How to Build a Better Resume Part 1

Most people hate doing resumes. Full stop. They don't like writing them, they don't like talking about them, they don't like having them, but they are one of the most important pieces of information that you can have in your job and career search.

?Are you most people??

And if you're like most people, you haven’t updated your resume in a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnng time. You don't have it ready, if something happens to you and you lose your job or your company folds, you would be in shock. You’d have to then sit down, gather all of your relevant job information and accomplishments for all the years since your last update, and start working to make sure you get your resume ready to apply to jobs. All of this before you can even get started looking for the right role!?

And so I always tell people, if you stay ready you don't have to get ready. But in the event you're not, here are some tips for you on how to build a better resume.?

Get your pen and paper out if you don't have them ready. If you do, take these notes.?

I want you to create some descriptive summaries of your experiences in the job market and your accomplishments. Now, you probably have an old resume already laying around. Dust that off. If it's on your floppy drive, don't worry about that. Dust that off, and get out what you have. Because if you're like a lot of people, you don't remember all the things that you've done. You want to make sure that you at least have a basis from where to start.?

Gather all your information together and come up with some summaries. Start writing freehand what it is you've done and what you can remember.

There are two sides to this coin. So if you're starting from scratch, you've got to sit there and really kind of think about it, figure out the things that you did.

I always advise people to take notes, if you have gotten any awards, for example, or achieved any milestones at work, make sure you update your resume as you go along. That way you won't rely on your own memory to remember things that you need to add. So the best thing to do is again, stay consistent. Make sure you update your resume as you go along. And make sure you capture all the data that you need, so when it comes for you to really need your resume, you don't have to sit for hours and revise it.

If you haven't done that, make sure you sit down and get your stuff together. Read your summaries out and define your career framework where your summaries live. Now when you get these summaries make sure they're not just laying around. Make sure to stay tuned to next week’s edition for part 2!