The answer is simple; right now today. Regardless of the economy it is good to be proactive rather than waiting until the day you need an updated résumé. There are critical times you need a résumé and the most important is when someone un-expectantly asks you for your résumé.
Most people wait till the day they are laid off. If this is you, then you are already one day late. People often think the best time to look for a job is when they need a job. (That is, the day after they were laid off or have been given notice or have had enough of their current job.) These same people also think the best time to update their résumé is the day after they have been laid off, have been give notice of a lay off or have found a job that they want to apply to and thus these candidates are unprepared.
A good general rule is to review and update your résumé 2 to 4 times a year. That may seem excessive but ‘things’ in your current job change. How many times in a year do your job responsibilities change, roles change, software change and other tools change? Thus because of these changes, it is important to update your résumé often. Always update your résumé after you have completed a major accomplishment for your employer such as reducing cost, saving money, increasing sales exceeding quotas.
A smart candidate, that is currently working, keeps their résumé updated often. When a Headhunter calls them, they are ready. They are also ready for when a friend calls with a good job lead. They are also ready for when their current employer posts a job internally. These smart candidates can act instantly because they are ready. They have updated their résumé in advance and have spent good quality time on their résumé. They have good business smarts! And let’s face it these are the type of people that employers want to hire!
I worked for a manager that kept her updated résumé in the top drawer of her office desk. Let me give you some background on her. She was one of the most dedicated employees the company has ever had and she lived and breathed this company. Yet she wanted to move up to the next level which was a director level position. So she wanted to be ready for the day the director position opened. She was prepared, her résumé was updated often. She was not going to waste time updating her résumé at the last minute. And yes, the director position eventually opened up and she got that job!
If you find yourself in the middle of this recession without a job and looking for a new job, then spend some time on your résumé. As a matter of fact spend a couple of hours a week on the content of your résumé until you land a job. Spelling and grammar are important and it is best to have someone edit your work. Ask yourself, “Does my résumé read well? Does my résumé properly describe who I am and the success I had in previous jobs?” If you can not answer yes, then go back to the computer and start again.
If you are employed and not really looking I suggest you mark one day a quarter on your calendar, organizer or Outlook as ‘résumé review’ time. This is the time to update your responsibilities, roles, titles and tools. Reread your résumé and ask yourself, “Would I hire this person?”
Crafting a good résumé takes time. Therefore if you are updating a few hours or even a day before you need one then I can guess it is not your best work. How many times have you used the same version of a résumé when someone pointed out an error in dates or spelling? Your résumé is the first thing an employer or hiring manager sees. Your résumé represents you. It may be the single most important tool in your job search. Shouldn’t you spend more than a few hours on your résumé?
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