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For those out there who have been the recipients of a pink slip, you are some of the unlucky ones. With corporations needing to cut costs to stay afloat, many workers are finding themselves out of work before the year is up. But even if your job does seem secure, maybe it´s time to create a Plan B before the slip hits the fan, so to speak. It´s time to look at that resume and make it the best possible statement about your potential as a new employee.

How the Resume Has Changed

Many people have been lucky enough to be in the jobs they´re in right now for many a year. They often got into their current positions via friends or via informal hiring practices when times were easier for companies and money was flowing. But today, resumes are becoming the norm in the hiring process, as standards become tighter and applicant pools become larger. The goal of your resume should be to present the skills you have to offer a company as well as to show the experience you have that will help the company grow. You need to look at your resume as a piece of paper that shows the hiring manager you´re not only the best person for the job, but you´re also the best person to run the company…someday.

What You Need to Say to an Employer

However, your resume should not be simply a list of the things you can do and the things you have done. You need to spend a little more time and attention to detail than that. Today´s resumes need to be more exciting and more adaptive to the electronic world as well. As with any resume, you need to include your contact information at the top, including an email address and phone number. Next, it´s a good idea to include a personal objective, which is basically the overall goal you have for your career path. This could be something like, In 10 years time, I see myself managing 25 direct reports in the field of advertising and marketing, effectively organizing $2.5 million of projects. This should simply be a one line statement about how you see yourself in the future. Next, you will want to include the last 3 positions you have held at various companies in the last 5 years. List your title and the dates you were employed as well as the tasks you completed on an everyday basis. If you have figures as well to support your job role and your effectiveness, that´s all the better (i.e. Generated $1 million in sales in 2006). In a separate section, you should list your higher education qualifications as well as any specialized training you have completed.

Making Your Point with a Resume

This resume should not be pages and pages long, however. The goal is to present your ´case´ to the hiring manager in about a page of text. This is a time to showoff your skills and your experience in way that grabs the attention of the prospective employer and makes them want to learn more. You should update your resume every time you achieve a new task or gain more experience. The resume is a living document, after all, and one that should grow as you do.