Q&A: Updating Your Resume

Q. Why is it so important for executives to have an updated resume at all times? How often should an executive update his resume and bio?

A. In the corporate world and in the workforce, change is really the only constant these days. With technological advances, globalization, and new regulations, it can seem as though companies are in an almost continuous state of reorganization and change. The days of remaining with a single employer, progressing until you retire with a company-sponsored pension plan are over. Today, executives must be prepared to chart their own course, they need to take full responsibility for managing and developing their own career, and they must be ready at all times for the next opportunity. Of course, part of being ready for the next opportunity means having your resume and executive bio updated at all times and ready to go at a moment's notice. I encourage my executive clients to update their resumes whenever there is a noteworthy accomplishment or when they have achieved a goal or met a major milestone, or every six months--whichever comes sooner. Taking this proactive approach to updating your resume and executive bio ensures that you will never be caught short if there is a sudden change in the company you work for, or --on the positive side -- if you are sought out by a recruiter for a position that interests you.