RESUME WRITING by ResumeLance

If you’re currently employed, congratulations! If you enjoy your position and want to remain in the career you are in now, kudos for you! I wish you the best of luck and longevity in your job.  

Let’s imagine, for a moment, that while you’re happily executing your daily responsibilities that you come across the opportunity of your dreams on a random website (not that you’re searching for jobs at work, right?). The ad says that you have until next week to send your resume to be considered for the role. You know you’re perfect for the job, but when you review your 3 year old resume, you realize that it won’t capture the attention of any hiring manager. If only you had more time.You realize too late that you should have done a better job in updating your resume on a regular basis, and now your dream job has faded away.

Now, here’s another scenario for you those of you who love your job so much. What if the unthinkable happens; like your employer closing its doors without notice. Businesses of all sizes are having a tough time these days and competitors lurk in shadows waiting to buy companies in their market. In either case, good employees such as you can lose their jobs. I always found it unfair that as employees, we need to give two weeks notice if we decide to move to another job, but if a company decides to let you go, they can do so at the drop of a dime.

Without a strong, updated resume at hand, your chances of landing interviews are delayed, or worse, eliminated.

Both of these scenarios are unfortunate, but they shouldn’t be the only reasons why you should update your resume regularly. A few other examples of why you should have an updated resume at all times, includes to: 

• Keep track of your accomplishments. You could be the best performer at your job, but without documenting your measurable achievements, awards, or relevant new experiences at the job, you can’t provide proof when asked. As the years go by, the likelihood of you talking about the details of every accomplishment will more difficult to pull from your memory. 
• Enable managers to see what value you’ve brought to the company during annual reviews. You’ll position yourself better for a raise by presenting your most recent achievements presented in an updated resume.
• Determine whether it’s time to move on. If after a number of months, you feel that you haven’t accomplished much because there isn’t the opportunity to do so at your current job, then you should get your resume out there. A situation where you are stagnant at your job may actually mean that your company is not doing too well or downsizing.

Think of your resume as an insurance policy for your career. If something happens, you have it within reach to help you get back on your feet. So, if you're a happy camper with your job, you should still get your resume updated regularly.