14- 4 Reasons to update your resume today

When was the last time you updated your resume? If you are like most people, you haven’t updated your resume since the last time you were looking for a new job, or the marketing department was updating company resumes for proposal purposes. This may have been a month ago, or two years ago, and chances are, it was difficult for you to capture all of the relevant information on your resume because you simply didn’t remember it. If you are the type of person who works on multiple projects per year, do your future-self a favor and keep your resume updated. If you are like me, updating your resume seems like a chore and you are a procrastinator by nature so it doesn’t get done until someone else in your company needs it or you are looking for a new project.
After all, when you finish the project, shouldn’t you be excited to move on to the next one? Of course, you should! However, by updating your resume when you work on the project or upon project completion, you have the best, freshest information and you can celebrate your recent success! So stop procrastinating and update your resume!

Having an updated resume will help you 1) navigate application submissions that require experience,  such as an Engineer In Training;  2) remember the successful projects  you worked on when it is time to fill out your annual review forms; 3) win more business for yourself and your company; and 4) be prepared if another business  opportunity arises.

Reason 1: Your project history is readily accessible when you need to fill out applications.
Many entry-level professionals go on to seek additional certifications and licenses, such as a Professional Engineer licensure.  These types of applications require explanation of work experience. These can be completed quickly if you have been keeping track of your work. I recommend adding each project you work on to your resume either as you are working on it, or upon completion. Be sure to include not only information about you role on the project, but also add details such as the type of analysis you performed. For example, if you work on a project involving storm water design you would want to include the project description including the project site description, who the client was, and a summary of your work on the project. You should also highlight project success and describe any innovative work you performed. Be sure to include a concise list of calculations and/or analysis you performed, including the programs used. For example, “I completed storm water runoff calculations using HydroCAD. Keeping track of this information as you are working on the project is the easiest way to capture correct and complete data on your projects and allows you to fill out project details when they are fresh in your mind.

Reason 2: You need help remembering all the great things you’ve done
How can you remember all of the great work you’ve completed if you don’t take notes? Keeping track of them as you achieve them will not only reinforce your success as you write it down, but will also allow you to have better recall when sharing your success with others. When keeping notes on your project successes, be sure to include not only project details, but also key internal and external team members you worked with and specific details on your role on the team. For example, did you solve a specific problem, work extra hours, or prepare the winning proposal? Write down all of these details for future use.
When you have an up-to-date record of your work, you can use it as a reference of the amazing work you completed when you are disheartened by an office setback, and you have an automatic list with extensive details of your individual achievements when completing your annual review.

Reason 3: A resume can win or lose future work for your company.
Many Americans work in industries such as consulting or construction where the common practice is to present proposals to clients to win future work. The goal of the proposal is to show the client that your firm is experienced and can excel at the given task, while providing value and good customer service. In any proposal, whether written or verbal, the client needs to feel that you and your company are qualified to tackle their specific problem. Often, this request for qualifications comes in the form of a formal proposal where key employee resumes are included.
Whether you are in charge of the proposal, or it is assigned to others, updated resumes are a critical component of a winning proposal. Clients often look at the specific work experience of the people that will be working on their project.  Some considerations they may have are: 1) Does the experience listed in the resume section match their current need? 2) Based on the team’s previous work, are they a good fit for the project?
A client may decide quickly whether or not to award work based on the strength of the resumes provided. Additionally, some clients will even award work contingent on certain team members being assigned to their project. As a “go-to” person, you will easily stand out by having an updated resume. You will be able to quickly customize your resume to highlight the experience needed for the current proposal, and help win the job for yourself and your company.

Reason 4: Just like a boy scout, you should always be prepared.
When opportunity presents itself, you need to be prepared. Alexander Graham Bell said, “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” While you may love your current job, you should be prepared if an opportunity that is “more right” for you comes along. For example, I was a staff engineer at a consulting firm where my technical skills grew at an accelerated rate, and I loved working with the other team members. However, I was not able to grow my writing, presentation, or client relationship skills as quickly as I wanted. While out on a site one day I got a call from a recruiter who described my dream position and asked if I was interested and had a current resume. Luckily, I had been tracking my project experience in preparation for the Professional Engineer Exam application and could send the same day. After one phone interview and one face-to-face interview I was hired, that was nine years ago. Having an updated resume allowed me to quickly seize a great opportunity for professional growth.
When you are presented with another opportunity that is better than the one you currently have due to geography, training, upward mobility, or another reason – You need to be ready! Keep in mind; I’m not suggesting that you keep an updated resume on a job search site such as monster.com, or that you send a general resume when opportunities do arise. Keep your resume up to date, but keep it to yourself until you have both the need to share it and the time to make it special and unique for the company and position you are applying for. In short, being prepared might help you land your dream job!

Having an updated resume will help you 1) navigate application submissions that require experience,  such as an Engineer In Training;  2) remember the successful projects  you worked on when it is time to fill our your annual review forms; 3) set yourself and your company up to win future work and  4) be prepared if another business  opportunity arises.

What did you add to your resume today?