Easy Steps to Update Your Resume with a New Job

 

In our previous post, we’ve shared tips on how to completely rewrite your resume for a career change during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this article, we’ll be offering easy steps to update your resume with a new job, if you’re applying for roles within the same industry or sector. 

Updating your resume to include your new positions doesn’t have to be a frustrating process. This type of adjustment could only take several minutes to complete and can have a surprisingly big impact. 

Below we’ve shared a little guidance on how to go about implementing the update as easily and as effectively as possible. 

 

Convert any ‘present’ positions to past tense

 

This is what I like to do first when updating resumes for our past clients. Why? It’s easy to forget to go back and change all verbs to past tense. So it’s better to go ahead and get this simple task out of the way.

Don’t forget to change the verbs in the middle of your bullet points as well. Some job seekers change those at the start of their bullet points and forget about the rest.

 

Add the new position

 

After converting the most current role on the resume to past tense, it’s now time to add your new position. 

For consistency in formatting, duplicate the most current role by copying and pasting above it. Change the content and mention your new position, dates (start month and year), job responsibilities (in present tense) and achievements (if you already have at this stage).  

Try to emulate the writing structure, voice and language as best as you can when writing the new position. Your reader should not be able to tell the new content was entered at a different time than the rest of the document. 

 

Condense and trim excess information

 

After adding your new role, you’ll usually find that you’ve gone over to the next page. 

There’s really no standard length for an Australian resume. But if the last page of your resume amounts to just a few lines of text, it’s always best to condense so that the preceding page becomes your resume’s last page. 

Your next task is to identify what you can trim or remove. Always begin with older roles. Read your resume from the bottom up. If the oldest role is now dated (or not relevant to the position you’re targeting), perhaps it can be removed completely. 

If removing an entire position is not an option, you can just remove the job description and leave out your key achievements or highlights. 

Avoid adding superfluous texts just to fill up the last page of your resume. Again, it’s always better to condense and declutter that to fluff up content for the sake of filling space. 

 

Retarget your skills and professional summary

 

Executing a resume update is also a good time to make changes to your professional summary section. 

If you’re targeting slightly higher roles, this is when you rewrite this section to ensure that you’re focussing on the right skills and qualities the job ad requires. 

Re-examine your ‘Core Skills’ section and make sure you’ve listed all your professional skills – whether soft or hard. At the same time, consider removing skills that are already outdated. For example, if you’re still listing computer proficiency with Lotus Notes, you should already delete it. 

 

Proofread the updated resume

 

Finally, after you’ve made all edits and changes, it’s necessary to proof your resume before sending it out. Error-riddled resumes can convey wrong messages to Hiring Managers. These tell them that it was not worth your time to go through your resume to correct simple errors. 

When reviewing the quality of your resume, you want to do this in two steps. 

First, you want to go through reading the document to ensure continuity and flow of content. This is where you make sure that your content and context are correct. 

Next, go through with your technical hat on and spot spelling and/or grammar errors, as well as inconsistencies in spacing, font sizes and margins. 

 

Saving your resume

 

You should not name your file ‘resume.’ You may only have one document on your computer with that file name, but Hiring Managers could have thousands of documents with the same filename. 

Instead, include your last name, first name, along with the word ‘resume.’ You may also mention the role you’re applying for. 

Example: DOE, John – IT Support Specialist – Resume 2020 

 

Review and update your contact details

 

While you’re at it, make sure your contact information is up-to-date and that you’re using a professional email address for job search. 

 

Updating your resume can sometimes be a little tedious. This is because you’re trying to include new content that your reader should not be able to distinguish from the original. But when executed properly, you should see immediate success in securing interviews, the same as you did with your original resume. 

 

Return customer? Learn how we can help you update the original resume we’re prepared for you. 

For new clients, click here to learn how we can help you make your resume stand out from the rest. 

Looking for a DIY, free resume template, download here now.