Adult man holding paperwork with table in home office with laptop
Only a generation or two ago, when workers got a job, they stayed in the position for much of their lives. It wasn’t uncommon to stick with one employer throughout an adult’s working life.
That surely isn’t the case anymore. When the average career used to span 40 years with the same employer, now employees are mobile. As employers age, the number of times they change jobs decreases.
A job change will often mean the need for an update to your resume. When is the best time to update your resume? Maybe you don’t think you’re in the market for a job change; should you still keep your resume updated?
Read on for some essential times to revisit your resume, so it is up to date when you want or need it.
1. Finished a Noteworthy Project
When you consider updating your resume, a great time to do it is when you’ve just done something noteworthy in your career.
Maybe you completed a big project, presented at an industry conference, or been quoted in the media about your field. These are things you’d want to include on a resume.
You want to showcase yourself as an expert on your resume, and these things allow you to do that. If you add them as they happen, you won’t risk forgetting them later on.
2. Garnered Some Noteworthy Recognition
Another good time to visit a free online resume builder and do an update is when you’ve been given some recognition in your career.
Maybe you’ve been nominated for an award or won an award; you’ll want that to be a part of your resume.
Sometimes when you win recognition, the group awarding you the recognition would also like to highlight your resume. You want to have it up to date and ready for just such an occasion.
3. Looking for a Promotion Soon
Another smart time for a resume update is when you might be looking at a promotion down the road.
In a market where there is a frequent movement of employees, even if you’re not looking or expecting an opportunity to arise, you can never know what one will pop up anyway.
If you want to be prepared for any potential opportunity, whether from your current employer or another one, having your resume up to date makes you ready for it.
Resume Mistakes to Avoid
As you consider when and how to update your resume, you want to be sure to avoid some resume pitfalls.
Industry buzzwords change over time. If you haven’t updated your resume in several years, take another look at the keywords you’re using. Often headhunters and companies will search resumes looking for specific keywords.
When updating your resume, make sure you name the file using your full name. This allows human resource specialists and headhunters to keep track of your resume and not have it get lost in a pile with all the others saved under resume.
Update Your Resume, so You’re Always Ready When You Need It
Life is full of surprised and unexpected turns. You never can really anticipate when you might want or need your resume. Update your resume, so you’re always ready for the unexpected.
For more business-related articles like this one, be sure to visit this blog page often.
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