International Update Your Resume Month

September is the start of something new: the school year, football season, autumn, and more. September is also Classical Music Month, National Italian Cheese Month, and most importantly, International Update Your Resume Month.

You may be thinking, I have a great job: I don’t need to update my resume. Or, I haven’t done anything new recently: I don’t need to update my resume.

But what if something wonderful arises for which you do need an updated resume? Maybe your dream job opens up. Applicants who submit their credentials and application closest to the initial job posting are most likely to be considered for the position; you do not want to jeopardize your chances due to scrambling to update your information. Or, perhaps a professional opportunity — such as a fellowship or a grant, for instance — comes your way. The more updated your information, the easier the process will be.

So, what exactly should you update?

Contact Information

Have you joined the masses and converted from Hotmail to Gmail? Can you finally pare down “current address” and “permanent address” to just address? Have you changed phone numbers in your many moves? Have you experienced a name change? Regardless of whether or not any of those scenarios apply to you, double-check your contact information. The last thing you want is a potential employer having a hard time getting a hold of you.

Social Media

The times they are a-changing. While employers used to look only at what was in front of them (i.e. the resume, application, and cover letter), they now turn to social media and Google searches to vet candidates. Do the human resources department a favor and include that information on your resume — but ensure that what they are going to see is professional.

Work Experience

Of course you should ensure you have your place of employment updated. What some fail to change, however, is position. Perhaps you earned a promotion a few months into your tenure with the company; be sure to include this on your resume. Maybe your role changed just slightly; that should be updated as well.

Additionally, consider revising the description for each position. Maybe your role with the company has not changed all that much, but you can certainly update the verbiage used to detail your responsibilities: avoid uninteresting and mundane diction and instead use strong, vivid action verbs. Moreover, update the descriptions to suit the changing times: if your resume is the same now as it was five years ago, you have some major overhauling to do, especially in regard to technology expertise.

Honors and Recognitions

There is a strong chance that you have received accolades since you last updated your information. Were you asked to present your project in a national forum? Was your research published in a scholarly journal? Were you named Employee of the Month? Did you receive a prestigious award in your field? Did you contribute to a positive change in your company or rake in more revenue? These are all items that should be added to your resume. Remember, your resume is one tool you have to sell yourself: make sure you include anything and everything that highlights how incredible and invaluable you are.

Education

Oftentimes we think that as soon as we earn that degree, we are finished updating our education. However, it is highly likely that you have continued to learn over the course of your career — through professional development conferences and seminars, through training courses, through graduate work, through specialized certifications, etc. Each of these unique educational opportunities should be added to your resume, as they show your investment in continuing to improve and hone your craft.

Format

For a long time, advisors and mentors encouraged very specific templates to follow when writing a resume: start with your contact information followed by your objective statement, your education, your work experience, and so forth. However, it is not abnormal to see varying formats used for resumes today. Structure your information the way that best showcases you and your talents — and your creativity and professionalism.

Relatedly, give your resume another once-over to ensure that it is formatted consistently. If you use bullet points, make sure that they are aligned the exact same throughout the entire resume. If you have a period after one descriptor, include a period after each descriptor. If you use bold, underlined, or italic font for one section, you should use that same type for each one. And it should go without being said, but double-check spelling and grammar, too.

While International Update Your Resume Month is not as exciting as National Ice Cream Month (July) or National Wine Month (May), the rewards you will reap from “celebrating” this September will likely be much more fulfilling.