Like your wardrobe, your resume needs to be cleaned out once in a while. It not only helps you to be ready when the next opportunity comes along, it will clear your mind to plan the next career step!
The best time to update your resume is actually when you are employed and feeling confident about your work, skills and expertise. Even though you do not think of applying for a new job, it is always of advantage to have your resume ready to send out, the next opportunity might just wait around the corner. It could be a speech opportunity where you need to provide your resume to introduce yourself.
It is a good idea to look at your resume at least once a year and update it step-by-step. The following are some guidelines, to help you with a structured approach:
1. Clear the history
The first step is to get rid of old information, which have no relevance to what you do today or want to achieve in your career. Make sure information about your skills and expertise are current and relevant to demonstrate your value you can bring in today or to the next step. Information such as your high school and the award from your swimming team does only distract from what is really relevant for the reader.
2. Highlight what has been hiding
Look at what is left now, does your resume highlight your achievements? Or is it just telling what you have done? To ensure your next employer understand what you have accomplished, you need to highlight the achievements with your skills, rather explaining your tasks. So why not changing “Successful implemented a standard processes to file project documentation” to “Increased productivity of the project team by 25% through standard documentation processes”.
3. Tell a story
Does your resume tell your story? Or is it just a list of tasks that does not highlight your passion and personality? A recruiter who looks at your resume without knowing you, is not able to see why you have chosen to move into certain direction in your career. You have to tell them your story and let them see you beyond the tasks and roles you have had. Make sure your resume doesn’t only show what you have done, but also why you have chosen the next steps.
4. Pimp your resume
Maybe it is now the time to not only spring clean your resume, but get a whole make-over done. Check out latest examples of resumes online and see if the layout is still up to date. Try the online tools, discuss with your friends or colleagues and see what they are looking for in resume. Try different format and get feedback on it before you decided, which one to use.
Now that you have updated your resume, it is time to look into another rather messy thing to clean! Can you guess what? Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Instagram and Facebook to always stay up to date with latest tips and tricks around your career!
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