The Easiest Way to Update Your Resume
It’s important that you always keep your resume up to date. Here are ResumeHelp’s best tips on what to focus on when you update your resume before sending it.
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It’s important that you always keep your resume up to date. Here are ResumeHelp’s best tips on what to focus on when you update your resume before sending it.
If you are actively seeking a new job, then it’s probably time to update your resume. After all, your resume is a showcase of your most important and relevant skills, so it pays to make sure that it always contains the work experience, certifications, and achievements that best showcase your capabilities. But even if things haven’t changed, it’s important to update your resume for every job application. Here’s how to do it.
Unless you are leaving a job title that you have held for a very short period of time (less than one year, for example), it is likely that you have gained experience, achievements, or new skills that are notable. Therefore, it is always a good idea to update your resume when you are leaving a long-term position. There are other good reasons for job seekers to update their professional resumes, of course, even if they are moving on from a very brief position. The best reasons to update your resume are:
These are some of the most common reasons for updating your resume regularly, but you really need only one: an up-to-date resume will make a good first impression on hiring managers and recruiters, making it more likely that you will land a job interview. Of course, your chance of success is linked directly to your resume writing skills.
Build my resumeWhen it comes time to update an old resume for a new job search, there are a number of things to keep in mind. First and foremost, consider the resume template that you are currently using – is it modern, or does it look dated? No matter how up-to-date your resume work history and skills sections are, a dated design will put hiring managers off. Secondly, consider your resume summary and contact information. Is your contact information up-to-date? Have you included your most recent phone number and email details? Finally, consider the body of your resume – are all your skills and job titles present? Do you need to add a new section for internships or awards?
If you are in the middle of a career change, you should also consider changing your resume format. If you used to work in a very traditional field, like law, for example, but you are moving to a creative industry, then it may be beneficial to switch away from a professional resume format to a more creative one. Even if you are staying in the same kind of industry, a career change may make it better to switch to a functional resume format in order to compensate for your lack of experience.
When your resume is more than a year or two old, updating it can be more of an overhaul than a refining process. The ResumeHelp resume builder is a great tool for people who need to create a whole new look for their resume.
If you recently updated your resume (for example, within the last one to two years), then it is likely that your format is still going to be perfectly acceptable. In these cases, it is more important to ensure that your resume writing skills are sharp and adjust the basis of your resume to suit the roles that you are applying for. If you tailor your resume and cover letter to suit each job posting that you apply for, then you will seriously increase your chances of making a great impression on potential employers. Here are the things you should be thinking about when updating your resume:
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Ideally, you should tailor the details of your resume every time you apply for a new job. You should also update the appearance and format of your resume once every year or two to prevent it from becoming dated.
Many of the most common resume mistakes occur because job seekers do not proofread after changing individual sentences. These kinds of small tweaks can easily cause grammar and spelling mistakes which can be very off-putting for recruiters, so double-check your document before submitting.
A resume should be one page long unless you have a large amount of relevant experience or professional certifications that are required for the job title you are applying for. If you do have a lot of relevant or necessary experience and information and are applying for a more senior-level position, then you can expand your resume to two pages.
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