1. Start at the End
Don't
overwhelm yourself by looking at your entire resume -- yet. "Look at
the bottom of your resume and see if there's anything new that you can
add," Milligan says. "Workshops, professional training or awards are a
quick way to add something current."
2. Where You've Been and Where You're Going
Next,
look at the position nearest the bottom of your resume. "Ask yourself
if it's still relevant to your current career goal," Milligan advises.
"If it's not, delete it so you can build on more current accomplishments that will further your career."
If
that last position is still somewhat relevant, edit it down. "The very
first position you held should get the least amount of attention,"
Milligan says.
3. A Year in the Life
Turn
your attention toward your current job. "Update any new projects or
accomplishments that have occurred over the last year," she says. "Even
if it's not a promotion, just include anything from [the past year] that
can be added to it."
4. Update Your Look
Current information deserves a current look. Is your resume's look
stylish and polished -- or plain, dull and dated? If so, Milligan says
it may be time to give your resume a face-lift. "If you're still using
the same resume format you used a few years ago, you should change it to
something more suited to the positions you're currently pursuing -- not
those you had after graduation."
Also, make
your resume available in several formats -- text only, Microsoft Word
and PDF. "There's a good use for each of these formats," Milligan says.
"Having a PDF of your resume at the ready implies a little more
technical savvy on your part."
5. Proofread, Proofread, Proofread
Milligan
cannot stress enough the importance of proofreading your resume. "Every
time you make any changes to your resume, it's possible to introduce
another error," she says. "Proofread it again and again, and ask a few
friends to look at it, also. You can never be too careful."
