Cleaning up your resume, especially if you already have a job, doesn’t necessarily sound like fun. But it’s important to keep your resume up-to-date, as you never know who you will meet or when a recruiter will give you a call. It doesn’t have to be a big project to spruce up your resume, so our team at High Profile is here to help you spring clean your resume – fast!
Start by printing a copy of your resume. Yes, you’ll need an actual print copy. Here’s why: looking at your resume on-screen and looking at an actual print copy will help you catch errors you may not have normally caught. Once your resume is printed, it’s time to bust out the red pen and get to work. Mark all of your changes on the paper, then go back and edit on your computer when finished.
So, what kind of changes should you be looking for? Keep your eye out for typos! Nothing should ever be misspelled on a resume. Look at your bullet points and formatting, everything should be consistent. Go through your bullets and re-write them to make them as readable as possible. Your resume should give a clear description of what you do; it shouldn’t be full of buzzwords that just confuse people. Make sure you quantify your results on your resume.
Next, update your accomplishments and check to see if they are all still accurate. If you’ve been in the workforce for a while, is it really necessary to have your college newspaper experience on there? Chances are you have much more current and important information you could put on there. Think of all of the things you’ve learned since you last edited your resume. Did you get a new certification? Or did you complete a training course in your area of expertise? These are great pieces of information that should be added to your updated resume.
The phrase “out with the old, in with the new” definitely applies to resume refreshing. Once you’ve made all of your changes, print the new copy and give it one final look. Even consider having a friend read it for a fresh set of eyes. For more tips on spring cleaning your resume, contact the expert recruiting team at High Profile Staffing today!