Building A Strong Resume, Even When You Aren’t Job Hunting
The time to think about your resume is not when you start your job search. It’s while you are working! The foundation of a strong resume is strong work experiences. Making sure that you are working on important, measurable projects at work and keeping track of your accomplishments is critical. Below are a few of my favorite tips for holding yourself accountable to this process.
Work on the right projects. Measurable results that matter to the business matter more than anything else when it comes to a strong resume. We don’t always get a say on the projects we work on, but there are ways to influence your boss to give you impactful work. First, understand what the big focus areas are for your company. Understand how your team is contributing to those focus areas. Then, express interest in those projects to your boss. Projects that tie to meaningful revenue growth, cost reduction, or CSAT improvements are great opportunities to shine.
Track your work and impact regularly. Keep a spreadsheet or document listing what you are working on and what you accomplish once projects wrap. I do this each week, but I recommend doing it at a minimum of every month. Hold yourself accountable to doing this by blocking 30 minutes on your work calendar every week (or month).
Minimize the amount of time you dedicate to organizing “team-building” activities. Planning team socials, coordinating group birthday gifts for colleagues, and volunteering to be the onboarding buddy to a new hire are generous contributions that show that you are a team player. However these activities are not resume builders. Be wary of how often you raise your hand to volunteer to help with this work when your manager asks. It takes time away from work you can be doing on the projects that get you promoted and/or paid more. And a note to my ladies: Women are more likely to volunteer for these kinds of activities, so be judicious about how often you take them on!
Curious to understand if you are working on the high-impact projects that build an impressive resume? Click here to book an introductory call.
