If you don't update your resume now, you'll hate yourself later

If I had a dollar for everyone who told me they wished they updated their resume earlier, I’d be very rich.

A resume update (think current resume) like an oil change is something everyone likes to procrastinate. Like an oil change, the consequences of not updating your resume can be costly.

According to Teresa Aquila, host of Teresa’s Garage Radio Show, you can experience engine death from lack of oil changes.  If you are not prepared with a current resume when the right opportunity comes your way, it can mean loss of your dream job.

Why does a current resume or resume update matter?

Not surprising, most professionals only write a few resumes in their lifetime. Inevitably, even executives remember the way they wrote resumes in high school or college. Top leaders never learned strategic resume writing. Instead, their job description resume doesn’t capture the value they bring to the next employer.

What should you think about when you write your resume?

Think about your value and your meaningful contributions. What challenges did you face and what obstacles did you overcome?

1. What did you contribute to the company to develop new business or market share?
2. Have you improved the performance or efficiency of any systems?
3. Was there any complex problem you solved to save the firm money? How did you cut costs?
4. Did you direct or lead any cross-functional teams in the development of new products or technologies
5. What quality assurance, compliance, or control measures do you take?
6. Did you spearhead programs or initiatives?
7. What did you develop to make sure your company, products, or services remain reputable, economically viable, or ground-breaking?

Why are you your worst enemy in your job search?

We put off non-critical things or things that seem to be non-important. However, when you struggle to capture a career’s worth of value to meet a short deadline, you quickly realize the need for a quality resume.

If someone asks for your resume tomorrow, is it filled with value? Does it tell your career story with tangible examples of how you made a difference? Are you ready for the next step in your career? Let’s start a conversation about how I can help you.