Why should a resume be updated? A business contact knows of a great job opening that needs to be filled immediately. Financial cutbacks in the industry will lead to job terminations. It’s time for annual reviews; this is the time to demonstrate why a raise is in order. These are just a few reasons why people should consider updating their resume. What needs to be updated?
Personal Information
Personal changes occur in everyone’s life. Review all these items and make changes as needed.
- New address
- New email address
- New phone numbers (home landline, cell, business, and fax)
- New web pages (blog, Facebook, MySpace, etc.)
Helping the Company Helps You
What has been done to help the company this year?
- Highest sales volume
- Innovative marketing strategy that increased corporate income
- Chaired a task force to improve customer service and were able to improve turnaround time on repairs by 30%.
All these help the company improve its income and image. All these help demonstrate a person’s value to the company.
Helping Yourself Helps the Company
Earning certification, an advanced degree, or receiving special training in a company related area helps the company. It demonstrates the employee’s commitment to the company and his constant striving for improvement so he can do his job more effectively.
- A fork lift operator earns certification in the repair of industrial equipment.
- An accountant receives her MBA in Finance.
- An electronic keyboard sales rep gets training on performing sound checks for outdoor venues.
Awards and Honors
Awards and honors earned in the company should definitely be added to a resume. Some examples follow:
- Sales rep of the month (five times in the past fiscal year)
- Manager of the year
- Perfect attendance award
Company awards are great. But don’t shortchange the honors received outside the corporate shadow. These too give the company prestige, especially if there is press coverage that includes a mention of the honoree’s company. Examples of other honors are:
- Mother of the year in the local school district
- Winning a bronze medal in a local marathon.
- Coaching the little league team with best record for the season
Reaching Out to the Industry
Whatever type of product the company manufactures, there is a national organization. An employee’s active participation in that organization increases the status of the parent company.
- Secretary for the Regional Organization of Widget Manufacturers
- Making a presentation at the American Music Association’s annual conference on retail sales
- Writing an article or press release that is directly responsible for increased corporate income
Reaching Out to the Community
Volunteer opportunities?
- Boy Scout troop leader
- Volunteer for the local animal shelter
- Acting as a tutor in an adult reading program
It’s even better when the volunteer work is done in the company’s name. Not only is this an adult reading program, but the company supports this program by providing reading materials and office supplies.
Career Goals Change
When career goals change, this should be reflected in the updated resume. The completed additional education required for this change should be listed. When creating the current job accomplishments look at them with new eyes. See if they might be useful in that new career direction.
- A sales rep has spent the last several years earning a CPA. This allowed her to help her deal with customer billing questions.
- The fork lift operator becomes certified in the repair of industrial machinery. This allowed him to make simple repairs to his own and coworker’s equipment and thus cut down time.
No Resume Padding Allowed
Every effort should be made to present all the accomplishments made during employment. Padding the resume with incorrect information or misrepresenting the facts is absolutely forbidden.
- Fourth of 107 sales reps in units sold during the last quarter. The truth: Fourteenth of eighteen sales reps.
- Widget sales improved by 800% this fiscal year over last year. Missing Fact: The company didn’t start selling widgets until the last two months of the previous fiscal year.
In these times of job cutbacks and soaring unemployment rates, an updated resume is an absolute necessity. September is International Update Your Resume Month. Update that resume now.
Additional Sources:
Career Directors International (sponsor of International Update Your Resume Month)
Join the Conversation