Updating your resume doesn't have to be too time-consuming or painful, says resume expert Lauren Milligan, founder of ResuMAYDAY, a Chicago-based resume writing and career services firm. She shares five quick tips for breathing new life into your old resume.
1. Start at the End
Don't overwhelm yourself by looking at your entire resume -- yet. "Look at the bottom of your resume and see if there's anything new that you can add. Workshops, professional training, or awards are a quick way to add something current," says Milligan.
2. Where You've Been and Where You're Going
Next, look at the position nearest the bottom of your resume. Milligan advises, "Ask yourself if it's still relevant to your current career goal. If it's not, delete it so you can build on more current accomplishments that will further your career."
If that last position is still somewhat relevant, "Just edit it down. The very first position you held should get the least amount of attention," she reveals.
3. A Year in the Life
Turn your attention toward your current job. Milligan says, "Update any new projects or accomplishments that have occurred over the last year. Even if it's not a promotion, just include anything from 2007 that can be added to it."
4. Update Your Look
Current information deserves a current look. Does your resume look stylish and polished -- or plain, dull, and dated? If so, Milligan believes it may be time to give your resume a face lift. "If you're still using the same resume format you used a few years ago, you should change it to something more suited to the positions you're currently pursuing -- not those you had after graduation."
Also, make your resume available in several formats -- text only, Microsoft Word, and a PDF. "There's a good use for each of these formats. Having a PDF of your resume at the ready implies a little more technical savvy on your part."
5. Proofread. Proofread. Proofread.
Milligan cannot stress enough the importance of proofreading your resume. "Every time you make any changes to your resume, it's possible to introduce another error," says the resume and careers guru. "Proofread it again and again, and ask a few friends to look at it, also. You can never be too careful."
Adds Milligan, "If you have a 'blah' resume, you're leaving yourself open to those jobs that other aren't willing to do. Update it to make it great!"
