When it comes to job hunting, the first step is to ensure that your resume is up-to-date and optimized for success.
With the job market becoming increasingly competitive, it’s more important than ever to update your resume regularly to make it stand out from the rest.
In this article, we’ll go over some tips for revamping your resume to help you land your dream job.
How Often Should You Update Your Resume?
Basically, it’s an excellent idea to update your resume every time you acquire new work experience, complete relevant courses or training, or obtain hard or soft skills related to your career path.
These regular resume updates can also assist you in applying for internal vacancies at your current company. By quickly submitting your resume, you demonstrate that you’re motivated, disciplined, and ready to take on new challenges.
Even if you’re happy with your current position, optimizing your resume every few months still makes a lot of sense. Unexpected shifts in the economy might make it necessary for you to search for a new job, or maybe you are tempted to hand in your resignation.
Having an updated resume will save you a lot of time and stress.
List of Tips for Updating Your Resume
If you’re thinking about revamping your resume, have a look at this list of pointers to give you a helping hand.
1. Remove Older or Irrelevant Positions
Most people reach a point in their career where their experience is so extensive that it cannot all be included on their resume.
If this is your case, think about leaving out any outdated or irrelevant positions.
For instance, if you choose to follow a particular professional route, you can decide to only include jobs that you held after a given date (when you started off in that specific field).
2. Update Your Resume With a Strong Headline
Your headline is the first thing that potential employers will see, so it’s important to make it count. It should be clear and highlight your most recent and relevant experience and skills.
For example, instead of just “Marketing Manager,” you could use “Marketing Manager with 5+ Years of Experience in Digital Advertising.”
3. Tailor Your Resume For Each Job
One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is sending out the same generic resume for every job application. Instead, take the time to customize your resume to match the requirements and responsibilities of each job you apply for.
This shows the employer that you have taken the time to understand their needs and are a good fit for the role.
You can do this by looking carefully at the job description.
- What tasks or responsibilities are outlined?
- Consider your tasks or achievements that align with what is listed.
- Include this information in your Experience or Skills section.
4. Focus on Achievements Over Duties
Rather than simply listing your job responsibilities, focus on the accomplishments and results you have achieved in each role.
Where you might have written “Managed social media accounts,” you could instead specify “Increased social media engagement by 50% through targeted campaigns.”
5. Use Keywords
Many employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes, so it’s important to include relevant keywords in your resume.
Review the job description and incorporate keywords that align with the role’s requirements and responsibilities. This can increase your chances of getting past the initial screening process.
Now, let’s see this in action. Look at the keywords in bold in the job description here first, and then we’ll see how to include them in an experience entry.
Position: Marketing Coordinator
Responsibilities:
- Develop and execute marketing campaigns across multiple channels
- Monitor and analyze campaign performance and metrics
- Coordinate with design and content teams to create promotional materials
- Manage social media accounts and engage with the online community
- Assist in organizing and promoting events, webinars, and product launches
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or related field
- 1-2 years of marketing experience
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Proficiency in social media platforms and analytics toolsAbility to work independently and in a team environment
Can you see how the resume entry below uses these or appropriate synonyms when describing their work experience in a particular role?
Experience
Marketing Intern, ABC Company
City, State
June 2022 – August 2022
- Collaborated with marketing and design teams to devise and distribute promotional materials for product campaigns.
- Assisted in developing and implementing marketing strategies across various channels, including social media and email marketing.
- Monitored social media accounts, engaging with followers and tracking performance using analytics tools.
- Contributed to the organization and promotion of company events and webinars.
- Analyzed campaign metrics to identify areas for improvement and optimize future marketing efforts.
Not only does this kind of keyword/synonym use demonstrate your attention to detail, it also outlines how your on-the-job experience matches the role you are applying for. A winning combination!
6. Keep it Concise
While it’s important to provide detail and context for your experience, it’s also important to keep your resume concise and easy to read.
Use bullet points, bold the important text, and avoid lengthy paragraphs. Your resume should ideally be no more than two pages long.
7. Highlight Relevant Education and Certifications
If you have newly completed relevant education or certifications that are relevant to your current career aspirations, include them when you are updating your resume. This can help set you apart from other candidates and show that you have the necessary qualifications for the role.
These should go in a separate section, with its own bold heading. Ensure that you include the title, the source, and the dates.
Certifications
- Google UX Design Professional Certificate, Online, November 2022 – April 2023
8. Include Activities and Hobbies Related to Your Career Goals
Your hobbies or activities outside the workplace, such as volunteer work or industry-related organizations, might add a bit of spice to your resume. Try to keep them somewhat relevant to the position or area you are applying to, though.
This section can demonstrate your passion and commitment to a cause or to the area of work itself.
9. Use a Professional Format
Your resume should be easy to read and visually appealing. Use a professional format and font, and avoid using graphics or images.
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10. Change the Filename to Reflect the Most Recent Update
Make all the necessary adjustments to your resume, then save and rename the file.
Add the date and a short mention in the name that the file was updated. This way, you’ll quickly know which resume is the most up-to-date
Wrapping Up
Updating your resume can be a daunting task, but it’s an important one to survive in today’s competitive job market.
By following the tips in this article, you can calmly ensure that your resume stands out from the competition and increases your chances of success.
Remember to tailor your resume for each job, highlight your achievements and relevant experience, and keep it concise and easy to read.
Good luck with your job search!
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