Even if you have no plans to enter the job market, it’s not\r\na bad idea to have an updated resume on hand. I try to update mine at least\r\nannually, capturing accomplishments, shedding items that are no longer\r\nrelevant, and generally keeping current should an internal or external\r\nopportunity arise out of luck or necessity. Here are a few tools for building\r\nand maintaining your resume.
Note: This gallery is also available as an article.
While it may be tempting to choose an overly flashy\r\ntemplate, stick to one that’s easily readable. If the reader can’t find your\r\nname or other basic data, valuable seconds are spent searching rather than\r\nexploring your qualifications.
I have mixed feelings about this approach. On one hand, an\r\napp like this makes it easy to create a resume on the go; however, a minor\r\nupdate requires cruising multiple screens, and any specific formatting you’ve\r\nsubsequently done in Word needs to be reapplied.
This app also allows export as a PDF to email, Dropbox, or\r\nto a printer, although it skips the Microsoft Word option. The app provides\r\nnearly a dozen “styles” you can apply to your resume, so you may be\r\nable to live without the Word capability.
Some have reported mixed\r\nsuccess with the tool, so you may be stuck with old-fashioned copy and paste. But\r\nit’s worth getting your information on what’s turning into the de facto\r\nprofessional networking site. While a LinkedIn profile won’t guarantee you a\r\njob, the absence of one may be a cause for concern.
While there is no guarantee\r\nthis tool will remain free, or even remain in existence, it might help generate\r\na formal resume quickly if you’re already a LinkedIn user with a complete\r\nprofile.
Patrick Gray works for a leading global professional services firm, where he helps companies rapidly invent and launch new businesses. He is the author of Breakthrough IT: Supercharging Organizational Value through Technology as well as the companion e-book The Breakthrough CIO's Companion. He has spent over two decades providing strategy consulting services to Fortune 500 Companies and the world's top brands across the globe. Patrick can be reached at patrick.gray@prevoyancegroup.com. All opinions are his and may not represent those of his employer.
