Resume trends have changed drastically in recent years. But … if you think about updating your resume in terms of “years,” you are already setting yourself up for failure. You should review and refresh your resume every six months or so. This way, when the next awesome career opportunity arise, you’ll be ready.
Recruiters spend only about six seconds on the initial review of a resume, so you can’t afford for yours to be anything less than outstanding if you want it to make the cut towards final selection as a job candidate.
Here are three signs that your resume is outdated – and ideas for correcting them:
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Your resume lists no social media contact information.
Showcase your social media addresses at the top of your resume.
- LinkedIn is the most critical. It remains the top social networking tool for job seekers and career builders. LinkedIn reaches more than 400 million registered users. Two new members join the site every second, and more than 100 million people visit it each month. LinkedIn provides a platform for you to easily search and connect with hundreds of thousands of career resources. Make sure your profile is complete and current – and engage with LinkedIn on a regular basis.
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You still use a “vanilla” objective statement.
Replace your “ho hum” objective statement with a new and improved Summary. At a length of about 25 words, it should be a “wow!” statement that highlights who you are and the unique achievements you have realized.
- Most objective statements focus on what the candidate wants. In your Summary, emphasize what you can do for the company. Tailor each resume – and summary statement – to the specific position. Include keywords from the job description or posting. Each resume you submit should have a totally different flavor. There is no “vanilla”- or generic buzzwords – involved.
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Your resume ends with “references available upon request.”
It’s assume that you will provide career references. There is no need to waste space on your resume with this information; in fact, by including it, you automatically date yourself. Besides, reference checks are not undertaken at this point in the hiring process. This makes this section of your resume even more irrelevant.
If your resume needs updating and you’re not sure how to best do it, contact the recruitment pros at PrideStaff Fresno. We can partner with you on this and all the steps in your successful job search process. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.