How to Update Your Resume for the Modern Job Hunt

How to Update Your Resume for the Modern Job HuntHow to Update Your Resume for the Modern Job HuntThe Modern Resume Not Your Motherbeis ResumeTimes have changed. Todays resume is bedrngnis the same as your mothers.With Mothers Day coming up, youre probably thinking a lot about the woman who raised you. Whether she was a strong career woman who inspired you to go after your professional dreams or a nurturing stay-at-home mom who invested her time at home raising you, she taught you how to be the person you are today.Still, as great as Mom is, kids will be kids and inevitably view her as outdated in some regards, such as her questionable understanding of social media or recent fashion trends. When it comes to your career, for example, you wouldnt want to wear her outfit from decades ago into an interview. The same goes for your resume because that ever-so-important document has changed over time. Here are the components of a vermodern resume template, plus how to dress it up properly f or the times from head to toe.HeaderMoms resume Your moms resume probably had her name at the top along with her street address and home phone number. Depending on her age it may have included things like her birthdate or age, marital status, religion, and health.Your resume Now, employers are looking for completely different information. Your name, city and town (no street address needed), cell phone number, email, and a link to your online portfolio, Linkedin account, or personal webpage are what should populate your header.IntroductionMoms resume On Moms resume, youd likely find a heading called the Objective. This is where she would talk about her career goals. However, the resume objective statement has gone the way of bell bottoms and is not likely to make a comeback.Your resume If youre tight on space (remember to keep it to one page if youre just out of school and two pages if youre a seasoned pro), you dont need anything here. Your cover letter could do the trick. However, a professional summary that highlights your best skills and biggest accomplishments is a great way to catch the eye of an employer whos skimming your resume quickly. Remember, its not just about you its about what you can bring to their company.Related Its Time to Ditch Your Resume Objective StatementEducationMoms resume Of course, Mom put all of her education on her resume. She even included graduation dates, GPAs, and maybe even major test scores.Your resume Unlike Mom, keep it simple on a modern resume. Add the name and location of your high school and any college you have along with the degrees earned no dates. Even though employers arent legally allowed to discriminate against age, why give it away?Work historyMoms resume Mom is a very thorough woman and probably listed every job she ever had, no matter how small, and then went into detail about all of the things she did at each position. She used a lot of great words like punctual, diligent, and reliable in there too.Your re sume List only your jobs over the last 10-15 years, and keep it short and to the point. Use bullet points to highlight your accomplishments not what you did all day, but what you actually accomplished for that company. Keep in mind that human readers like active verbs that relate to the job, while applicant tracking systems are tuned into keywords. Look at the job posting to get an idea of what words will jump out at them.Also, make sure the formatting of your modern resume template is clean, consistent, and professional.ReferencesMoms resume What better way to close out your resume than with some great people who will vouch for you listed as your references? Mom probably listed out three to five references or, if she was short on space, put References Available Upon Request.Your resume Space is at a premium on your resume and its a little early in the game to be worrying about references. As for the upon request line, thats a given. Theres no need to state it. However, you do want to carefully choose great references and keep them handy for when they are needed.On Mothers Day, get Mom a gift, give her a hug, and make sure she knows just how much shes inspired and taught you. But, just like you probably arent sporting the same hairdo she had back in the day, dont let your resume make you look outdated Mom would agree.Click on the following link for more resume advice.Do you (or your mom) think that your resume needs to be updated? Check with a free resume review todayRecommended Reading13 Best Companies for New Parents to WorkEssential Tips for Moms Returning to Work10 Signs Your Resume is Making You Look Old