You’ve been working for a number of years at a cool company and it’s been a good run. Maybe you’ve realized recently that it’s time for a change. You pull up the old resume and realize just how long it’s been since you’ve tackled a rewrite. If you’re feeling a bit of writer’s block, here are some suggestions to get things moving in the right direction:

Start to compile a bullet list of tasks you perform on a regular basis. Don’t worry about prioritizing. This can be more of an exercise to get things out of your head and on to paper. Once you have a respectable compilation going you can begin to categorize and edit down to the critical components of your role.

Stuck for inspiration? Go fishing on Linked In. Do a search of individuals who work in similar positions within your company and explore how they’ve captured themselves, in both job descriptions and summaries.

Think of your resume as your letter of introduction. Hit the highlights, capture the essential. The idea is that your resume will raise questions that a potential employer will want to pursue more thoroughly with you in an interview.

Stick to chronological…please. You can get out there with all kinds of formats, but it’s important for an employer to actually be able to track the way your career has evolved. I get dizzy when I have to read a matrixed form. Really.

Include a concise summary that serves as your personal “elevator pitch”. What are the most important and relevant talents and skills to the positions you’ll be considering?

Choose a clean and current format with a simple, unfussy font.

When you’re ready to look at individual positions, use a cover sheet as an opportunity to convey a summary of what in your background is most applicable to the company and the role in which you’re interested. Five or six bullets hitting the highlights can be really helpful in conveying this information most expediently.

Before you know it you’ll be up to date and ready to take your story on the road!