals.

Use the PEP method to describe changes and improvements you made. PEP is the acronym for productivity, efficiency, and profitability. If you increased production or streamlined operations, be sure to mention it. Also if you increased profits, how did you do it?

When you describe your accomplishments, you may want to consider using the CAR or STAR technique. CAR is an acronym for challenge, action, and result. STAR is an acronym for situation, task/target, action, and result.

For example Etti Simon is a Customer Service Manager with XYZ Company. One of her greatest accomplishments was taking the department from underperformance to above organizational expectations. This is how she described the accomplishment on her resume using the CAR technique:

Inherited the underperforming Customer Service Department in 2007. Led an initiative to meet organizational call response standards. Executed a strategy that improved the department’s call response by 15%. Recognized for consistently exceeding call response standards from 2007 to present.

In Etti’s case, her leadership, management, and operational skills are transferable to any role. It will be important to demonstrate those abilities especially in a career change. So even if you don’t have a wealth of experience in the industry you are interested in, you should craft the language in your resume to show that you will excel in the new position.

This will be something you will most likely be asked to discuss at the interview, but to even get to that step you’ll have to think about these tips and effective resume writing. With so many candidates for the even the most minor of positions, there is no room for a mediocre resume. Make it stand out from the pack with powerful language and practical strategies.