I love updating my resume, said no one ever. For most of us, taking the time to add new work experience to our resume is right up there with being stuck in rush hour traffic, creeping along at one mile per hour. But the reality is no matter how brilliant and capable you are, you still need a resume that showcases your professional skills and work experience. Here are three simple ways to keep your resume updated.

  1. Keep Your Resume Handy
    In addition to storing your resume on your local computer hard drive, save it in a secure cloud app such as Microsoft One Drive or Dropbox. Having access to your resume via smart phone or tablet ensures all versions of your resume are accessible no matter what platform you use, letting you easily share it and or apply to jobs online without being tied to your home office.
  2. Update on the Go
    After completing a challenging project or coming to the end of a job, pull up your resume on your phone, tablet, or computer, and add notes about the work you performed. Use voice dictation on your device to speak your thoughts and have them converted to written words. Don’t worry about typos when adding the notes but focus instead on recording details about the work you did and the impact it had on the company and or client.
  3. Capture Details about Every Milestone
    Keep a rolling list of notes for all the work you successfully completed, especially specific accomplishments, and then use the raw notes to create bulleted items to showcase your work experience on your resume. After you start a new position, begin adding notes about the nature of the work you’re doing, as well as your responsibilities, and contributions.Waiting until you’re ready for your next career move to update your resume can make the task all the more daunting. Use whatever pockets of time available to you, to jot notes about the work you’re doing so that when the time comes to look for another opportunity, you’re ready to polish up your rough draft and share your resume.