Now that 2015 is under way, it's a good time to inject some revitalized energy into your search. Two easy ways to freshen things up are to tweak your resume and rethink your approach to writing cover letters.

The Muse has a list of “45 Things You Might Have on Your Resume (That Need to Be Removed)”. It’s worth an open-minded read to see if there are some simple changes you can make to your CV that will tighten the content and clean up its overall appearance.

For many survivors, legitimate concerns arise in terms of how to deal with any gaps on their resume. Our article “Minding the Resume Gap” offers helpful tips for addressing this issue. Another great resource is Cancer and Careers’ free Resume Review service.

The overriding goal is to keep your resume current, clean and concise. Rereading and reevaluating it from time to time — in its entirety — is key to accomplishing this.

Another critical component of the job-search process that may need new life is the cover letter. If you’re looking for some innovative approaches to your job-search correspondence, check out “6 Unconventional Ways to Start Your Cover Letter,” on Glassdoor’s blog. Use it to jump-start your own ideas – because, ultimately, any letter you write needs to authentically reflect your own personality.

Many survivors wonder whether they should mention their cancer diagnosis in a cover letter. The fact is, every individual needs to do what feels right to him/her. But it’s important to note that the majority of people not dealing with cancer are highly unlikely to mention any of their own health concerns in an initial letter. Remember, the goal of a cover letter is to get you an interview. Once you’ve been made an offer, then you can consider when might be an appropriate time to discuss your cancer — if at all.

For additional help in crafting impressive, compelling documents to use while job-hunting, read “Write Your Best Resume”  and “Mastering Your Cover Letter.”

And don’t forget to check out our Job Search Tools!