Just Started New Job? Update Your Resume!

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Did you start a new job this week? If so, congratulations! Time to update your resume!

Yes, you read correctly. At the end of your first day, update your resume with your new position and duties. Don't worry if you don't have any accomplishments yet - those will come.

Too many times, job seekers, employed and unemployed alike, face stress and anxiety when they're asked for their resume. Take the action that will make that stress and anxiety disappear. Update your resume with your new job... the one you just started this week! And then take the time to keep it updated, a few minutes every month will usually be enough. The future job-seeker inside of you will the thank the present you.

You're The CEO?

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If you own your own business, you likely wear many hats. If you own a very small business (you're the only employee), you wear all the hats. You started a shoe-shine business; you're doing computer repair; you have a great website that sells Furbies. Congratulations.

Now you're looking for a traditional job. And on your resume, you list your title as CEO, likely because that is what you put on your business card. There is nothing wrong with considering yourself the CEO of your small business.

But should you put it on your resume?

When hiring managers see your resume and you are listed as CEO, they chuckle.

Were you appointed by your board of directors? What's that? You don't have a board of directors?

If you're company does not have a board of directors, the body to which a CEO typically reports, consider giving yourself a different title.

If you're a one-person shop and you give yourself the title of CEO, you can come across as being focused on prestige and how others perceive you, more than serving customers or achieving results.

How about just listing your title in plain english: Owner.

What Is Your E-Mail Address?

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No matter what style your resume is in, I'll bet your name, address, phone number and e-mail address is on the top of the page. I remember writing resume before e-mail was as ubiquitous as it is today. Nearly everyone had an address that ended in aol.com or yahoo.com, as well as the occasional bigfoot.com (anyone remember that one?). And there was nothing worse than the 726651.98712@compuserve.com ones. But several years ago, I started seeing a disturbing trend of inappropriate e-mail addresses adorning the top of the page.

Candidates sent me resumes with e-mail addresses that looked like (slight variations made to protect the guilty):

  • sexxxymomma69@...
  • DrUnKiE21@...
  • partyanimalzzz@...
  • wonder44woman@...

As the hiring manager, can you guess what my perception of these candidates was? An e-mail address like one of those is a huge red-flag!

My recommendation? Create a unique e-mail address specific to your job search. Don't use it for forwarding jokes or registering for a dating website. There are a lot of great e-mail services out there, just pick one. GMail (the free e-mail service from Google) works perfect. For best results, use your real name as your handle if you can. If your name is Suzanne Queue, try to get suzanne.queue@gmail.com. By the way, you can add "." anywhere in your e-mail address.

Lastly, if you own your domain and your e-mail address is on that domain, everyone that sees your resume will visit your website. Make sure it's something you'd want a prospective employer to see.

Don't Think It, Ink It

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Years ago, on 38 Proven Ways to Close that Sale, Mark Victor Hansen uttered the phrase, "Don't think it, ink it. Delegate it to document". That phrase stuck with me. It reminds me that if we will need to remember something, write it down!

That's exactly what you should be doing with your job duties and accomplishments. Whatever system you want to employ, you need to regularly record facts and statistics about your job.

Even a simple file folder will work. When you have something that may someday belong on your resume, print a copy and put in your folder.

Some things you should put in your folder:

  • Original offer letter
  • A copy of your job description
  • Performance evaluations
  • Copies of any performance reports
  • Written kudos and compliments
  • Training certifications

If you've not been doing this already, start today. Years from now you'll be glad you did.

You Need a Resume

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Originally posted on mattbeckwith.com 12/11/10 If you have a job, need a job, or believe someday you will need a job, you need a resume.

Really, you do.

I see a lot of resumes. And, yet, I still meet a lot of people that don’t have one. They have many reasons for not having an up-to-date resume. Frankly, none of them are good reasons.

Recent unemployment numbers show California with the third highest unemployment rate in the US (12.4%, higher than anytime in the last 30+ years) behind only Michigan (12.8%) and Nevada (14.2%). Recent reports show Stockton with a 16.6% unemployment rate. Additionally, for every job opening there are 5 unemployed people. I’m sure you don’t need those statistics to tell you that we are in a tight job market.

In this economy, with record unemployment, a resume is crucial. You might think that the only way to get a job is to “know someone on the inside”, someone in your target company that can help get your foot in the door. Your foot is a metaphor for your resume.

An opportunity to talk with a hiring manager may pop up at any time. The last thing you want to be doing is scrambling to put together a resume at the last minute.

A well crafted resume that highlights your accomplishments and how they can benefit your prospective employer is a good first step. Keep in mind, the only purpose your resume serves is to get you an interview.

Links: http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_unemployment_statistics http://www.bls.gov/web/jolts/jlt_labstatgraphs.pdf http://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/metro_11032010.pdf