WASHINGTON, D.C. — First, break the rule that tells you to send a stiff, formal resume that makes you sound like every other banana in the bunch. Forget that! You have your own voice and personality. You won’t come across as a live human being on the page unless you put a human voice in your resume. Second, break the rule that prohibits the use of the word “I” in your resume. That’s an old outdated rule. Your resume is a branding document. Of course you’re going to use the word “I” in it!

Third, break the rule that tells you not to contact the hiring manager directly. Write to the hiring manager and send them two documents, your cover letter and resume. Fourth, break the rule that tells you to respond to a job ad by writing about the match between your qualifications and the bullet points on the job ad. Read between the lines in the job ad, and talk to the hiring manager about their Business Pain, instead.

Fifth, break the rule that says “Don’t apply for a job unless you have all or most of the qualifications listed in the job ad.” If employers only hired people who had all the fanciful-bordering-on-delusional requirements they list in job ads, they’d never hire anyone at all! If you can see yourself performing the job you’re interested in, go ahead and apply for it!