A job opportunity arises and you are asked to submit a current resume or portfolio. Are you prepared? Do you have one ready to send? Many of us have been here, panicking to update the last version of our resume or portfolio, making sure we don’t miss valuable pieces of experience that we’ve have gained since the last time it was updated, and researching what the current trends are today.

Updating your resume or portfolio on a regular basis is one of those things that is much easier to do as you go, as compared to completely overhauling it entirely at once in a panic. According to indeed.com, you should revisit your resume at least twice a year, if you are employed. If you are out of the job market but looking, you should refresh your resume as often as possible. The areas you want to pay attention to and update as they change are: your name (if your marital status changes), your contact info, a link to an online portfolio (if you were to change, where it is hosted), education, certification, skills, licenses, relevant accomplishments, volunteer work, and any job change (if applicable).

Not only do your experiences change over time, but the trends in what makes a resume current also change. Everyone wants their resume to stand out, but Elle Woods-style from Legally Blonde may not be the right way in 2020 (read: pink scented resume paper). At one point listing marital status and birth dates was considered the trend; in 2020 that information is rarely found on a resume. There was a time when resumes consumed pages and pages of paper, today your information should be one side, not crowded. Take the time to do a quick check-in on what the current resume or portfolio trend is before sending it off, if it has been a while.

Even in if you may be in a secure job role, you work for yourself, or you are retired, it is always good practice to keep your resume or portfolio updated. You really don’t know what the future holds. An amazing opportunity could cross your path at any time and have you reconsider. And, remember, it is not always a job opportunity in which your resume or portfolio is valuable; opportunities such as joining a club, committee, board of directors or volunteer work, are examples of opportunities that could arise. You will find great value if you have kept your resume or portfolio updated and current.