Now is a Great Time of Year to Update Your Resume

The holidays are always a busy time of year filled with family events, holiday potlucks, celebrations, and don’t forget great aunt Zelda’s fruitcake! What some people don’t realize is that it’s also a great time to think about your career and spend some time updating your resume. 

It’s a time to think about:

• Are you still on track to meet your professional goals?
• Is it time to raise the bar and seek new challenges?
• What can you do in the new year to invest in your career?

Step #1 - Update that resume!

Once the holiday festivities are over, you may find that you have some extra time off work. While you are considering whether you should watch football or binge on the last season of Game of Thrones, carve out a few hours to find the last version of your resume.  

Update it with relevant project highlights and accomplishments in the last year. If it’s been longer than a year since you updated your resume, bring it up-to-date with employers, titles and dates of employment.  Don’t worry about making it a masterpiece; just get the content down in electronic form so you have something to look at for the next step.

 Step #2 – Reflect and goal set!

Reflect back on the last year and give yourself a pat on the back for doing some great things in the last 12 months. Have those experiences added to your skill set and prepared you for a promotion or a role with more responsibility? Maybe the work in the last year solidified your abilities and increased your confidence. What goals can you set personally and professionally for next year that will keep you growing?

If you feel like you backslid last year, think about what can you do to reverse that trend. What steps can you take now that will get you back on your feet? Put together a 90-day action plan that you can start on today to get you moving in the right direction.

 Step #3 – The new year means new opportunity!

If achieving your goals in the new year looks like it will involve a promotion into a new role or seeking a new employer, there is good news. The start of the new year for many companies means new budgets, fresh business initiatives and additional hiring.

Reach out and investigate what a new role might do for your career.  Seek the advice of your trusted advisors and friends to see if 2018 is the year to consider a career move and the next exciting chapter in your professional life.

There is never a convenient time to do career planning and update your resume.  You need to be proactive and make some time or it won’t happen. If you can give yourself the gift of a resume update this holiday season, you will be ready to grab the new year by the reins and move your career forward.

What do you think? Do you have any tips to add? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.