As you begin to write down your resolutions and goals for the new year, don’t forget to add ‘Update Your Resume’ to the top of your list.
Whether you’re looking for a new job, or happy in your current position, it’s a good idea to update your resume yearly with new accomplishments and clean up any outdated information. Discover three tips to help you update your resume for the New Year and the opportunities it has to offer.
Add Awards and Accomplishments
When updating your resume, begin by including any significant accomplishments, awards, or acknowledgements you received in the previous year. If you’re in sales, for example, include whether you exceeded quota or not, and if you did, by how much. Also, describe your successes with numbers whenever possible. For example, I saved the company over $5,000 this year, and then describe how you were able to do this. It’s a good idea to add these accomplishments yearly or even monthly while the details are still fresh in your mind.
Remove Outdated Information
Next, clean up the bottom section of your resume. This means you should take out any information that’s outdated. If you haven’t updated your resume in a while and you’ve changed career paths or your focus, then make sure your resume only includes relevant information. Determine which jobs or experiences are relevant to your current career path, and which jobs can be left off.
Rethink Your Keywords
Finally, research which terminology and keywords are currently popular and which ones are overused. There could be a big difference between which words are popular now, and the words that were popular when you first created your resume. Also, there are many lists that include overused buzzwords. Be careful to not include these words in your resume and instead try to describe your accomplishments in terms of numbers or experiences. Be sure to add the new terminology and take off any words that are outdated or added when you created your resume.
Bonus Tip
Companies will often have varying processes for applying to their open jobs and will require different formats when you submit your resume. Some companies will have you submit your resume as a Word document while other applicant tracking systesms will require a PDF version. While it may be hard to predict what format a company will require, you can easily use a tool to convert your resume from word to pdf or from a pdf to word. Whatever you choose, make sure you have a plan and don’t delay. The quicker you get your resume submitted, the better!
Updating your resume yearly is a great habit to get into, even if you’re not actively searching for a new job. Use these three tips to make sure your resume if up to date and filled with accomplishments from the past year. You never know when a new opportunity might head your way!
