Keeping one’s resume up to date is generally not at the top of “to do” lists since most of us don’t change our jobs frequently and as such our resumes quickly become outdated, inaccurate and forgotten. However, considering that we got our current jobs in part due to that old, outdated paper representation of ourselves we should definitely keep them current. Even if you are currently happy and satisfied with your job, your resume should never be more than 6 months old, that way it can be updated quickly when needed while at the same time act as a great reminder of your progression and career choices. Having realized this myself I decided to see how much I’ve grown, improved and learned over the years (if at all 😉 ).
Updating resume with what I have been doing all these years was an eye-opening experience on many levels. First, I realized that I really need to keep this document up to date (revisit it semi-annually at least) as it will make the updating process much easier and make accomplishments fresher in my mind. Second, I did more then I thought I did over the years. Time flies and we do things daily that we don’t pay too much attention to, but once you put them on paper and look at the impact they had it puts it all in perspective. Furthermore, comparing your resume with that next position you are striving for makes you look at things objectively and highlights the (mis)alignment of job responsibilities with your qualifications and experience.
Having said that, when was the last time you seriously put some time aside to update your resume or CV? Objectively, looking at the resume alone, would you hire yourself for that dream job?
Ask yourself these questions and the answers might surprise you.