6 Benefits to Keeping Your Resumé Updated

In this fiercely competitive job market, it is vital to stand out. That is why it is important to update your resumé regularly. This document communicates your skills and credentials to employers. Think of it as a symbol of your brand among hundreds of other brands.

It has to be hardworking and remarkable. During recruitment, employers may go through hundreds of resumés. To save time, companies have turned employee screening into a science. An eye-tracking study done by experts shows that recruiters spend an average of seven seconds screening one resumé. Many companies also use applicant tracking systems (ATS) – resumé-screening software, in other words – that scan your resumé for relevant keywords.

Your updated resumé needs to be impressive enough to pass the quick screening test of human and digital recruiters.

For this to happen, you always have to keep your resumé up-to-date. Experts recommend reviewing your resumé every three months or after achieving career milestones. It is a good idea to also make updates after each performance evaluation you receive. These sessions with your manager can give you valuable insight into your skills and career wins. Make sure to include these as you update your resumé.

This period is an ideal time to get it done. Experience management company Qualtrics found that employee retention in Singapore in 2022 is 53 per cent, the lowest rate in the Asia Pacific. If you are among those who are itching to join the great resignation wave, your updated resumé should be one of the handy tools in your arsenal.

Standing out and being ready are just some advantages of keeping your resumé updated. The following points further explain why you should never neglect your resumé.

An Updated Resumé Avoids Job Application Stress.

With a current version in your files, you will never have to panic when a recruiter asks for your resumé. Keeping it up-to-date also saves you time. When you see a job advertisement you would like to apply for, you can immediately send your resumé. You do not have to spend a day revising, potentially losing the opportunity to apply.

Recruiters in online job platforms will be able to spot you easily.

When you update your resumé, do not forget to do the same with the one you published on online job platforms, such as JobStreet. With a searchable resumé, recruiters on these platforms can find you anytime. It would be a shame if your list of skills and accomplishments is not current. After all, thousands of recruiters visit these platforms. JobStreet, for example, has over 230,000 corporate hirers in its database. Keep your resumé ready to catch the attention of these hirers.

It Gives You a Chance to Reevaluate Your Career Path.

If you are a long-time employee, you may be so comfortable in your job that you forget your career is supposed to follow an upward trajectory. Reading your resumé helps you see if you are reaching your career objectives. You can then determine how you want to plan out the next decade of your career.

Adding to Your Accomplishments Boosts Your Confidence.

How far have you come from having just one entry under Work Experience. You get to celebrate your wins again as you include more achievements in your resumé. As you revisit past milestones, you get inspired to keep using your talents to excel. Additionally, if you record your work accomplishments regularly, there is little chance of missing anything. Use your resumé as documentation of your body of work.

It Clarifies Areas for Improvement.

Do your accomplishments make you feel like you could have done more? Another advantage of regularly updating your resumé is discovering how else you can do better. Writing down all your credentials helps you identify the areas you need to improve and the qualifications to pursue to keep building up your career.

Having an updated resumé may help you get a promotion.

When there is a higher position to be filled, managers may ask for resumés of likely candidates in-house. It will be easy for you to submit your resumé immediately if it is updated. Your quick submission gives you an edge over colleagues with outdated resumés. Grab the opportunity to be nominated for promotion by paying attention to your resumé.

How to Get Your Resumé Noticed By Employers

Aside from keeping your resumé regularly updated, there are other things you can do to make it stand out. See to it that you do the following:

Let your resumé evolve with the trends.

Leave the printed-out resumés in favour of digital ones (in Word, PDF, or video format). Terms such as “References available upon request” are no longer necessary. Employers will ask for references if they are interested ; no need to give them instructions. Replace the vague objective statement with a more specific professional summary. The latter focuses on your experiences, accomplishments, and career goals. The former is just a waste of precious space.

Emphasise your credentials that are relevant to the job.

If you are updating your resumé to apply for a specific post, use the job ad as a guide. Include the skills that will show the employer you are qualified for the position. You will usually find the list of qualifications under Job Requirements in the job ad.

Keep it concise.

When it comes to your resumé, shorter is better. Two pages should be the maximum length. You are listing a synopsis of your accomplishments, not your life story. If your work history is extensive, include only achievements in the past decade. Remember, this is a work document. Leave out personal information such as your hobbies, religious affiliation, nationality, and marital status. Do not include your photo.

Use the right words.

Every word counts in your resumé. Describe your successes and qualities using positive, active verbs. Try the following powerful words and phrases: achieved, improved, resolved, influenced, increased revenue, and organised an event under budget. Avoid these vague clichés: think outside the box, team player, results-driven, hard worker, dynamic, and self-motivated. In your resumé, write about specific achievements, not generalised qualities.

Additionally, use keywords to make your resumé searchable by ATS. Determine which keywords to use by looking at the job descriptions of the roles you are pursuing. Find the commonly used terms in the ad. For example, the keywords in an ad for nurses would beregistered nurse,nursing care, andcaregiver training. Plug those into your resumé to make it easily searchable.

Proofread.

Ensure your resumé has no grammatical mistakes, typos, formatting inconsistencies, or misspelt words. An error-free resumé always makes a good impression on employers.

How often you should update your resumé is just one of the things you need to consider throughout your career. There are numerous reasons why you need to keep this document current. The main one is that with an updated resumé, you will always be ready for any work prospects. It is also a good habit to regularly check your work milestones. Doing this will show you if your current path supports your career goals. You can then plan accordingly.

Even if you are not looking for a new job,#SEEKBetteropportunities by regularly updating your resumé. Go over your JobStreet profile and update it today.

Once you revise your resumé online, don't forget to download JobStreet's app Google Play or the App Store for more convenient access to available roles.