Many people only think about their resume when they are actively looking for a new job. When someone is comfortable in their job, they tend to let their resume fall by the wayside. If you wait to work on your resume only when you are looking for a job, interviewing, or completing other types of job preparation it can be unnecessarily stressful. A great way to make your job search less stressful is to ensure your resume is being continuously updated. Here are three simple ways to help ensure your resume is ready should you choose to begin a job search.
Add Your Work Accomplishments
It can be challenging to remember achievements from a few years ago. You probably know what you did in general terms, but the measured results may be tough to recall. This goes for big things like if your title or primary responsibilities change, but also for things like adding new projects. So, if you spearheaded a website redesign or hit a major sales goal, make sure to add that bullet point. Adding these to your resume when they occur allows you to highlight all your accomplishments easily without leaving anything out.
Update Your Roles Accordingly
Don’t let your resume lay dormant until you need it again. You can add your position to your resume as soon as you start it and update it accordingly. Begin by adding the company, position title, and start date. The next month, add a few main responsibilities. This helps keep you from forgetting important parts of the role when you are doing future job preparation.
Proofread and Follow Style Guidelines
According to Indeed, the average time spent reading a resume is 6–7 seconds. Since recruiters and hiring managers don’t spend much time reading each resume, it’s crucial to build a simple, customized, and easy-to-read resume. If you keep getting rejected by companies, you might need to reassess your resume and look for potential silly mistakes and errors that might affect your job application. Every now and then it is a great practice to proofread your resume and ensure that it is polished.
Whether you are looking for a new position or are already in one, occasionally updating your resume can be very beneficial for job preparation.
If you are a job seeker, check out the Cenla Work Ready Network. Visit this page on our website to learn more about the ACT WorkKeys Assessment (an assessment to help you measure your essential workplace skills.