Are you starting your job search with an OLD resume?

It is tempting to pull out an old resume and just send it in. Old is very relative in the resume writing field. I just looked at one I wrote dated 2010 and said “yuck!” It was a great resume then but compared to the resumes I create now, it is archaic.

What’s wrong? The style is dated, has too much information about the companies and too little about accomplishments, and has old content dating too far in the past.

Using an Old Resume? Resumes change over time

As a professional resume writer, I understand how resume writing changed dramatically. I study career industry trends and strategies to discern what is changing and what innovative ideas to incorporate. For example, starting in 2003, color became a critical component of my resume designs.

As a Toast of the Resume Industry (TORI) judge for 2019 and 2020, I evaluated resumes created by global resume writers to determine the winners of this annual contest. At the same time, I learn what strategies are working for other writers.

The resumes I write resonate with your value

My clients are amazed at how we weave content and accomplishments to tell their resume stories.

You would be surprised at how many new ways there are to highlight your value using the newest resume strategies. Today, the resume is just the beginning. Job seekers need a total arsenal of strategies and tools to win the next role. LinkedIn, online applications, networking strategies, and much more are key to your job search.

How do you know what to put in a resume?

As I develop resumes and analyze the resume target, I ask what the major goals are while conducting an ongoing interview throughout the resume development process. Clients meet with me on Zoom.

Initially, I create a blueprint (project roadmap) for the whole project and then start with the resume before we advance to services needed such as cover letters, references, LinkedIn profiles, job search coaching, or interview coaching.

We converse about their former positions and craft the new resume with the features chosen from the samples I share in our sessions. My client’s new roles:

• Vice President, Product-to-Market – CPG
• Director of Marketing – Hospitality
• Director of Financial Aid – College
• Vice President, Chief Human Resource Officer – Finance
• Head of Technology – Sports Industry
• CEO – CPG
• Sales Manager – Construction
• Manager, Marketing Technology – Telcom
• Director of Treasury & Risk Management – Health Insurance
• Operations Manager – Automotive Industry

These newly landed job seekers collaborated with me to create innovative resumes and worked with me to create fully optimized LinkedIn profiles. All are savvy job seekers who use their networks to move forward. Using your old resume and job search strategies will prolong a job search and make you miss opportunities.