Posted by When was the last time you looked at your resume and improved its contents? An updated resume is essential in a competitive market where any job can diminish or increase in a blink of an eye. Even if you are not actively searching for jobs, you will never know when an opportunity will arise. Be prepared.
It does not take up much time to keep your portfolio updated. The best time for you to reflect is during your monthly performance review. By doing so, you will be able to identify your accomplishments and be a valuable asset to your potential employer.
Tracking Your Experience
Our past experience will always be a part of us forever regardless if it is positive or negative. What we can do is take it as part of the learning experience. For example, if you are not able to reach your sales target this week, re-strategise and look into the root cause to see why it didn’t happen.
Mistakes are inevitable, so do not be afraid. Look at your resume and pick out what you have learned, your best traits, and what can be improved on for better job prospects. Self-reflection will help you pick out your strengths, skills and achievements.
An updated resume will also serve as a benchmark for your highest capabilities. It will help you map out the outline of which direction you want to head to and how you plan to achieve it. Take, for instance, if you are looking to get promoted to a senior position, you should best identify the key traits one must have in order to get promoted.
Prep for The Change
Nothing will prepare you for when the market suffers a decline and the chances of you getting laid off become a reality. Taking the steps to update your resume before that possible time will help greatly. You can even take a step further by updating your job search details to receive industry updates even when you are not searching for a new job yet.
By being proactive in taking precautionary steps ahead, the transition period of searching for a new job will be a lot easier for you. In short, be ready for the worse. Furthermore, an updated resume will also benefit you should you get headhunted or feel disenchanted by your current workplace. As and when a new job opportunity arises, you can just pass your resume over without worrying about its latest contents.
Related: Good Resume Writing: The Dos and Don’ts Checklist
Seize New Opportunities
There will always be a job out there that will fit you whether it’s getting an internal promotion or a new career path. A promotion into a senior or managerial position can be offered to you if a colleague decides to depart from the company, or if the company decides to open up a new position best suited to your capabilities. Be proactive and accept some freelance work or team up with partners on a side project. It could be an opportunity to expand your credentials to build up your portfolio even greater.
Familiarising Your Skill Set
Once the time comes for you to pitch about yourself, you will be able to confidently showcase your skills. They will determine your journey by helping you craft a fulfilling career path. Here are a few tips that you should do to keep your resume fresh:
Enhance: Edit and examine if there is something you can add to your resume. If there is nothing additional to include, list down all the latest achievements you have achieved. Add summaries about new projects, past successful projects, future projects and also charity organisations you have been part of. Any relevant courses, certification or workshop training that you were part of are also worth mentioning too.
Edit Outdated Info: Having another eye to read your resume is a good idea. It serves as an unbiased purpose and you will receive constructive feedback from the people you trust. Remove old information such as high school achievements or old hobbies. Your resume should include current information about your professional background. The best way is to list down milestones experienced by you in the past five years. It acts as relatable information for a potential employer to value you and check your track record. Double check your email address and contact number provided. Make sure you do not give inactive contact details because it can make you look careless or sloppy.
Formatting: Make your resume stand out. On top of the basic template, attach photos of your work samples or events you have organised for your company. You can also include a testimonial sheet as supporting document. Browse online for sample resume templates to inspire you. Lastly, compare notes and share ideas with your friends in the same industry.