Resumes are like fruit:
only good when fresh!

How many times have we been at the grocery store and the apples just do not look as shinny as we would like, or the bananas are a little less than perfect?  That is the same feeling a recruiter or hiring manager gets when a candidate’s resume seems out-dated and unattended. Dont be that bad apple!

Candidates seeking opportunities, whether active or passive, should always keep the resumes up to date and with fresh content.  This allows Recruiters searching the internet to take a second look, even if they have seen the candidate in the past.  Education, training, experience and new technologies make up the perfect combination to have a resume stand out above the rest.

For example, if a candidate has recently completed a specialized training, like the PMP or a professional licensure, it is important that the information is current.  In order to be considered for most positions, candidate’s should have the minimum requirements completed- too often candidates want to be considered while part of the education or training is in flux, and that is not necessarily ideal for the hiring firm.

Experience is also a critical component of the resume.  As soon as a project has been completed, or a new milestone has been reached in the candidate’s existing role, it helps to include that, because it could be the edge he or she needs to attract the recruiter’s attention, and get the call back.  In today’s tight market there is no lack of candidate’s, nonetheless, current experience will help hiring firms decrease time-to-production and investing on training, so candidates should clearly exemplify what they have.

Lastly, in today’s fast paced information centric industries, most positions require some level of technical knowhow. And I am not referring to IT roles alone; even the medical field now requires some experience with informatics tools.  ‘Computers’ are here to stay, and the ability to create excel spreadsheets, communicate via email, blog and tweet are the standard now.  In addition, there are more sophisticated tools and technologies that companies require, and having those as a competitive edge will improve your chances to get noticed by a recruiter.