Professional Résumé Writers Celebrate Annual International Update Your Résumé Month

September marks the annual International Update Your Résumé Month, officially proclaimed by the Professional Résumé Writing and Research Association (PRWRA). During the entire month, PRWRA members will dedicate their efforts to boosting industry awareness and encouraging the public to update their own résumés.

Since most careers require a résumé in order to gain employment, it’s important that job seekers take a proactive approach in order to be ready for any and all opportunities that crop up. Too often people try to write a résumé at the last minute, which is the worst time to prepare a document that needs to be perfect. A well-crafted résumé takes time and research, and Update Your Résumé Month is a perfect reminder to be prepared for new opportunities.

Many of us know that the toughest part of getting a job is getting the interview. The key to get the interview will depend on your impression on the recruiter. In today's world of e-recruiting and online employment market, your résumé and cover letter would be the only first impression you will made on your potential employers. In fact, almost 60% of the job-hunting process is spent on composing and perfecting that all-important résumé and cover letter.

However, how many of us, the job seekers, can confidently proclaim that your current résumé is the best you can make it be? Would your current résumé be able to present accurately the best impression of yourself to your potential employer, highlighting the right skills, experience and keywords?

Résumé writing, like many disciplines in writing, is an art. It requires extensive knowledge, experience and research effort to produce an outstanding résumé. This is hardly surprising - after all, your résumé is the "product" (i.e. your experience and qualifications) that will sell to your "buyer" (i.e. your employer). A good résumé is the key to getting an interview!

You may be a qualified engineer, an experienced accountant, a junior clerk, a fresh graduate - but résumé writing may not be one of your skills. Hence, the résumé writing and career services industry is born to serve these needs among serious job seekers.

Razlan Shariff Manjaji is Singapore’s local member of the PRWRA. For more information on updating your résumé and professional résumé writer’s service, please contact him at razlan.manjaji@energyskills.com.sg or call (65) 67353509.