Everyone should have an up to date resume ready – whether you have no desire to leave your current job, or whether you are looking to transition to a new position as a full-time or freelance worker.
Although “anything is better than nothing” in an emergency, ideally you want to avoid your resume being a trainwreck that heads toward the ER! So if you don’t have a resume at the moment, or you haven’t updated it in a while – now is the time to take action.
The trick, however, is making yourself stand out from the crowd. Prospective employers or clients will receive many resumes – so you want yours to reflect how special you are, and how you can make a difference to a company.
Sadly, few of us are effective self-marketers, so it’s easy for our resume to end up resembling a “To Do” list (or maybe a “To Done” list!). Highlighting how previous responsibilities helped employers, rather than simply listing what they were, can be an extremely effective tool in demonstrating your skill sets.
Although “one size doesn’t fit all” when it comes to resume-writing, there are definitely some general points worth considering as a starter. I’m in the middle of revamping my resume right now & thought I’d share some posts that I’ve come across & enjoyed.
Check out these 5 articles for some great insight into compiling a resume:
Is It Time For Your Resume Checkup?
Some resume-writing tips from a medical writer
Ten Easy Ways To Improve Your Resume
Don’t Make These Mistakes On Your Resume
Why You Should Keep Your Resume Updated
What tips can you share for resume writing?
Good tips. I haven’t looked at my resume in years (I’m twelve years into my current teaching gig). Excuse me while I take a peek.
You know, I never even knew what a resume was until I came to this country 11 years ago – we only use CVs in the UK. Or at least back then we did – maybe times have changed since I lived there. And this year is really the only time I’ve ever started compiling a resume for myself – my usual “day job” applications have always typically revolved around CV submissions. But since I started doing some freelance writing in addition, I’ve been getting asked more and more for a resume.
Nicky, are cvs only about education? I’ve always been confused about the difference between cvs and resumes… of course I use a writing credit list just to keep everyone guessing.
It’s funny Anne – I’d never even heard of a resume until 11 years ago when I moved to the US. I’m not sure exactly what the technical answer is here, but my “101” understanding is that a resume is more of a snapshot of a CV, covering highlights, I suppose, rather than expanding in depth on the specific details of jobs & projects etc.
Thanks for posting these helpful blogs! It’s been very helpful to read your blog and the others I’ve found through yours (Anne’s, etc). I’ve found it particularly reassuring to know I’m not the only one worried I’m not good enough or experienced enough to be successful. I have some lingering questions about the utility of blogs and tweets. Would you consider blogging about how these help your career? For example, do you expect to attract clients through your blog, or is this more of a sample for them to view-or just a fun exercise for you?
Thanks again!
Hi Erin! Thanks for stopping by & for the nice comment. I’m really glad that reading stuff here has helped to keep you encouraged – it keeps me encouraged to continue if I know it’s useful to some. Funnily enough too, I’ve been thinking about doing a post about the networking side of things, so I absolutely will get right on that & share thoughts from my side at least.
thanks!!