The Most Efficient Way to Keep Your Resume up to Date
Finding a job is difficult even in the best circumstances, and when you are not prepared for it, it becomes even more difficult. Optimistically, we stick to the talk for a while, even if we don’t like it, neglecting to prepare our resumes and other materials if there is an opportunity that we want to take advantage of.
If you want (or should) move on, here are some tips for keeping your resume organized and up-to-date when the time comes.
Don’t wait for an update
The r / LifeProTips subreddit is usually a source of useful but not that kind of information about life, but one post that climbed to the top by u / hey_im_allison this week embodies the spirit of accepting new work in preparation for the next. They write:
When you get a new job, save the description and requirements from the app and use it to add the job to your resume later.
When the day comes, you can explain to your next employer exactly what you did. In fact, just add it to your resume as soon as possible and then include the current date, a dash and a space for the date you are leaving.
In response, u / chaoticnuetral added that it is good to have a specific job description on hand because it makes it easier to negotiate salaries if future responsibilities are added. They also quoted Quora about defining the assigned responsibilities:
The more specific your job role is, the less they can expect you to go beyond that area.
If they materially change your job function away from the original description, it is a lateral transfer or promotion and requires formal recognition.
If you work overtime you need a surcharge
If you are working at a higher salary level, you should (at a minimum) get a title raise and a promise of a pay revision in the near future (set a specific date no later than three months! They need your work product on taxes. Day!)
A clear understanding of your position is helpful when you have performance reviews, think you deserve a different title, or are looking for another job and need a specific listing of your specific qualifications. But yes, about this summary …
Keep him posted
So, you’ve added a new job to your resume, but you’re there for a year, then two. Then BAM, layoffs suddenly began. Does this old job description reflect what you ended up doing in the last 24 months? According to u / KungFuHamster, you should check your resume more regularly than a Tamagotchi:
Keep a work log. Every major achievement should be noted. It’s best to update it every day before you leave, otherwise you will forget.
- How to respond correctly in a crisis situation
- Completion of a project or an important milestone in a project
- Learning new things that help you do your job better
- Adding new responsibilities, positions, new people you watch
- Lessons learned Improved standards
But, they add, make sure you are not violating any of the company’s security policies regarding sensitive information, in case you work for the Pentagon or whatever.
Do it yourself
You are copying for ease of use, but before submitting this resume, it is recommended that you try to customize the language, at least u / DuffinDagels, who claims to be a recruiter who sees a lot of resumes:
As a recruiter, I would say be careful that your resume is too similar to the job description. Recruiters and employers want to see what you’ve accomplished and what you’ve accomplished in your job. Not just a list of responsibilities that can be pretty standard. Your resume must be personal and sell to YOU.
Make things a little more personal, but remember that you often have a cover letter for that too. Try to understand what your job responsibilities are and describe in words how you accomplished them or achieved measurable results during your time with the company. People notice achievements, not demands . But this copy-paste serves as a good starting point.
Stay organized
With all this copying, updating, logging, and tweaking, things can get crazy pretty quickly. This brings us to another post posted on u / rlc327 two months ago. They recommended that you keep a “separate master summary” that you can review and revise. It should include all of your previous work experience:
When submitting your resume for application, duplicate the file and remove anything that may not be relevant to the position. You never know when some past experience might be relevant again, and you don’t want to forget about it.
And if you want a HAM, u / dannyisagirl says that they maintain a spreadsheet similar to the one recommended above, but mainly to help them during the interview:
To add to this, I am actually maintaining a spreadsheet with other information that cannot be put on a resume. Things like full dates I worked there, actual positions I had, actual responsibilities versus ‘resume responsibilities’ (a list of keywords that can work while staying honest / accurate), pay rate, manager names / bosses / good colleagues and full titles, physical addresses and phone numbers, the real reason this isn’t my job anymore.
Not nearly all of this is always necessary, and the employer will never see much of it, but it can help bring back some memories and also help you think about how to best rotate negative experiences. Especially if you’re a nervous talker like me.
Now go ahead and find a new job that you will be ready to quit immediately!