How to Update Your Resume: 5 Simple Steps

Apart from CVs, resumes are a common requirement during the job application process. It's what you present to prospective employers. This document is one of the main bases of their hiring decisions. Due to this, it's important to keep your resume up to date.

Read more below to find out how to update your resume in just a few simple steps.

Why You Should Update Your Resume

You continue to gain experience as time passes. You might only remember the recent ones, but reflecting on your past experiences will help you uncover the ones you've forgotten and think about the ones you have now.

Updating your resume allows you to gather accurate data on your previous work experiences. It creates a timeline of your life. You may even see your skills from a different perspective. With this information, you can expand your understanding of the available opportunities.

As such, you'll have an easier time looking for jobs that suit your specific experiences and skills.

How to Update Your Resume in 5 Simple Steps

Updating your resume doesn't just expand your understanding of your skills. Doing this also helps employers see how you'll manage in their specific industry.

Here's how to update your resume and kickstart your journey of finding the right job for you.

Step 1: Update your resume's design

First on the list of how to update your resume is to give your layout a modern look. There are sites you can get resume templates from. But make sure to use new templates since old ones look clunky.

You can play with the appropriate fonts, sectioning, and colors. However, optimizing your resume for easy reading and compatibility with applicant tracking systems is best.

Step 2: Revise your summary

Your summary is a brief overview of your best skills and experiences. This information can quickly show employers how you are as an employee. As such, this second step on how to update your resume must reflect your current accomplishments and abilities.

Your goals and accomplishments don't stay the same as you gain more experience. They tend to change. That's why it's important to update your summary to show them how you've also developed with your experiences.

Step 3: Update your work experience

The next step on how to update your resume is to give your current experience the spotlight. If you've held new positions, add past experiences to the work history section. Make sure to include here what you accomplished in those roles.

Use action verbs and some statistics when possible. Don't just describe your role. Show them how your skills shined in that position.

Step 4: Include new skills

As you change roles and gain more experience, you'll naturally acquire more complex hard and soft skills. You can take a step further by indicating your competency level for each skill. So, your next step on how to update your resume is to make your current resume capture these new abilities.

Step 5: Use your recent contact information

Don't forget to update your recent contact information. This step will help employers get in touch with you easily once they see you as a fit for the role and their company.

New You, New Resume

Many employers require resumes during their application process. It's where they'll see how well a candidate fits their open roles, influencing their hiring decisions.

You gain more experience as you go through your work life. Updating your resume will help you reimagine your strengths, weaknesses, and yourself. And proactively doing so will open opportunities for you to reflect and look beyond what you already know.

Once your resume is updated, check out Career.com and send it to your prospective employers.