The Importance of Keeping Your Resume Up-to-Date

Are you guilty of neglecting your resume? We get it, updating it can seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually easier than you might think. Perhaps you’re content in your current role and don’t see the need to update it. But what if an exciting opportunity comes your way and you’re not prepared?

That’s just one reason why keeping an updated resume is crucial. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of having a polished resume, and provide tips for optimizing it for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). We’ll also dive into how Recruitment Management Systems parse through resumes to streamline the hiring process. Don’t miss out on potential career opportunities – read on to learn how to take your resume to the next level.

Why Should You Keep Your Resume Up to Date?

Shows Your Current Status

A resume should show the current status of your career. It is similar to the “you are here” dot on the large map of an amusement park.
It also helps you understand what other opportunities are in store for you.
Making a resume is not enough, it must be a stellar one.
Likewise, you must also update your Linkedin profile so that potential employers have a good impression at the onset.
Updating your resume also shows that you care about your work profile and prefer to keep it up to the mark.
By knowing your current position in a resume map, you can track the progress that you have made all along.

Determines Strategic Plans

Knowing the current status of your career is not only important but it also shows you your next destination or stop.
It tells you what you must do to get there.
For example, if you are a content writer and you want to be in an editorial position, then you require certain skills and achievements that will help you achieve that.
Not having an updated resume doesn’t provide you with an overview of what you are pursuing currently or what you are capable of in the future.
Therefore, keeping an updated resume is a must that will help you determine your strategic plans.

Avoid Losing Out on Opportunities

If you have uploaded your resume to an online job portal, keep it updated because recruiters are on an online candidate hunt daily.
So, you might never know if they may contact you right now.
Even if your profile is catchy, you may still lose out on job opportunities simply because your resume isn’t up-to-date.
Whether you are applying for a job or not, having an updated resume is essential.
This is because you may still be available for higher opportunities so it is better not to lose out on them.

Update If You Want a Raise

If you want a raise or an increment in your salary, you must upgrade your resume.
An upgraded resume with all your newly acquired skills, and achievements will display to your employer the things you have gathered and how you have progressed while your time at the company.
This will help the employer decide if an increment is preferable or not.
Upgrading your resume is equally essential if your company has a new position open or there is a vacant position available. It will allow you to apply as soon as you can.
Framing a last-minute resume is often a bad idea as you may miss out on the essentials.

Tracking Your Accomplishments

An updated resume will help you keep track of all your accomplishments, skills, and certifications.
This will allow you to apply for suitable positions. When the job offer demands skills that are specific to your resume, you might be a perfect fit for the role.
Make sure you enter the right keywords while listing down your skills, abilities, and achievements.
Since a resume also tells us what should go in a cover letter, updating it is important.

Picking Up Side Gigs

If you are looking for a side gig or side work, and once you start pursuing it, make sure you update that on a resume.
Alternatively, if you get a side work opportunity, display the new set of skills that you acquired in your resume.
This not only makes the resume look quite appealing but will also be admired by new employers.

Going The Extra Mile

If you want to move beyond working in your comfort zone, would you prefer speaking at conferences, writing articles, and supplying captions for the media?
As you continue to build your brand, you might be nominated for several awards.
While you are pursuing these extra tasks, you must have an updated and well-built resume and Linkedin profile.
Through an updated resume, you can display all your qualities and showcase the amazing person that you are.

Stay Prepared If a Job Loss Happens

It might be possible that you may lose your job because of one reason or the other.
Maybe the employer is not happy with your performance or is preferring other employees to work for that position.
Whatever the reason, it could lead to a stressful transition period.
To overcome all you need is to have an updated resume that looks stellar enough.
Applying for the new job role is easy when you have an updated resume in hand.
This could stop you from scrambling and gain you a fresh new opportunity to start with.

How to Update and Refine Your Resume for ATS?

Modern-day recruiters use computer software also known as a recruitment management software to select the best resumes.
How do they do it?
Talent acquisition software comes equipped with an ATS system (Applicant Tracker System) that scans and interprets the data in your resume.
It then stores the selected resumes in the database which can be accessed by recruiters.
Therefore, what is required at the moment is to have a well-formated resume with the right keywords.
Using the right keywords is also one of the best ways of updating a resume.
Keywords are very essential in a resume so that an ATS system in a hiring tool can pick them up and make a decision based on that.
The keywords mainly include the job titles and specific skills or achievements pertaining to your job role(s).
While you are updating your ATS resume, make sure you tweak the keywords that are already present if necessary and make new additions.
Recruiters may search for one or more keywords in an ATS system.
For example, along with the main job title of a content writer, other keywords may include SEO writing, proofreading, editing, Microsoft Word, Excel, etc.
This will increase your chances of being shown up in the search results which will make it easy for the recruiter to make a hiring decision.
However, sometimes using keywords is not enough to get noticed. You must match your entire ATS resume to the job description.
This mainly includes key responsibilities, skills, work experience, and qualifications.
Since the job descriptions for the same job role may vary a little, you may require to update your resume to match it with the JD every time.
However, you may skip the process if you are not seeking to be too specific.
Additionally, most ATS cannot distinguish between synonyms and abbreviations, so it is better to include the keywords mentioned in the job description.
Make sure you do not overuse keywords to avoid keyword stuffing.
This will keep your resume readable by the ATS and also have a good impression on the recruiter.

How does A Recruitment Management System Parse Through Resumes to Streamline Recruitment Processes?

A Recruitment Management System (RMS) uses parsing technology to extract relevant data from resumes and input it into a structured format. The parsing technology identifies and categorizes information such as contact details, work experience, education, and skills, and then populates these fields in the RMS. This automation helps to streamline the recruitment process by reducing the time and effort required to manually review and input information from resumes.

Once the data is parsed, the RMS can use it to filter and rank candidates based on various criteria, such as qualifications and experience, which can help recruiters to identify the most suitable candidates more quickly. Additionally, the RMS can use the parsed data to automatically send emails to candidates, schedule interviews, and track candidate progress throughout the recruitment process.

Resume parsing technology is an important feature of an RMS that can significantly improve the efficiency of recruitment processes and help recruiters to make better hiring decisions.

Conclusion:

HireME is an outstanding recruitment management software that is equipped with an ATS system. This allows the tool to parse through resumes quickly and efficiently. HireME is very beneficial for businesses that are trying to avoid waste of time and automate manual processes. It is an all-in-one recruitment software whose ATS is also a pro in tracking candidates’ progress in a recruitment funnel. Don’t trust us? Sign up for a free trial or request a demo to see the remarkable change in your recruitment process.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Resume Writing?

Resume writing or CV writing is including the career details that a candidate is applying for or has worked for in the past in a hardcopy or softcopy format. It is a list of the major qualifications, responsibilities, skills, and achievements that uses specific keywords to be targeted by computer software.

Why is a resume important?

A resume is important because it enables a candidate to apply for a position. It shows where you are at present and what you must do to proceed to the next step. Therefore, it is always important to keep an updated resume.

What makes a stellar resume?

A stellar resume is one that is updated and includes recent skills, qualifications, work experience, achievements, etc. It is the right use of keywords and the right amount that is enough to bring attention to it.

What should be the skills and interests of a resume?

The skills and interests on a resume vary across different job roles. For example, for a content writing position, the key skills and interests may include creative writing, copywriting, proofreading, knowledge of social media, SEO, editing, team player, communication, etc.

What should go in a resume title?

A resume title should be a concise statement of key attributes and skills.