Is your resume ready? It should always be ready
If someone asked for your resume today, is your resume ready? Asked another way, are you prepared for the next opportunity?
Sadly for most people, the answer is no. You may be able to lay your hands on a historic remnant of your resume or if you worked with an excellent professional resume writer in the past, he or she may be able to send you a digital copy of your last file.
Why your resume is a live and changing marketing tool
Unfortunately, even for people who worked with a pro in the past, the resume is only valuable from a historic viewpoint. Today, a client from 2004 texted to see if I have a copy of her resume. She also called. Twice. In less than an hour.
I was in the process of sending her resume when she called the second time. I explained that yes, I do have her resume.
- It is a 2004 version.
- The fonts were broken because Microsoft no longer supports the fonts in her resume. This is a common problem with old files.
- I changed the fonts to a current font style and then copied and pasted her resume and cover letter into new documents.
- The file sizes had expanded over time so the files were huge. This also is common with old files. The copying and pasting process shrunk the files from 2000 kilobytes to 50 kilobytes.
This is the tip of the iceberg. The style was archaic and didn’t represent current resume strategies. If she chooses to update her own resume, she has 13 years to figure out. She should be looking for the value that she provided to the company in each role.
Your resume is a fluid document. You don’t write it once and then stuff in new stuff. As a strategic marketing document, the resume positions you for interviews. It needs to represent current trends.
Contrast this with the smart job seekers
Smart job seekers recognize that they need to keep their resume current. As a historic document, the resume should demonstrate the value you offer to the next role. The branding and formatting need to match current strategies and styles. In the past 30 days, clients who worked with me won these new roles:
- Youth Case Manager
- Director, Global Customer Care Operations
- Chief Operations Officer
- Finance Accounting Manager
- Process Operator
When did you update your resume last? Are you ready if someone offers you your dream job?
Resume Design and Job Seeking Tips
Here are Design Resumes' latest articles on job search, resume design, resume writing, and Linkedin optimization articles I've written.
Julie Walraven
Professional Resume Writer
Here are ways I can help you land your dream job.
You may be halfway across the country or the world. When you work with me, we share coffee, laughs, and concerns. This turns the scary job search into creative, consultative writing and learning sessions.