The J.I.T. Resume
Does the “Just in Time” resume writing for the interview approach work? Is there a better way to stay ahead of the game and be prepared?
Just in Time (JIT) inventory systems were introduced back in the early 1900’s by Ford Motor Company with the realization that there was no need to carry more inventory then was required for their immediate production needs. This approach was designed to lower costs and to focus on the immediate manufacturing need. Over time, this philosophy has been adopted, modified and implemented by countless industries and organizations all around the world.
In fact, more times than not in our own personal lives we borrow from the JIT approach when it comes to writing our own resumes. Whether it’s right after a layoff or after that ‘out of the blue’ phone call from a recruiter you find yourself scrambling to bring your resume up to date (and for some of you – write one for the first time). To accomplish this, you need to not only jog your memory to remember dates of employment and area of responsibility but you also need to recall all of the training and education courses you’ve taken and let us not forget the list of accomplishments you’ve achieved over the years.
The Just in Time Resume Writing for the Interview approach (JITRWFTI – ok… I made up this acronym) never does you any justice. Like everything else in work and life, if you want it done right you need to dedicate the time required to do it properly.
Whether you are actively in the market looking for a job or planning to spend the rest of your working life with your current employer, it is a good idea to set an annual goal to keep your resume up to date. Your resume should be considered your personal portfolio which can be referred to and used for more than just job searching. Your employer may require one for consideration for advancement, you may need to present one to join a committee outside of work and there are countless other situations where an up- to-date resume may be required.
My suggestions on building the list to get started:
• Start today! Or at least schedule some time for later this week….
• List your past employers along with dates of employment and job titles
• List your responsibilities for each position
• List your accomplishments with each employer
• List the education and training classes that you have taken over the years
• List your personal accomplishments from outside of work
• List all groups, organizations, volunteerism and associations that you are involved with along with dates of involvement and areas of responsibilities
So, just like spring cleaning, changing the batteries in your smoke detectors and getting the oil changed in your vehicle plan on a regular schedule to keep your resume up to date and you’ll always be prepared and in a position to proudly present it upon request.
What’s the current state of your resume? Do you have one? Is it up to date?
Share your story and help others in their planning.
Tags: employment, Resume Writing
October 28th, 2008 at 10:38 am
That’s an excellent suggestion Mark. Linkedin is certainly a site that is rapidly gaining success as a tool used by professionals to network and self-promote. It is considered to be the defacto standard for the business and professional world where other networking sites (such as Face Book and MySpace) are considered to be more socially oriented.