A career is a lifelong pursuit. To stay ahead of the masses, it is critical to keep your resume updated and to ensure that it accurately, professionally, and creatively depicts who you are and how you differ from everyone else. As you evolve, your resume should evolve, too.
Once you’ve had your resume professionally designed and written, it’s important to review and update it periodically throughout the weeks and months you are sending it to ensure you have the absolute best chance of getting a response.
1) If your resume is posted online, renew it every 30 days.
Countless resumes are posted to online job sites every day. Most employers who look online for candidates typically search for resumes posted in the last 3 months. Many only search within the last 30 days. There is only one way to ensure your resume is at the top of the heap: renew it at least once a month! A tweaked and reposted resume improves your chances of getting noticed for current opportunities.
2) Remember that the job market is always changing.
Our United States economy and the jobs created by it vary from state to state and from month to month. These shifts in the job market should determine which particular skills and achievements you want to highlight and which places you are willing to relocate to based on where jobs are. Keep tabs on hiring trends and tailor your resume appropriately. The Department of Labor produces a monthly umemployment release that will give you a great idea and insight into what positions seem to be getting cut more than others and which cities seem to be hit the hardest (or the least).
3) Make changes to the buzzwords and language on your resume.
Although you may think the resume you had created 4 months ago needs no updating, take a look at the language you use to describe your skills and your experiences. Buzzwords change regularly - especially those in technology. Thus, it makes sense to periodically go through your resume to make sure you are using terms that are accurate and up-to-date. If you are not sure, hire a professional resume writer to help you.
How can you tell if your resume is working?
Simple.
Are you getting phone calls, emails, and/or snail mails about it?
If you are sending your resume to AVAILABLE positions to which you know you are qualified and you do NOT get a response, one reason could be that your resume is getting lost in the shuffle. If you had your resume beautifully crafted by a professional and you are STILL not getting a response, there are other factors involved that you have nothing to do with and have no control over. One such factor is the reality that the company you are applying to has already decided the person they are going to hire (but simply needed to post the job and interview a couple of people to make it seem "fair" and like a real job search). You will never know this and you have no control over this.
All you do have control over is ensuring you are sending out a beautiful resume and praying. After that, it's out of your hands.
