Create a Killer Resume and Cover Letter

3 Reasons for Keeping Your Resume Up-to-Date

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Before looking for a new job, we all invest a fair amount of time updating and reviewing our resume to ensure it is perfect and will get us that interview.  Once we score our safe and well-paid “dream job”, we tend to forget about our resume because it is no longer needed. Years go by and your resume becomes outdated. While some people work at one company for their entire career, most people switch jobs every 3-5 years. And while most job searches are self-imposed, there are those that lose their jobs unexpectedly (for many reasons). Keeping your resume up to date takes relatively little effort if done at least annually.  Letting your resume get stale creates a lot of work (and stress) when you need to start a new job search.

Reasons to keep your resume up to date

Your Accomplishments – It’s easier to remember your accomplishments and success stories if you update your resume at least annually.  The best time to do this is before you have your annual review at work.  This will force you to think about your accomplishments over the last year and will not only help you with your review, but will give you additional material for your resume.

Keeping your resume up to date takes relatively little effort if done at least annually.  Letting your resume get stale creates a lot of work (and stress) when you need to start a new job search.Click To Tweet

Your Industry has Changed – Maybe your industry has changed and the skills currently highlighted on your resume are no longer relevant to the industry. This may cause you to revise your entire resume. Best to do this as often as necessary.

your resume reflects the current market. Take a look at Resume Versions.

Potential resume issues

1.    Can Your Resume be Scanned?

Most recruiters and HR departments use internet spiders that can unpack and read interview match. Scannable resumes could potentially score you a few interviews you would never expect and as a result may positively affect your future career. Take a look at Understanding the Importance of Keywords in Your Job Search

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2.    Do you even remember where you saved your resume?

It is very important to store your resume in a secure place, preferably online, in your e-mail, or on a cloud drive. This will ensure that it is not lost when your hard drive crashes. Moreover, it is also a good practice to read through your resume at least once per year to keep the track of your accomplishments and potential opportunities. Many people tend to forget some of their accomplishments, skills, and abilities over time if those are not reviewed/practiced on a regular basis. Try reading through your own resume, you may feel better about yourself once you remember all that you’ve accomplished.

3.    Is your resume up to the current Standards?

If you are one of those folks who had their resume sitting on a shelf for a decade or so, then you must read: 5 Reasons to Update Your Resume. resume writing standards have improved and shaped dramatically over the past 10 years. Human Resource (HR) specialists won’t even read a resume that looks or feels unprofessional. Look at some of the resume sample links listed below to get an idea of how a professionally crafted resume should look.

Are you still looking for some help? Take a look at The Perfect Resume: Resumes That Work in the New Economy (Get a Job!) for help on writing your resume.

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02/20/2023 10:38 pm GMT

In conclusion

Your resume makes the first impression and is the key factor in scoring an interview. Always have it up-to-date and up to the standards as a professionally written resume can open up career opportunities you have never dreamed of.  

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