Your Annual Job-Search Resume Checkup

Your Annual Job-Search Resume Checkup

Printer-Friendly Version

by Deborah Walker

If it has been a while since you brushed up or even reviewed your old job-search resume, you'll want to take the time now -- before beginning your next job search -- to complete a resume checkup.

These four questions will help you focus your resume for even better job-hunting results.

1. Has your career objective changed since your last job search?

More specifically, are you attempting to change your industry or profession? If so, your resume requires a new marketing message based on your transferable skills. This approach will help potential employers see you outside of the context of your current industry or profession.

Remember, a resume is more than just an historical document; it is the print ad of your job-search campaign. For peak effectiveness, your resume should be based on the buying motives of your new target audience. Communicating your transferable skills is an excellent way to tap into employer buying motives. Consider using our Transferable Skills Worksheet for Resumes and Cover Letters

2. Does your current resume reflect your professional growth -- or are still using the same resume format that got you your first job out of college?

As you grow professionally, you'll need a resume that reflects your level of professionalism. The more sophisticated formats allow you to showcase your best accomplishments based on the strategic selling points of your career.

3. Does your resume feature accomplishments from top to bottom?

The best way to capture employers' attention and create a strong first impression is with measurable accomplishments. Accomplishments are most significant when they demonstrate your contribution to an employer's bottom line. If your resume focuses more on what you did than on how well you did it, it's time to rewrite those "features" into "benefits." Consider using our Accomplishments Worksheet.

4. Was your last job search during a job-seeker's market?

The job market of the late 1990s, for example, was fantastically in favor of job-seekers; resumes were less important in attracting employer attention. Today's job market, however, is fiercely competitive, and a polished, professional resume is critical to winning an employer's notice. If your last job search was a walk in the park, look objectively at your resume. Does it have what it takes to compete against an avalanche of candidate responses or will it likely get lost at the bottom of the resume pile?

Final Thoughts on Annual Reviewing Your Resume

Here's the real proof: Are you getting responses from your resume? Your resume has only one job: to get you interviews. If that isn't happening, don't just blame the job market; improve your message. Think of your job search as a professional marketing campaign in a saturated market. The tougher the competition, the more vitally important it is to have a resume with a strong marketing message that sets you above the crowd.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

Deborah Walker is a Certified Career Management Coach. Her expertise includes resume writing and career coaching. She holds membership in the National Resume Writer's Association. As a former headhunter, her advice comes from an insider's prospective based on years working with HR professionals and corporate hiring managers. Visit Deb on the Web. Or email her for a free resume critique/price quote at deb@alphaadvantage.com.

Have you taken advantage of all the many free resume tools, articles, samples, and more that we have in the Resume Resources section of Quintessential Careers?

Find a New Job

What:
Where:
jobs by

Job-Hunting Tools:

Career Tools:

Career Categories: