Summary:

1. Update the resume when you’re NOT looking.
2. Be creative with the format but keep a plain text version for the fun forms.
3. Feature relevant web information (like LinkedIn recommendations)
4. Watch your public profile online.

If you’re like the typical person, you update your resume when you’re looking for a job.  So in 6 months or a year or two years, you’ll pull it out and do some editing, then send it out.  Here’s the thing… sometimes you forget about your biggest accomplishments and in your rush to hit the apply now button you’re not very thoughtful about the edits. If you’re hasty in sending it, don’t you think others may be hasty in their review?

I remember to update my resume when I do performance evaluations with my manager.  In my organization we do PE’s every year.  When you sit down and talk about your accomplishments, they are fresh in your head – so updating the resume from there should be a breeze.  I’m happy in my current gig but I want to be prepared if an opportunity for advancement presents itself.  I don’t want to have to scramble to find/update/polish my resume.

I just worked on a new resume format because most of my work is now digital and many employers are looking for links to the work you’ve done.  Since I’m edging more towards strategy and not actual web design, I didn’t feature a lot of the websites I built.  I also featured two key recommendations from my linkedin profile and then gave a link to where they could read the rest of my recommendations.

FYI – When you apply for a job at some companies they look at your social media.  I remember hearing about a girl that didn’t receive a position because of a racy facebook profile picture.  People make judgments about you from your interaction in social media so watch how you speak or if you are one of those ‘freer’ spirits, just clean it up when you’re looking for a gig.

I had an interesting conversation this weekend with my cousin about education.  It was really a bit of a debate.  (This is where the people who really know me laugh, because I seem to enjoy debating…)  For brevity, I’ll just say that he argued for experience over formal education and little ms. mba argued the opposite.

The truth is that there are so many ways to learn – formal school programs, community college, trade schools, independent learning, mentors, work experience, and the list goes on and on.  Learning demands a kind of openness that defies ones ego.  I know quite a few popular quotes on education that say learning is also about unlearning things you thought were correct.  To learn, a person has to admit that they don’t know everything – and that openness gets harder and harder as we age because we need to believe that we know what we’re doing.

I have a bit of a learning routine now that I’d like to share with you, my friends, family, and oddly enough my colleagues who actually subscribe to my blog.  I’ve been watching my stats and… weird, but growing. 

• Take a class – I find certificate programs exciting.  I try to take at least one formal class every year.  Georgetown has some great programs for professionals.  I’m thinking about Project Management now…  Already did certificate in web design.  The structure forces accountability.  If you don’t learn anything in a class, it’s your own fault.
• Read smart mags – I have a subscription to The Economist and Harvard Business Review.  I make it a point to read through those every month.  Sometimes I fall short because though I love The Economist, the content can be kinda dense and difficult to get through quickly.  Since my HBR subscription is digital, I print those and keep them with me at work.  While I’m waiting for people to arrive at meetings, I can sneak a page in here and there – and lunch time too.
• Watch Podcasts - There are so many and you can not only learn but listen to things that inspire you to dig deeper into your craft, and even discover new passions.  I have all sorts of podcasts from language lessons to Ted.com which I believe is one of the most inspirational sites I’ve ever seen.
• Watch Documentaries - Though movies can be biased by the director/producer’s position, they can be very informative.  I watch documentaries on everything from birth to business.  (Not that I have any interest in birth…)
• Talk to Smart People - I think very carefully about the people in my circle.  I want them to be thoughtful, smart, and intellectually curious.  Surrounding yourself with thinkers is one of the smartest ways to get better, faster.  I’ve found my friends’ intellectual pursuits to be a source of motivation for me to keep sharpening the saw, and finding my way.

I may seem like I think I have all the answers, but the truth is though I don’t have all the answers, I am constantly  looking.