Is your Résumé Action-Ready?

A résumé ought to be a living document, not a dusty one. If you have done something noteworthy in your job in the past three months, it is time to update your résumé—and if you haven't done something noteworthy in your job in the past three months, it is time to look for more challenging work, in which case it is also time to update your résumé.

According to research done for Robert Half International, 45% of workers haven't updated in the past year and 20% haven't updated in more than two years. If a new job opportunity did pop up, they would not be able to respond quickly.

Résumé Tune-Up

Spell-Check!
A revved up résumé ought to hold an employer spellbound, not leave him dumbfounded by the spelling. Poor spelling makes an employer skiddish skittish about how conscious conscientious you really are.

Use Bullet Points to Hit the Target.
• key words geared to profession
• action verbs, active voice
• quantify accomplishments, show numbers
• skills and strengths

Customization Specials
Now that most résumés are stored as word processor documents or portable document files rather than professionally printed on vellum, your main résumé file can be easily customized and framed so that it emphasizes the skills and training that apply to the job at hand. Keep master lists of things that you have done, and then pick out the four or five that best suit the specific job that you are applying for.

Go Social
Social networking is probably the oldest job-hunting skill around, but incorporating it in a résumé is relatively new. Use it, but with discretion. John Hill, Michigan State University’s director of alumni career services says, "LinkedIn is like the corporate office. Twitter is like the water cooler, and Facebook is like the bar."