In a matter of days, it will be 2018. At this time of year, it’s always relaxing to take a minute to reflect on the year that was. While you’re at it, why not take another minute and open up your resume?
It’s probably the last thing you want to think about right now. The holiday season can be particularly stressful for job seekers. But now is the perfect time to spruce up your resume.
As we move in to the New Year, here are few reasons why right now is the best time to work on your resume:
1. You’ve got (some) time
Although the holidays can be a hectic time of year—between shopping, seeing relatives and going to parties—it’s also one of the few times of the year when you get two holiday days in a row—Christmas and Boxing Day. You may not have a lot of time to dedicate to updating your resume, but it also shouldn’t take you that long to get the job done.
Instead of getting up at 5:00am on Boxing Day, fighting through traffic in terrible weather, and elbowing your way through hoards of bloody-minded bargain hunters, why not stay home? Sleep in. Wake up at a comfortable hour. Then, while you’re still in your pajamas, take 30 minutes to go over your resume. Once you’re done, if you feel like treating yourself, go ahead and check out some Boxing Day sales online. You deserve it.
2. It’s a slow time of year
Many businesses shut down for a week or two around the holidays. But others don’t. Businesses that stay open during this time of year are often working with a skeleton crew or are not operating at full speed. If you’re a job seeker, this business slump may be the perfect time to get a jump on your competition. The only thing you need is a current resume.
3. All of the references to “2017” on your resume will soon be references to “last year”
Everything under the heading “recent experience” on your resume will be a little less recent come January 1st. Keeping your resume current is an important step in making sure you’re competitive in any job search. There is nothing wrong with getting older and gaining more experience. But it is important to give the impression that you are still active.
Take a look at your resume. And ask yourself some of the following questions:
- Is everything that reads, “#### – present” still accurate?
- Is your contact information current?
- Have any of your certifications expired?
- Are your references still valid/relevant?
- Do you have any new skills, certifications or experience that you have acquired in the last year or since you last updated your resume?
Make any changes that seem appropriate and save your resume with the year “2018” in the document title. Congratulations. You’ve just updated your resume for 2018.
4. It’s a resolution time of year
If you’ve looked over your resume and found that certain sections of it seem a bit anemic, now is the perfect time of year to set yourself the goal of beefing up your resume. You may not be able to build up your job experience right now (the reason you’re working on your resume may be to get a job, after all). But there are other ways to gain experience:
- Consider volunteering somewhere in your community. Besides giving you another line on your CV, you may actually get a chance to help some people.
- Sign up for a class that is relevant to the career you’re looking for.
- Take some workshops or seminars that offer certificates or teach you useful skills.
New Year’s resolutions are notorious for being broken. But setting goals for yourself that have immediate payoffs (like new lines on your resume) is a good way to keep yourself motivated.
Need help getting your job search started in the new year? Get in touch with us today.