How often do you update your resume?

Probably been a while, huh?

In a perfect world, I'm of the belief that we should update our resumes about twice per year.

But this ain't a perfect world, and updating your resume can be frustrating and overwhelming.

That said, keeping your resume up to date and ready to send out at any moment is crucial, especially given the mass layoffs we have been seeing.

Plus, it’s always nice to have a resume ready and avoid a last-minute scramble if someone ever asks for one.

Most people however are too caught up with their day-to-day to keep their resumes up to date and as such the resume becomes an afterthought.

Don’t be the person without a job and an outdated resume.

Keeping your resume up to date is like mowing your lawn.

Frankly, it sucks. But it has to be done.

If it’s been a while since you’ve looked at your resume check out these 5 quick fixes to make it exponentially better.

1. Add a summary statement

2. Use Cause/Effect

3. Organize by Importance

4. Avoid Redundancies

5. Keep it to one Page

1/ Add a summary statement

A lot of folks have never included a Summary in their resume. I think that is a miss. The Summary section is 3-5 sentences long and the only place that you can add a bit of color to (let’s face it) an otherwise boring document.

Additionally, a Summary Statement is extremely flexible and can be easily updated based on the job you are applying to.

The elements of a strong summary statement include:

A high-level description of your experiences +

A statement highlighting what you are exceptional at +

Some context describing what you are looking for

Here’s an example:

I am a motivated and empathetic corporate event planner with 7 years of experience planning virtual and in-person events for Fortune 500 companies both domestically and internationally. I am especially talented at managing people and have led teams of 20+ across multiple workstreams. As someone who loves a new challenge, I am currently seeking a senior-level corporate event planner role within the healthcare industry.

Why I like it:

• Simple yet effective. No fluff, and gets right to the point

• Quantifies experience

• Specifically calls out what they are looking for (role + industry)

Writing a Summary Statement isn’t complicated but it is important and will be the first thing a recruiter reads.

Take time to develop one for yourself.

2/ Use Cause/Effect

We’ve all been in that situation where a friend begins to tell what sounds like a great story. The details are immaculate and they have you on the edge of your seat. But then, abruptly, the story ends and you’re left thinking, “Wait, what’s the point?”

A resume bullet without Cause/Effect is a great story without a point.

Every resume bullet you write should contain:

Cause

What was the actual action taken? What was the work you did?

*Make sure to use action words

Effect

What was the outcome of the action? Quantify as much as possible.

Ex.) Designed and implemented custom CRM solutions to drive user efficiency and increase employee engagement and customer satisfaction by 15%.

Finish your story.

Don’t leave recruiters hanging and finish your bullets with the actual impact you made.

3/ Organize by Importance

There are no Resume Police (shocker right). So, in all actuality, your Resume can look like whatever you want it to. (I recommend this template).

That said, I don't know who made the mandate that your resume must be chronological, but feel free to order your bullets and experiences by importance (when it makes sense).

For example:

If you are applying to a Graphic Design role with heavy Adobe Illustrator requirements, but you haven't used Illustrator since your last job 3 years ago, don't bury that experience in the middle. Put it at the top!

Your resume is a 7-second chance to impress someone. Take every advantage you can.

4/ Avoid Redundancies

Meet Tom. Tom is a Financial Analyst. His first three resume bullets read something like this:

• Analyze profit and loss statements to inform business decisions

• Manipulate data to analyze where costs can be cut and revenue increased

• Proficient in Excel modeling and data analysis

Is Tom analytical? Yes.

Is he boring? Also, yes.

Your resume is a chance for you to show a breadth of experiences, skills, and habits.

Just because your job title has "analyst" in it doesn't mean that analyzing, evaluating, and modeling are your only skills.

Skills ALL recruiters look for:

• Leadership

• Time management

• Attention to detail

• Teamwork

Diversify your bullets!

5/ Keep it to one Page

This one is simple.

The average recruiter spends 7 seconds reading a resume.

Unless you are a professional with decades of experience, don't let your resume exceed a page in length.

Need to cut it down?

• Eliminate redundancies

• Mess with the margins

• Use 11 point font

Let me repeat the above again… Unless you are a professional with decades of experience, don't let your resume exceed a page in length.

Brevity is bliss.

Make these 5 changes to your resume now, so you don’t have to worry about them later.

Enjoy the week,

Ben

Thanks for reading today! Whenever you're ready, there are three ways I can help you:

1. Go from “resume so-so, to resume pro” in 60 minutes
   

2. Reach out for some 1:1 Coaching
   

3. Check out my FREE resources to help in your job hunt

Found this edition of The Career Kickstarter online or got it from a friend? Subscribe below!