Easily Update Your Resume for an Unexpected Opportunity

When is the last time you updated your resume?

If you are actively job seeking you are probably looking at your resume a lot and thinking about it. Hopefully you have taken advantage of a free professional resume critique and are sending out the most updated, best version of your resume you can create.

But what if you aren’t looking for a new job, but an amazing job opportunity comes along and you need to update your resume quickly? Are you ready?

Update Your Resume Regularly

Unexpected job opportunities do come up, and usually when you least expect them. You might run into a contact at lunch and she tells you her company is hiring and she asks, “Do you want to send over your resume?” Could you do that today?

In order to be prepared and follow-up quickly, it’s good practice to look at your resume at least once a month and evaluate it. Follow the tips below and you will be ready for anything!

#1. Get a professional critique of your resume

Start with a FREE critique and go from there. You are great at what you do, and we are great and helping you craft a resume that presents the best possible version of your experience and credentials.

#2. Add new information

Once you have your professionally crafted resume it will be easy to up date on the fly. Look at where your resume left off and start with your current job and most recent accomplishments and acquired skills. Don’t forget volunteer work and relevant activities outside of work. It might help to think about the last time you explained to someone what you do. What part of your job did you focus on?

Craft bullet points that provide additional information that is not apparent from your job description. What do you currently do that is relevant to the position you are applying for?

Get it all down quickly and worry about editing later.

#3. Formatting

Since you started with a professionally designed resume, stick to the current formatting. Don’t spend time fiddling with it or trying to make it look better or more enticing. Double check that the content you add does’t change the layout and formatting.

#4. Editing

Bad grammar and spelling are surefire ways of getting your resume immediately tossed. Do the following:

• Run spell check
• Read your resume out loud to see how it sounds. Any missing words?
• Look for inconsistencies (does every bullet point end in a period or not? Are your dates all formatted the same? Things like that.

#5. Update Your Online Information

Every time you update your resume check all of your social media platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and make sure the information there is current and consistent with the information on your resume. There are lots of ways a potential new employer could find information about you so it’s important that it is current.

#6. Audit Yourself Monthly

If you get in the habit of reviewing your resume and online information at least once a month, you can be sure it will be pretty current and accurate if an opportunity does come up. You won’t have to spend more than 10 to 20 minutes on it in order to be ready to send it the same day to someone.

Join Our Discussion

For more insights and a community of like-minded professionals join our LinkedIn group Resume Help and Advice for Professionals and Executives.