All too often, people keep their resumes out of mind and out of sight. Unfortunately, this isn’t the best way to set yourself up for success. There’s tremendous value in having a resume that is current and ready for viewing even when you have a great job. Learn more about why you should keep your resume up-to-date, whether or not you’re looking for a job.
1. Jump on an Opportunity
You never know when your dream job will manifest. If you don’t have your resume ready, you could miss out on the ideal opportunity. You could waste hours or days of your time trying to prepare your old resume. By the time you send it to the employer, you could miss out on a chance to interview. Don’t allow yourself to lose out on a better job simply because you never updated your resume. If you update your resume regularly, you can apply for a job as soon as you hear about the opening.
2. Keep Everything Fresh in Your Mind
Even if you’ve only worked a few jobs in your lifetime, you probably have forgotten some of your day-to-day duties or achievements. If you don’t regularly edit your resume, you risk omitting some very important details. When you are ready to look for a new job, you won’t be able to include the details that could make you stand out from other applicants.
Meanwhile, regularly updating your resume sets you up for success. Because you add skills and accomplishments to your resume on a routine basis, you won’t forget to include anything. You’ll end up with a strong resume that appeals to hiring managers.
3. Have More Negotiating Power
Even if you never plan on leaving your current employer, you need to be ready to advocate for yourself. If you realize that you’re underpaid or that an advanced position has opened up, you need to have a document that sells yourself to your employer. By having an updated resume, you have just that. You can use your resume to negotiate a higher salary, request more benefits, or make your case for a promotion.
While you could do this without an updated resume, you’re better off having an updated resume. Consider this scenario. You’re at work and you hear about a promotion opportunity. If you don’t have your resume ready, you need to find the time to update your resume and send it to the right person. This involves stress and time. If you have a great resume waiting, you can immediately send it in.
4. Keep Track of Accomplishments
For both internal and external job opportunities, you need a list of accomplishments. And throughout the months and years, you can accumulate quite a few accomplishments. While you might not be able to think of many accomplishments off the top of your head, you can remember them if you keep a running list. Use your resume as a way to keep track of all of your success.
Having easy access to your accomplishments has multiple purposes. As you already know, it makes you more likely to get a raise or a promotion. But there’s another benefit to tracking your success. If you ever lose confidence or feel stuck, you can use your resume to boost your self-esteem. After a bad day at work, looking at your updated resume may cheer you up.
While you track your accomplishments, be sure to use metrics. Instead of saying, “successfully launched the course,” you could say “received 500 leads after launching the course.” Using very specific numbers makes it easier for a hiring manager to see your value.
5. Decrease the Stress of the Job Search
You never know when something bad will happen in your career. Although you might have every intention of staying with your employer, life could get in the way. An unexpected layoff could leave you scrambling and experiencing high levels of stress. If you have an updated resume, you have one less thing to worry about.
It might not seem like much, but having one less detail to worry about sets you up for less stress and more success. Instead of wasting days writing a new resume, you can start the job search immediately.
6. Improve Your Reputation and Visibility
When you have an updated resume, you can keep the document on networking platforms. Doing so boosts your visibility and helps you with networking opportunities. If you want to freelance or connect with others in your industry, an updated resume makes all the difference. You may even get unsolicited job offers simply because your resume is visible. In the future, your published and updated resume could result in a better job.
7. Make Fewer Mistakes
If you have your resume hiding away in a drawer or file somewhere, you risk having an imperfect document. You may not change your address after you move or notice a grammatical error. However, if you look at your resume regularly, you’re much more likely to notice mistakes. When the time comes to apply for a job, you’ll have a document that’s ready for professional eyes.
8. Save Time
Overall, having your resume ready to go saves you a great deal of time. If you update it once every three or four months, you might spend ten minutes each time you update it. The alternative is to update it when you’re looking for a job, which could take days. It’s not easy to come up with a list of achievements or job duties. Furthermore, it takes time to properly format your resume. A few minutes every few months could save you from days of stress as you scramble to find work.
So, you may not be thinking about a change in employer. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be networking or taking advantage of advancement opportunities. For the best chance at a prosperous career, you should update your resume frequently. When the time comes for a change, you’ll be ready.