The short answer for many people who are sending out resumes or building their resume is – “yes”. If you are still using or planning to use the resume you had in 2019, think again.
Potential employers are going to be looking to see what you accomplished over the last year as the business world changed, evolved, shrank, grew, and (thankfully) appears to have survived.
Even if you have been employed from the start of the pandemic, your resume, whether you need it today, tomorrow, or in the future, should reflect some acknowledgement of the ways you developed personally and professionally over the last year.
Think about it…how did you use the last year to achieve new skills or knowledge? And I’m not just talking about Zoom conferencing skills! Hopefully you used these strange times to master new skills and technologies, learn about your industry of interest, and hone job skills that make you an attractive employee.
If you were unemployed or underemployed over the past year, what volunteer activities did you pursue? What skills (“hard” or “soft”) did your volunteer work help you develop?
Did you assume responsibilities for taking care of others in 2020 – that capability and experience can be an asset to stress in your resume. Perhaps you stepped in to coordinate the healthcare or finances of friends and family – and in so doing, learned new skills and gained expertise around health or economic policies.
Maybe you pursued certain hobbies or entrepreneurial interests. Is it reflected in your resume yet? Be sure to cite these activities in a way that interviewers will appreciate.
Many people spent time each week taking on-line classes or taking steps to achieve certification in their field of interest. There’s still time to do these things if you haven’t – and they can help to strengthen your resume and possibilities.
Each day is getting better – hopefully in the near future we’ll reach herd immunity. Now’s the time to revise that old resume and make sure it helps you put your best foot forward and stand out in the herd.
- John Strauss, CRC Board Member
