BEFORE you update your Resume

It's not just about the bells and whistles

Before you update your resume. Before you hit “easy apply” and well before you tweak your LinkedIn profile you must ask yourself some serious questions.

The job market is getting harder to navigate than in any previous time and it’s likely to remain volatile as we adjust to a new administration in the US and changing global markets worldwide. 

More than ever it’s important to understand your core motivations for work. 

Admittedly this is a privilege and if you have a privilege you have the responsibility to take it seriously. You are a role model when you make your decisions and choices in your career - to kids in and outside your family, to others who identify with you (race, gender, faith profile) and to the random colleague you met five years ago at your first job. 

As you prepare to change jobs, either because of imminent layoffs, or simply a disconnect with the organization, take some time review the following questions before you get started on a job hunt:

1. What’s my financial situation? How much money do I need to earn to keep up with my current lifestyle?

   1. Don’t focus on all the things you can cut back on right now, stick with the facts of your current lifestyle.

   2. Anticipate any potential/imminent expenditures - how likely is it that you will need a new HVAC system within the next year?

2. What’s my (my family’s) comfort level with living off savings if I am without income for 6 to 18 months?

   1. If you don’t have that money saved, how can you focus on building a savings account that is easily accessible?

   2. REMINDER - you will NOT take a loan from your 401K/retirement account

1. What type of environment do I thrive in?

   1. Outdoors, at a desk, random/flex hours, with a team, solo?

   2. WFH or in an office or hybrid?

2. How does my experience (varied as it is) help a company/organization make money or save money?

   1. Start writing down outcomes your skill set provides to an organization now - we’ll use that for your LI profile and resume later

   2. Instead of a list of things you can do/tasks you accomplished or titles you’ve had, what are the common denominators that add value to any company?

3. What makes me different from the thousands of people with the same degree/job titles and years in the industry?

4. What am I truly passionate about?

   1. What’s the impact I want to have in the world?

   2. What types of organizations/company contribute to making that impact?

   3. Who do I know that does work that I’m excited about?

5. What can I do to raise my visibility in the sectors I’m interested in?

   1. Can you attend local meetings related to your skill-set/interests, or are there on-line groups where you can participate?

   2. Are there local organizations where you can volunteer and meet up with others with similar values and skills?

6. How much time am I willing to give my job search?

   1. Generally the more time you have to trust the process of a job search, the more likely you’ll land your ideal next role.

   2. Not much time? What types of gap-jobs are you open to exploring while you focus on the ideal next step?

What else would you add?

Want to bounce your answers off a certified career coach? I’d love to help!

---

Long-time no write. A few things are changing. I know the algorithm says that the more I write, the more I please it. And I want to know what YOU think…do you want me writing daily, weekly or on some other schedule?

As my business morphs (more private clients = less time to substack) and becomes a bigger in person community in 2025 with more live, local gatherings and a greater focus on the ways work/career impact our spirituality and vice versa - do you want to hang around?

I love getting to know you - and hope you’ll share your thougts about work and identity and how to do good in the world with me.