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10 reasons why you should update your CV, now!

So, if you're not one of the lucky few to be landing jobs with meetings at fancy restaurants and instead have to go the usual route of circulating your CV, how often do you brush it up? Do you open the word file (or if you are really savvy, maybe a PPT persentation or even a video resume) only when a consultant calls you with an interesting offer?

Popular credence suggests that less than 45 per cent of professionals update their resume yearly. Young professionals are more frequent than those in the age group of 40-55 years who are much less inclined to update their resumes on a regular basis. Some in the older age group have not gone back to their resumes even once!

However, the way the industry works today, it is better to update your resume as often as it merits revision. It is a live document; just like you are learning each day and growing, your resume should be a testament of the knowledge gained.

As Deepak Deshpande, VP -- Human Resources, Net Magic Solutions, avers, "A resume should be updated as many times as needed. There are no set timeframes or standards."

Keeping this in mind we take a look at 10 reasons to update your CV pronto.

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Preeti Bose heads Learning and Development for an FMCG company in Gurgaon. The views expressed in this article are personal and not of her organisation.

Change in role, responsibilities, contact details

Recommends Vijay Sivaram, national head-Recruitment Solutions, IKYA, "One of the key signs is when your responsibilities change in your work profile. This could be anything from your role being multifunctional, additional certifications, increased team size, change in designation or level.

"Today's headhunters and HR departments of corporates expect interested candidates to send in their resume within 48 hours. Thus it is always best to keep it ready rather than sending an old profile that would diminish your chances of even getting an interview."

Also update your resume to include specific information about how you helped reduce the turnaround time for any process, helped augment productivity for your team or were appreciated by your supervisor.

Skills acquired not reflected in CV
"If you have been upgrading your skills often enough, then make sure your resume reflects those. This may include professional activities, certifications you have acquired, the new course you have taken at work, the papers you have
presented at a trade body or association or in your own company and trainings attended," says Abhijit Bhaduri, chief learning officer, Wipro.

To use as a marketing tool

Bhaduri goes on to suggest: "A resume is a great marketing tool. Like all good marketing tools this should result in generating demand for your skills. If you look at your old resume and find nothing to add, wake up -- it is time to update your skills. Without new skills added to your repertoire, it will be tough updating your resume."

Make it more accessible to headhunters
Use industry-relevant buzzwords, jargon and phrases to pop up in search engines. Look up benchmarked resumes to pick the tags and keywords and find them a place in your resume. Remember to include only relevant keywords to avoid repetition and irrelevance.

CV rests heavily on past glories
Sivaram maintains that: "While India continues to see a large-scale hiring plan, it is critical your resume is always forward-looking. A key point is when you read your resume it should give you the feeling that you are reading it for the next vertical move.

"If your resume continues to only dwell in your history and not your current capabilities, it's time for updating. One must remember that updating your profile is a 20-minute exercise and if you are not keeping track of what's in and what's out, your resume is most probably going into the archives."

Give it a fresh look and feel

If you have experience spanning 10 years or more, do transition from last decade to your current profile. Delete irrelevant information that is now just deadweight. Keep information that highlights your current and pertinent qualifications and capabilities that will make the job of a recruiter easier.

To ensure your resume is not too 'wordy,' some might even find that previous employments, with job titles, achievements etc are best mentioned in a brief, separate section rather than consuming page after page. Also remember to take away incorrect information that you might have included at the start of your career to embellish your resume. Change the look; do away with old, boxed formatting.

When your happiness quotient begins to dip
Deshpande mentions an extremely significant factor that is more often than not at the root of us seeking other job options. "The trigger to update your CV may also come from your HQ (happiness quotient) in your current job or with
your current manager and or employer. If you find that dipping, it is time to update your resume," he advises.

Applying for a niche or specialised role
Even if you are not presenting CV for a segmented profile, it is always best to modify it for company's  requirements. Customising your resume for a specific job makes fitment obvious and easy. Do your homework about the company and the job. Try to draw a match between the desired competencies and your skills. This will at least reflect your attitude and sincerity towards getting things right.

Some companies even prefer if you have some CSR inclination; don't leave out volunteer work for any charity or company initiatives.

Change in industry or perspective

The major takeaways from timely CV updating is it can change one's perspective on what one has accomplished so far and what one still needs to improve and this will in turn may open new doors and new job opportunities.

This is what Priyanka Jain, Special Correspondent [Films] in HT Cafe, Hindustan Times did to ensure that the current job was hers. "I was looking for a work profile which was entertainment-specific in mainline media. So I highlighted the aspects of my experience; such as networking, contacts with celebrities, my years of entertainment reporting experience and writing abilities. The fact that I had continued to freelance stories within the entertainment sector during the two-month gap between jobs also made my case stronger about my focus on entertainment.

"I think what clinched the deal was the fact that there was a position available and I honestly conveyed what I wanted to do and what I am passionate about. I had gone through the paper with a hawk's eye and sent some story ideas to my editor who liked them and I was hired."

Keeping up with the times
As mentioned in the beginning, some of us use PPT presentations and even videos as our resume. These help attract eyeballs, provided they are done well and don't run too long.

If you are present on networking sites, do include social media information about yourself in your CV. A word of caution though -- be vigilant of your online activities and sites where you have presence. Bear in mind that LinkedIn is a professional site whereas Facebook and Twitter are primarily utilised for social networking.

Remember, it is never too early to update your resume. Work contexts change frequently and your resume should reflect who you are and where you dream of going.

As Brian Tracy said, "When you begin to change your thinking about your goals and possibilities, your beliefs and actions will change."