Whether you are an experienced professional with many years in the workforce or just out of college, a resume is your passport to new and exciting fields of endeavor and should be regarded for the power it possesses.
Here are six Dos and Don’ts to consider with this valuable document.
DO keep your resume updated. Regardless of how much or how little time you may have in your current position, you constantly are gaining new experience. Waiting too long between updates could mean forgetting to add that experience to your next renewal. Also, with the volatility of the job market, you never know when you may need your resume. Rushing around to add new content because you are suddenly out of work typically leads to a less-than-stellar document. By keeping it current, you will be less harried should the unexpected happen or an intriguing opportunity to advance your career presents itself.
DO make sure your resume speaks to the intended audience. For those who have amassed work experience, it is likely that not all experience will be apropos to positions that interest you. A ‘one size fits all’ approach rarely works well if this describes you. Identifying and targeting best-fit story points that speak to your audience’s needs assures you supply those employers with a focused resume. While some experience will certainly cross over, such as a sales professional looking to move into a consultative role, your ‘great closing percentage’ will be of little consequence to the company needing a new admissions officer.
Follow this link to read four MORE Dos and Don’ts regarding your resume: 6 Tips to Refresh Your Resume.
Thank you for this wise reminder to constantly be updating our resume, Jacqui!
You are right – it is so easy to let time fly by and totally forget about achievements or accomplishments that have taken place when are you in the midst of “the work.”
However, taking the time to enter these developments or at least making note of them in a side document will make updating your resume when it is necessary that much easier.
Regarding the need for a focused resume, it is amazing how the increased demand for specialized knowledge has impacted what employers need from our resumes…
Thanks again for another value-packed post-combo (which continues on Glassdoor!)
Hello Dorlee,
I appreciate your identifying your takeaways from the post!
I like how you phrased achievements as ‘developments’ <- what a neat way to describe how our careers progress (and makes me think of YOUR site which so aptly weaves that reference into the title, "Social Work Career Development" over at dorleem.com).
The increased demand for specialized knowledge has made it increasingly challenging for careerists to ensure their words resonate with the target reader. There are ways to do ensure targeted communications are at-the-ready, however; it takes preparation and execution, and fortunately, many experts are on hand to help shepherd the process.
Thanks again for your always-valuable insights here at CareerTrend blog!
Jacqui
Jacqui,
As usual your post crosses borders – from the careerist to the business person.
As a solo-preneur, one might think a resume is unnecessary. However, it pays to adopt a little boy-scout wisdom – be prepared. I keep track of my speaking gigs, contact people, and other projects and events, because you never know when and where this information will come in handy.
As Louis Pasteur stated, “Fortune favours the prepared mind”, which emphasizes the importance of “career passport preparation.
Marianna,
I love the idea of ‘crossing borders’; it DOES pay to adopt boy-scout wisdom.
Wonderful addition to the conversation!
Jacqui