Your resume is a reflection of your professional accomplishments and potential. It is the first document that prospective employers look at and is the determining factor in whether or not you will receive an interview call.
Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that your resume is updated and polished to make a strong impression.
Whether you're just starting your career or are a seasoned professional, updating your resume is crucial to stay ahead in your career path.
Having an updated resume can help you stay current with the latest trends and technologies in your industry. This is particularly important if you work in a fast-changing field where new skills and knowledge are constantly emerging.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll take you through the process of creating an updated resume that stands out to employers and increase your chances of getting hired.
- What is an updated resume and why keep your resume updated?
- How do I make an updated resume?
- How to update resume on LinkedIn?
What is an Updated Resume and Why Keep Your Resume Updated?
An updated resume is a revised version of your old resume that reflect your most recent accomplishments and qualifications.
A resume can also be updated not just in terms of the newer and recent job roles or accomplishments but also to stay on par with the new trends and best practices in the industry.
Having an updated resume is crucial for several reasons:
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To Keep up with Career Advancements: If you've recently received a promotion or change job roles, you'll need to update your resume to reflect these changes. An updated resume with your latest accomplishments and responsibilities will demonstrate your growth and development in your career.
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To Stay Relevant: Your skills and experiences can become outdated over time, especially in fast-paced industries. Updating your resume regularly ensures that you're highlighting your most recent skills and experiences, making you a more competitive candidate for job openings.
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To Customize Your Resume for Different Jobs: When you apply for different jobs, you need to tailor your resume to highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the position. Updating your resume regularly allows you to customize your resume to meet the specific requirements of each job you apply for and increase your chances of getting shortlisted.
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To Stand Out Among Other Candidates: A well-written and updated resume can set you apart from other candidates, especially if you have unique skills or experiences that are relevant to the job opening. Employers receive numerous resumes for each job opening, and having an updated and polished resume can help you stand out from the crowd.
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To Prepare for Unexpected Opportunities: Job openings can arise unexpectedly, and you don't want to miss out on an opportunity because your resume is outdated. By updating your resume regularly, you'll be ready to apply for new job openings as they come up.
Also Read: How to check your resume score in 2023?
How To Update a Resume?
Creating an updated resume is a step-by-step process that requires attention to detail and a focus on your career goals and the job description of the role you’re applying for.
Here are some key steps and tips you can follow:
Review and Update Your Personal Information
Start by reviewing and updating your personal information, including your name, address, phone number, and email address.
Ensure that your contact information is accurate and up-to-date so that potential employers can reach you easily.
Choose the Right Resume Format
There are several resume formats to choose from, including chronological, functional, and combination formats.
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Chronological: This format lists your work experience in reverse chronological order, with your most recent job first. It's the most commonly used format and works well for applicants with a consistent work history.
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Functional: This format focuses on your skills and accomplishments, rather than your work history. It's an excellent option if you have gaps in your employment history or are changing careers.
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Combination: This format combines the chronological and functional formats, highlighting both your work history and skills.
Choose the one that best suits your career goals and experience at the present.
Tailor Your Updated Resume To the Job Application
The first step to tailoring your updated resume is to carefully read the job description.
Look for specific keywords and requirements that the employer is looking for and make a note of the skills, experience, and qualifications that are essential for the job.
Accordingly, you can make the necessary updates throughout your resume to make it highly relevant for the role you’re targeting.
Craft an Attention-Grabbing Summary
Your resume summary should be a brief, powerful statement that summarizes your career objectives, skills, and experience.
Craft an attention-grabbing summary that highlights your unique selling points and grabs the employer's attention in no more than 2 to 3 sentences.
Highlight Your Current Skills
Your skills section should be a bullet-pointed list of the relevant skills you possess that match the job requirements.
Keep track of any new skills you acquire through training, certifications, or on-the-job experience, and make sure to incorporate them into your updated resume and include both hard and soft skills that align with the job description.
Showcase Your Accomplishments
If you want to update your resume with a new or recent job that you took up, make sure to highlight your achievements and not just your job duties.
Use bullet points to showcase your accomplishments in your previous roles and include specific numbers and metrics wherever possible to demonstrate the impact you made.
Proofread and Edit Carefully
After putting in all that effort to make an updated resume, the last thing you’d want is some minor grammatical errors and typos to ruin your first impression on the recruiters.
Therefore, to avoid such scenarios, ensure to proofread your updated resume thoroughly.
After proofreading and editing carefully, the final step is to save and export your updated resume in the appropriate file format.
We recommend saving your resume as a PDF file as it ensures that the formatting and layout remain intact regardless of the device or software the recruiter or hiring manager is using to open the file.
This also prevents any accidental changes to your resume by the recipient.
Also Read: What is the best resume checker to ensure that your resume is ATS-friendly?
How to Update Resume on LinkedIn?
If you want to update your resume on LinkedIn as well, which is indeed crucial, you can follow these steps:
- Log in to your LinkedIn account and go to your profile page
- Click on the "Add profile section" button and select "Featured" from the dropdown menu
- Choose the type of content you want to feature, which could be a document, link, image, or media
- Upload your updated resume as a document or add a link to your online resume
You can also add a title and description to your featured content to provide context and make it easy for others to understand.
And make sure to customize your LinkedIn headline and summary to align with your updated resume and that your LinkedIn profile and resume are consistent in terms of your job titles, work experience, and skills to avoid confusion or discrepancies.
Also Read: How to write an excellent resume in 2023?
Key Takeaways
- What is an updated resume and why keep your resume updated?
An updated resume reflects your recent accomplishments and qualifications, and is crucial for career advancement, staying relevant, customizing your resume for different jobs, standing out among other candidates, and preparing for unexpected job opportunities. Updating your resume regularly helps you keep up with career advancements, stay competitive, tailor your resume for specific job requirements, and be prepared for any unexpected job openings.
- How often should you update your resume and how to do it?
It's recommended to update your resume at least once every six months or after any significant career changes, such as a job promotion, new skills acquired, or a completed project. When updating your resume, tailor it to the job you're applying for, highlighting the skills and experiences most relevant to the position. Be concise, use bullet points, and focus on achievements and quantifiable results to make your resume stand out.
- How to Update Resume on LinkedIn?
To update your LinkedIn profile with your new resume, log in and go to your profile page. Click on "Add profile section," select "Featured," and upload your new resume as a document or link. Customize your headline and summary to match your updated resume and ensure consistency in job titles, work experience, and skills.
If you want to build an updated resume within minutes, use Hiration’s ChatGPT powered resume builder with 24x7 chat support. If you have any queries, write to us at support@hiration.com.
