The Fall Hiring Rush Is Here: Is Your Resume Ready?

September has a way of flipping a switch.

Summer vacations are wrapping up. Kids are back in school. Calendars start filling up again, and many professionals return to work with renewed attention on the goals they pushed aside during June, July, and August.

For some, that includes finding a new job.

Maybe you spent the summer thinking about leaving your current position. Perhaps a reorganization, difficult manager, stalled promotion, or nagging case of the Sunday Scaries has convinced you that it is time for something different. You may simply be curious about what else is out there.

Whatever has you thinking about your next move, now is a good time to get organized.

Because finding the perfect job posting and then realizing your resume has not been updated in four years is not the ideal way to begin a job search.

Start With the Resume You Actually Have

Before you begin applying, pull up your current resume and read it from beginning to end.

Not the version of your career you have in your head. The document an employer would actually receive today.

Does it include your current position? Have you added recent promotions, certifications, awards, or expanded responsibilities? Are your strongest accomplishments represented? Does the summary at the top still describe who you are professionally?

Careers evolve gradually, which makes it easy to overlook how much has changed.

Maybe you started managing five people and now lead 30. Perhaps your original $2 million book of business has grown to $10 million. You may have implemented new technology, entered new markets, improved retention, reduced costs, or taken ownership of responsibilities that were never part of your original job description.

Those changes belong on your resume.

Look for Accomplishments, Not Just Responsibilities

One of the most common problems we see at Grammar Chic is a resume that accurately describes someone’s job but completely undersells how good they are at it.

There is a big difference.

A hiring manager probably already understands what a Director of Operations, Senior Account Executive, HR Manager, or Project Manager does. What they cannot know without your help is what happened because you were in the position.

Look back over the past few years and ask yourself:

• What did I improve?
• What did I build, launch, fix, or change?
• Did I increase revenue, reduce costs, or improve efficiency?
• How has my scope of responsibility grown?
• Which major projects did I lead?
• Have I received awards, promotions, or recognition?
• What accomplishments would my manager mention if asked about my performance?

Whenever possible, capture numbers now. Revenue figures, percentages, team sizes, budgets, rankings, customer satisfaction scores, project values, and other metrics become much harder to remember after you leave an organization. We personally recommend keeping a “living document” in a place like Google Docs, so you can jot things down on the fly and add to it as wins come in.

Decide What You Are Targeting

Before sending your resume anywhere, know what you want it to accomplish.

“I want a new job” is a starting point, but it is not much of a targeting strategy.

Think about the positions that genuinely interest you. Research the titles employers are using. Read several job descriptions and look for recurring qualifications, skills, technologies, and leadership expectations.

This is particularly important if you are changing industries or pursuing a higher-level position. Your resume needs to help employers connect your existing experience with the work you want to do next.

You do not need to match every qualification in every posting. You should understand the market well enough to know which parts of your background deserve the most attention.

Give Your LinkedIn Profile the Same Attention

Updating your resume while ignoring LinkedIn leaves half the job undone.

A recruiter who receives your resume may also look you up online. When they do, your LinkedIn profile should reinforce the same professional story.

Review your headline, About section, Experience, Skills, Featured content, recommendations, profile photo, and banner. Make sure your current position is accurate and that your profile reflects the expertise you want to be known for.

Your resume and LinkedIn profile do not need to be identical. In fact, they should not be. LinkedIn gives you additional room for personality, context, professional interests, and personal branding.

They should, however, make sense together.

If your resume positions you as a senior operations leader while your LinkedIn profile still reads like it did five years and two promotions ago, you are sending mixed signals.

Get Your References in Order Before You Need Them

References tend to become an afterthought until an employer asks for them.

Use this time to reconnect with people who know your work and would be comfortable speaking on your behalf. Former managers, colleagues, clients, business partners, and other professional contacts can all be valuable depending on your circumstances.

Confirm current contact information and ask permission before providing someone’s name as a reference. (A word to the wise: do not add a list of references to your resume. This practice will date you. Simply have them on hand for when you are asked.)

This is also a good opportunity to request new LinkedIn recommendations. A thoughtful recommendation from someone who has worked closely with you adds another layer of credibility to your professional brand.

Take Inventory of Your Entire Career Toolkit

A job search involves much more than submitting a resume.

Depending on your profession and seniority, you may also need:

• A customized cover letter
• An updated LinkedIn profile
• Professional references
• Work samples or a portfolio
• An executive biography
• A list of career accomplishments and metrics
• Updated certifications or credentials

Getting these materials together now means you can respond quickly when an opportunity appears.

It also reduces one of the most stressful parts of job searching: trying to reconstruct years of career information while simultaneously preparing for an interview.

Do a Quick Search of Yourself

Type your name into Google and see what appears.

Then review your LinkedIn profile as though you have never met yourself.

Does your online presence reflect the professional you are today? Is your expertise clear? Are there old bios, outdated profiles, or other information that needs attention?

This becomes increasingly important at the executive level, where a resume may be only one component of a much larger professional brand.

Senior leaders should think about the complete picture. Your LinkedIn presence, executive bio, board experience, media appearances, speaking engagements, published content, and thought leadership can all contribute to how people perceive your expertise and leadership.

Do Not Wait for the Perfect Job Posting

This is where many job seekers get caught.

They browse casually for months. Then one afternoon, they find it: the position that seems almost written for them.

The application deadline is approaching, and suddenly they are trying to update a resume, remember five years of accomplishments, overhaul LinkedIn, contact references, and write a cover letter in 48 hours.

Preparation changes that experience completely.

You can take the time now to think carefully about your career, gather the right information, and create professional materials that accurately represent what you bring to the table.

Then, when the right opportunity appears, you can focus on pursuing it.

Make This the Fall You Get Serious About Your Career

If changing jobs has been sitting in the back of your mind, September is a good time to decide what you want to do about it.

You do not have to resign tomorrow. You do not even have to submit an application this week.

Start by getting ready.

Update your accomplishments. Research target positions. Reconnect with your network. Review LinkedIn. Take an objective look at your resume and ask whether it truly represents the professional you have become.

If the answer is no, fix that before you need it.

Get Your Resume Ready With Grammar Chic

If your resume has not been updated in several years, no longer reflects your accomplishments, or simply is not generating the response you expected, Grammar Chic can help.

Our professional resume writers work with you to uncover accomplishments, clarify your career direction, reinforce your positioning, and create a resume that communicates the value you bring to your next employer. We can also help update your LinkedIn profile, so your professional brand remains consistent when recruiters and hiring managers look you up.

Do not wait until you find the perfect opportunity to discover that your resume is not ready for it.

Contact Grammar Chic at 803-831-7444 or info@grammarchic.net to schedule your resume consultation.