Meet Jane: She is happy at her current position as an executive assistant at XYZ Shipping Company. She loves her boss and, through regular performance reviews, she feels that her boss is happy with her work. Together they have set up a long term plan for Jane to keep her challenged and interested in her current role. She gets along with all her co-workers and is completely happy with her compensation package. How often should Jane update her resume? How often should you update your resume? The answer is constantly.

It’s probably fair to say that a large majority of employed workers who are satisfied with their job have not updated their resume since they were last looking for work.  Then, if a need for a professional resume arises, they scramble and burn the midnight oil to produce an adequate updated document for whoever requested it.  Let me ask you these questions:

• What if a promotion comes up at your current work?
• What if you dazzle your dream employer at a networking meeting?
• What if your partner has to move out of state and you find yourself looking for work?
• What if your company experiences a reduction in force?
• What if you are utilized as an expert in your field and asked to provide a resume?

In order to build an effective achievement based resume, you will need to make sure you are taking note of all of your key accomplishments. This is easier said than done.  Can you remember in detail what you were doing at your job five years ago? It’s hard to update what you can’t remember.  A constant update of your resume will require that you are stepping back and reflecting on your accomplishments to filter through what belongs on your resume.

Some experts will recommend updating your resume every month. I tend to think that is overkill.  My recommendation would be to create a quarterly calendar reminder.  Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a quarter due to craziness at work.  Reviewing your resume two to four times a year is adequate.

If you are one of those people who haven’t looked at your resume in over two years, you may want to consult with an expert.  I would be happy to provide a personalized critique with all the information necessary for you to update your resume.  Please click here to purchase your resume critique today.