It may seem like a waste of time with the current economic and jobs outlook, but keeping your resume current has far more benefits than reasons not to. A. Harrison Barnes, the founder and CEO of both CareerMission.com and Hound.com, coaches clients on a daily basis to assume nothing. This strategy works well whether you feel secure in your current position or are beginning to feel the winds of change. With that in mind, keep reading for the top five reasons, some of which A. Harrison Barnes stresses in his career coaching efforts, to keep your resume current and at the top of the pile.

1. Unpredictability - If there's one predictable factor in today's current employment environment, it's that nothing is predictable. Even freelancers are receiving unexpected emails that companies they provide services for are closing up shop effective immediately. The hard truth is sometimes even upper management is caught off-guard by a company-wide memo that says, in essence, "shut it down...game's over".
2. It's easier to keep it current than updating it from time to time. Even if you haven't changed jobs since your last resume revision, odds are, you've increased your skill sets. Maybe you completed non-credit courses or attended a seminar or two. It all needs to be included; remember, your resume is the first introduction potential employers are provided.
3. Just as current fashion trends change, so do accepted resume formats. Gone are the days when one had three sub-titles: objective, education and employment history. Today, it's all about versatility and other skill sets in a far more competitive job market.
4. Keeping your resume current keeps you focused less on where you've been, but where you want to be. One look tells you what you feel are your strong points and what areas you don't wish to pursue.
5. Keeping your resume updated gives you the opportunity to cull older entries out. Your job fifteen years ago or even those part-time jobs you took to offset economic pressures aren't nearly as important as the work you now do. Further, it lets potential employers know you're on top of the game and you're paying attention to the details.

Finally, it's always a good idea to consider consulting employment experts for career advice, insight to the trends of employers and other information you might not otherwise be privy to. Allow a reputable service, such as Hound.com, to step in and provide a professional touch to your resume. It can go a long way in securing your dream job or help you transition into other fields such as marketing jobs or government jobs.

Even if you have no intentions of changing jobs right now, the peace of mind gives you confidence to face the uncertainty of the current job market and economic times. To be sure, things won't be improving to any large degree in the near future. You never know when that updated resume will be the one thing that puts you over the top when you least expect it.

1. Keep in mind that you should utilize a professional resume format when you are writing a resume for a job application. The two most accepted formats of writing resume are the functional and chronological formats. To facilitate the interview process, you can use chronological format so that your interviewer can follow through your employment timeline.

2. Always keep in mind that you create your resume with proper punctuations and order. Avoid grammatical errors in your resume. This will completely push your recruiters away. Use spell checker tools over Microsoft Word to check for grammar and spelling errors. You must have a hard copy of your resume and assess it. Proof read your resume and let a colleague or a friend read your resume. In this way you can check the resume thoroughly as they say, two heads are better than one.

3. Keep your resume well organized. Proper heading such as work experience, education, skills and trainings can help add a sense of organization to your resume.

4. Always write your resume commensurate to your skills and work experience. Highlight the details that would perfectly match the requirement of the employer. This will leave an impression that you created your resume specifically for this job. A generic resume can be a turn off for possible clients.

5. Include industry related words to your resume. Use jargons specific for that profession. In this way you can provide an impression to your clients that you are expert in your field and you can contribute much to the company.

6. Always keep your resume presentable. A high quality paper should used. Use laser printer so you can have a more readable resume.

7. List your references at the end of your resume. Never state references are available upon the request of the employer. Include the job title and phone number for each reference you include.

8. Clearly state your resume objective. State the specific position you are applying for.

9. Keep in mind that your resume should only contain relevant information specific for the job you are applying for.

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Algonquin College has teamed-up with whyhire.me, an Ottawa company, to pilot a new website that uses social media to connect students with employers. Using the fundamentals of personal branding and social media, whyhire.me teaches students to create an online personal brand using mainstream social media methods and tools. For more information visit whyhire.me .

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