How long has it been since you last updated your resume? If you can’t remember, it’s definitely time for a refresh. Updating your resume allows you to highlight your recent achievements and prepare for future opportunities.
In this article, we’ll give you the tips and tricks you need to update your resume and take it from outdated to outstanding.
You should be updating your resume whenever you get a promotion, complete a significant project, or gain new skills. Add these achievements to your resume while they’re fresh on your mind, so that you don’t forget them later when you’re actively job hunting.
Even if nothing has changed in your career, aim to edit your resume every 6 to 12 months.
You’d be surprised at how much you can add to your resume after just one year.
Refresh your resume if you think you’ll apply for jobs in the next six months. Working ahead can save you stress when it’s time to apply.
Go more than one year without touching your resume. Details about work projects or career achievements can start to get fuzzy after a while.
If you’re not planning to search for jobs anytime soon, you might wonder, “What’s the point of updating my resume?” But a resume update can be beneficial at any point in your career. It allows you to reflect on your career achievements and celebrate how far you’ve come.
Other benefits of a resume update include:
Depending on the last time you edited your resume, it may need an extensive refresh or a few simple tweaks.
Follow these steps to update your resume with your latest professional achievements:
Where do you want to be in one year? Five years? Ten years? Your resume should not only show how far your career has progressed, but also look forward to what’s next. Think about your future career path as you decide how to present your qualifications. Consider creating a career goals statement.
The format of your resume should highlight your skills and qualifications in a logical way. For most people, the reverse chronological format is the best choice. It lists your work experience in reverse order, emphasizing your recent roles and projects.
While the reverse chronological resume is the most common, other people may benefit from using a different format such as:
Have you used the same resume design for decades? If so, it’s probably time for a refresh.
Check out some resume templates for a quick, easy way to update your resume.
Additionally, keep these tips in mind as you fix your resume design:
Your resume header should have your current contact information. If you’ve gotten a new email address or phone number, make sure it’s up to date in your header. You can also consider adding a link to your online portfolio or LinkedIn page if you don’t already have this information on your resume.
Also, if your header includes your full home address, change it to list only the city and state. It’s no longer required to give your full address on your resume, and doing so may even lead to data protection or discrimination issues.
[Your Name]
[Phone number] | [Professional email address] | [City, State] | [LinkedIn or portfolio link (optional)]
A resume summary goes at the top of the page and features your most impressive skills, projects, or achievements. Keep your summary between three and five sentences, focused on your best qualifications.
Here are some items you can update or add to your resume summary:
Remove your resume objective
Resume objectives were common in the past to highlight your career goals or motivations, but are now widely considered outdated. If you have a resume objective, change it to a summary that focuses on the skills, values, and contributions that you can bring to your next role or company.
Your resume should go back 10 to 15 years at most. If you have older work experience, remove those positions unless they’re highly relevant to your current industry or future goals.
For relevant positions older than 15 years, create a new section called “Additional Experience” and place it below your more recent roles. Provide your job title and employer’s name, but don’t list the dates you worked in these older positions. This can help to prevent age discrimination in the hiring process.
Additional Experience
[Job Title] | [Company Name]
Once you’ve removed older jobs from your resume, update your recent work experience to include new projects or achievements. Rewrite or adjust your bullet points to start with strong verbs, like “resolved,” “managed,” or “executed.”
In your bullet points, aim to show the outcomes or results that you achieved through your work. Including measurable data is a great way to highlight your impact in a role. Provide numbers, dollar amounts, percentages, and other metrics to prove your ability to deliver results.
Here are a few examples of quantifiable bullet points in a work experience section:
Don’t forget to add new or improved skills to your resume. Have you started using new software in your current job? Did you take an online course to brush up on a technical skill? Do you actively stay updated on industry trends or developments? Make sure that your resume outlines the new skills or proficiencies you’ve gained.
You can also remove old skills from your resume if they’re no longer relevant. For example, if your resume lists your average typing speed, but you now work in marketing, you should remove it.
In your education section, add any ongoing education or training that you’ve completed. This might include:
Adding these credentials to your resume can show how seriously you take your professional development. It also highlights your commitment to continuously growing and improving your skills.
You can complete the above steps any time you want to update your resume (ideally at least once a year). But when you’re ready to apply for a new job, tailor your resume to the position you’re targeting. The best way to do this is by including keywords from the job description.
Review the job posting closely and note the words an employer uses to describe the skills, responsibilities, and requirements for the role. Use those same words on your resume wherever possible, such as your summary and work experience sections. Including keywords gives your resume a better chance of passing an ATS and getting into a recruiter’s hands.