By Anita Bruzzese
Gannett News Service.

OK, so maybe you haven't gotten into that new exercise routine, or stopped being a maniac when you drive, but of all the New Year's resolutions you promised to follow, make sure you at least stick with the one regarding your career.

Why? Because even the smallest positive change at work can have a big impact on the overall satisfaction in our lives.

Maybe we want to work fewer hours, maybe we want to learn a new skill or perhaps we want to get along better with the people who join us in the rat race every day. And maybe, just maybe, we have made a resolution to get the heck out.

Quit? Pack up and leave? Is this really something that can bring us more satisfaction? For some people, yes. Maybe the job has become a dead end, and we feel bored and useless. Or a position has become so stressful that we find ourselves fighting off chronic fatigue, headaches, and depression.

If you have made the decision to leave your current employer, the next step is to get a resume together. For many people, this is where the resolution falls by the wayside - along with giving up caffeine and reading all the classics. A resume can make or break you. It's your introduction to the hiring world, after all, and you want to make sure you get off on the right foot.

Here are some standard do's and don't s when writing a resume:

DO:

• Be concise. You're not the only busy person in the world, and those reading a resume don't want to know your work history beginning with the lemonade stand at age 7. Try to keep your resume to one page, but it can go over that length if you feel the information is relevant to the job.
  
  
• Be interesting. If you were responsible for keeping a $1 million contract on target, say so. Tell how your work kept the client happy, produced quality results, and used certain skills. This also will give the employer something to question you specifically about.
  
  
• Be prepared. Study an employer like it was the last one on earth willing to give you a job. Know the key players and what they do, how to spell the names, what the company does, a business history, etc. This will help target your resume to the employer's needs.
  
  
• Be lively. Use words that convey action and enthusiasm. If you can't think of any, get a thesaurus, or watch commercials or read advertisements to get ideas on how to ''sell'' yourself.
  
  
• Hit the target. The key to resumes these days is honing in on what the employer wants, and what you can do to give it to them. Consider all the information on you from the employer's point of view. What would its executives consider important to their industry? What skills do you have to help them win new clients or develop new products or make a company more efficient?

DON'T:

• Make mistakes. Even if you think you are flawless, have someone you trust read your resume for grammatical flaws, spelling errors, typos, etc.
  
  
• Be goofy. Most of those who read resumes would rather look at normal type on normal paper without straining their eyes or patience.
  
  
• Offer personal information. For employers, it's against the law for them to inquire how much you weigh, or whether you are married, so it's just better to avoid such personal data. At the same time, they probably don't care if you needlepoint or are an enthusiastic tuba player, unless it relates directly to the job.
  
  
• Stretch the truth. There's a difference between playing up your abilities, and outright lying about them. Don't fudge the facts: it's too easy to check the truth and ruin your professional life.

Finally, the old saying about ''practice makes perfect'' is true when writing a resume. There are numerous sites online that offer advice, as well as dozens of resume writing books on the market.

Practice several different resume styles to see which one best reflects your abilities, and always be willing to rewrite again and again to keep up with workplace trends.