Although your resume should always be at the ready, September marks the beginning of the recruiting season (it’s also International Update Your Resume Month, by the way), so what a great month to celebrate—and develop—your career!
“I have a job, so why should I update my resume?” is a question that often comes up. You really do want to have your resume set to go at a moment’s notice in case
- a promotion comes up at your current employer
- there’s a sudden and unexpected burst of downsizing at your company or in the industry you’re in (Hey, it happens all the time.)
- someone wants to nominate you for an award
- you’d like to pick up some extra projects or freelance work
- someone else is looking to collaborate with you on projects.
STEP 1: Take an inventory of your personal worth and development initiatives. It’s one of the best ways to celebrate Update Your Resume Month!
Demonstrating Your Personal Worth = Next Lap to Career Growth
- What have you done in your current job that added to “big picture” results? (e.g., making money, saving money, saving time, solving problems).
- Any new awards, honors, or publicity that you earned based on those achievements?
Showcasing Personal Improvement = Higher Earning Power
- Have you gained any new certifications, licenses, or degrees?
- What conferences or workshops have you attended this past year?
- Have you joined any new professional organizations?
- What about the new skills you learned from these certifications and workshops?
- Have you worked, volunteered, or traveled overseas? Have you learned a new language?
- How about hobbies that have professional relevance? (e.g., computer programming or blog writing)
STEP 2: Now, once you’ve answered all these questions, the next step is to keep a file of all these great new credentials, experiences, and accolades.
Wash, rinse, and repeat. But don’t wait a year to do this again! You need to do this at least on a monthly basis. Having these lists will not only help you with your resume update, they’re also key to promotions and salary negotiations.
STEP 3: Make an investment in yourself. Hire a professionally certified master resume writer and career branding strategist who knows how to market you effectively—whether you’re currently looking for work or not. All this effort isn’t going to help you if you have a self-written resume that won’t even get you across the starting line.
Remember, having a professionally updated resume on hand is the engine that will jumpstart your career from neutral into the fast lane of success.
