Did you know you’re supposed to be updating your resume regularly? I’m not talking about just when you are looking for a job either. You might be thinking, “I love my job and have no intention of leaving any time soon. This does not apply to me.” Wrong. Even if you are completely happy and secure in your current job, you still need to update your resume often. But why do you need to update? Here are 4 reasons why you should keep your resume updated.
Preparing for the Worst
Unfortunately you can’t predict your future. But you can be prepared for it. Many things can happen that can cause you to lose your job. Someone younger and more skilled might one day replace your position. The economy could plummet. Your company could downsize unexpectedly. Sometimes you can anticipate company layouts but in most cases they do not have any warning. This is why it is important to be prepared.
News Skills & Achievements
More often than not, you are learning new skills or improving old ones in a position. Even if your company is small, your boss may not be aware of recent skills and achievements. This is why it is good to include these on your resume. An example of this might be a graphic designer who was trained solely in design (using Adobe software). While working at their current job, they have learned programming. The designer should add their knowledge of programming as a skill set. The graphic designer could have also taken courses and gotten a certification or degree in programming.
Promotions Arise
Many businesses hire internally. In some cases an organization won’t know what additional skills you can bring to the table. Let’s say you are in an entry-level position; sometimes companies won’t even consider you because they are only looking at your current responsibilities and skills. You have to make it known and tell them in your resume. It is also good just to have those skills and experience written down on your resume for those making the decision about a promotion.
Headhunters
One day you might receive a phone call from a headhunter or recruiter telling you about this amazing position. Will you be ready with a current resume? Or will you have tell the headhunter you need to update your resume and get it to them in a week or so? You don’t want to deal with updating a resume that is outdated by many years. It will make it difficult to remember everything that you’ve achieved. You should update your resume while it’s fresh in your mind.
Experts say you should be updating your resume every six months. Professionals today keep their resume updated regardless of whether they are considering a career move. However, this is just a suggestion. You can choose to update your resume earlier than every 6 months. Perhaps you would rather update your resume every month. If you are involved in many projects or learn knew skills more frequently, you might want to consider updating your resume while it is fresh in your mind. The last thing you want to be is stressed out over a tight deadline to finish your resume in order to get a job.
Design Templates
Not only should you pay close attention to updating skills and positions, but also the design of your resume. You don’t want your resume to look outdated or stale. If you aren’t a designer, you can search for resume templates. The web is full of resume templates. Search for trending formats or if you want one to stand out, find innovative formats. A good template could make it or break it for some.
My sister recently updated her resume and forwarded it on to me. I was very impressed with the template design! I asked how she created her resume and I was shocked to learn she got it from one of my favorite online stores. Did you know that you can purchase resume templates on the beloved marketplace for handmade and vintage items better known as Etsy? This was exciting news for me.
After hearing this, I immediately looked on their website. One of the great things about Etsy is you can find just about anything and have it custom made for you. If you complete a search for resume templates, you will receive almost 3,000 results! I honestly was surprised Etsy had that many templates available. Many of the templates range from $10-$15. I think that is a reasonable price for a resume template. Some of the templates have one page resumes or you can even find some that include a 4-page template. Want your resume and cover letter to match? No problem! Etsy’s templates have it all!
Another great resource for resume templates is Envato Market. They don’t have the extensive library that Etsy has for resume templates but is still worth looking at. The prices are much better! They generally range from $4-$10. I personally prefer the thumbnail on Etsy because you get a better idea of what your template will look like. On Envato Market you have to click the thumbnail template to get a better view. So if you are short on time this can be somewhat frustrating.
Behance is a website for creative’s to showcase their work. However, some of the creative’s offer free downloads. So if you are looking for free resume templates, Behance is the place!
To conclude…
I always think being prepared for the unforeseen is best. While life will still throw you some curve balls, you can still prepare the best you can by updating that resume! Plus if you regularly update your resume it shouldn’t take much time to polish it when needed. Remember your resume is your marketing tool, which showcases your skills and experience. Make sure it is powerful and memorable.
When was the last time you updated your resume?
