This article was first published in NYWICI's e-newsletter NYWICINow in January 2009.

Catherine Kaputa has perfected her ability to brand products from Madison Avenue to Wall Street, the halls of academe to her own brand consultancy. Yet, she has discovered that the best application for branding is for people. This busy business coach is the author of U R a BRAND! How Smart People Brand Themselves for Business Success, the winner of the Ben Franklin award for Best Career Book 2007, and The Female Brand, forthcoming this year. Catherine works with individuals to define their career identity and performance success.

Here, she offers tips on redoing your résumé. 
 

• Rather than offering a laundry list of skills and jobs written in corporate speak with no focus or message, develop a single-minded positioning for yourself that differentiates you from others and is both relevant to the company and to what's in-demand in the job market. Tell the story of that positioning and link aspects of your career in a coherent whole.
• Use the profile statement as an attention-grabber and to position yourself. Stay away from generalities and clichés (such as team player and good interpersonal skills) and instead highlight what sets you apart. 
•  Tell a story about your career accomplishments and use buzzwords found in the job description, as many employers employ software that singles out résumés using those words. 
• Finally, use an endorsement. As the saying goes, the best advertising is word of mouth--endorsements from satisfied customers. So ask a former boss, senior executive, client or colleague if he or she would provide a quote about you and your abilities and place this testimonial right after your profile.