Hello again career pros! I could list more than 20 things I see people do not keep in mind when it comes to resumes. For the sake of busy schedules and numerous articles that come across your screen all day, let me just ask: Are you looking for a new position right now and you’re about to dust off the old resume and get cracking? Well, the #1 thing you should remember is…
Keep it Updated
I’m sure you’ve heard this rule of thumb, keep your resume updated every quarter, every six months, or at least once a year. You probably intended to follow one of these rules at one point, but once you’re well into the job that you’re happy with, and you’re extremely busy, this is the last thing on your mind. Until, your job is in jeopardy, or you’re just sick and tired. Well, the time to update your resume is not when you need to look for a new job, but when you are “not” looking for a job.
Here’s what happens when you wait until you need a new job to update your resume.
You rush – This can cause you to just throw something together or let AI/ChatGPT whip up something “you think” is suitable. You might actually get some responses too, but what kind of traction? Interviews for low paying positions or those with a company that can barely keep employees? And if a recruiter asks for your resume and you rush to give them a substandard resume or one that hasn’t been updated in say, 15 years good luck. Also, when it comes to rushing…
You do a resume blast out to any and every job board, recruiter, or old friend you can think of –The clock is ticking, that M&A is about to happen, you see the writing on the wall, or your savings are running out. Whatever the reason is, you’re anxious so you go about your job search without any kind of strategy in place. When you’re not getting the results you seek, you’re dumbfounded.
You engage the wrong kind of help – Maybe you are an executive and you think about asking your admin, who is already bombarded with daily tasks and that special project, with barely enough time to complete those. Or, let’s say you hire a professional resume writer to craft that masterpiece for you. Now you’re rushing to find someone, like cheap fast and in a hurry, and you have no clue what to look for in professional services.
Don’t Stress Over Trying to Come up With Glorifying Accomplishments
It’s easier to keep your resume updated if you keep a record of your accomplishments and results. They don’t always have to be glorifying as if you saved the company from obscurity either. In the resume writing industry, we stress quantifiable, but not everyone has those either. When I was in IT, mine were rarely quantifiable, however I did take on extra projects that made a difference in efficiency. One example is a flowchart that I created. This was the first of its kind which helped our department streamline our daily process. Not only did it help new hires, but anytime one of our technicians had a problem, they could refer to it which saved time and raised our stats for client excellence. I quickly rose to Senior level in my department.
You can keep a record of everything you do in a document on your desktop, or any cloud storage software such as OneDrive or Dropbox. I’m telling you, whether you think it’s something notable or not, write it down. It will be much easier when you actually get ready to target your resume. A record like this also comes in handy for your employee performance reviews, a raise or promotion.
Need more advice? I try to keep these short, but let me know what other tips you’d like and I’ll add it to one of my next newsletters. And remember to check out Career Diamond Books.com where you can find all of the latest articles and books.