Ryan Bucci 
If your resume isn't updated, it's holding you back.
We all know how important a resume is, and crafting one is an important task that shouldn't be taken lightly. Once you've finally done the work to make a great resume, you can leave it to the side until it's time for another job search, right?
Wrong!
In today's competitive healthcare field, professionals need every advantage they can get. Whether attempting to secure an interview or simply get ahead in the field, any edge you can secure will smooth some of the bumps in your career. The biggest advantage you can give yourself? Keeping your resume updated at all times.
It's important to remember that your resume is a marketing tool. When used correctly, it can highlight what separates you from other healthcare professionals with similar qualifications, experience, or educational background. Not keeping it updated, therefore, puts you a step behind other healthcare professionals who are ready to show it off at a moment's notice.
Here we've outlined four critical reasons for keeping your healthcare resume up to date
Your current resume doesn't reflect your career goals
Chances are that your career goals are different now than they were during your last job search. At this point, you've spent more time in the healthcare industry, learned new skills, and gained a deeper understanding of your field. Your career goals have likely changed throughout this process. It's one of the biggest rules of resume writing that your resume should be tailored specifically to match your goals, so if you haven't touched your document in a while, it's not aimed at your current targets.
If you're searching for a job, you want to spell out to a hiring manager that your skills and experience are a match for whatever healthcare role you are currently after. All you have to do is ask yourself one question: “Do I have relevant skills or experience listed?” If the answer is no, it's time to update your resume. For instance, if you're applying to be a Medical Assistant, the details you incorporate into your resume should be specific to that role, not randomly chosen from your professional history.
You're not sure where you're going
Maybe you're having the opposite struggle. Maybe, instead of your outdated resume not reflecting your career goals, you aren't quite sure of what those new goals are. Well, updating your healthcare resume can act as a guide to uncovering your next career steps. Why?
When you begin applying for healthcare jobs, it can seem easy to just apply for any and all roles that you see. However, if you're not interested in the jobs that you're applying for, you're doing yourself a disservice. Updating your resume forces you to take a look at your time in the healthcare field and see where you've been, what you've done, and, perhaps, the logical next steps. It can help you understand what interests you and seek out potential opportunities.
When you understand yourself better by figuring out what truly interests you, you help yourself in more than one way. First, you can save yourself time and energy by only applying for the healthcare jobs that you can realistically see yourself working in. But even if you're not in job-search mode, understanding your interests and motivations will guide you towards your long-term goals while still in your current role.
You've lost track of your accomplishments
One of the key components of any resume, healthcare or otherwise, is your professional accomplishments — the things that prove your value to a hiring manager. Unfortunately, if you wait to update your resume until it's time to look for a new job, you may have forgotten what those things are. Continually updating your resume is a great way to keep track of your achievements and ensure you have them handy for when the day comes to begin a new job search. Completed a big project? Write it down. Had research published in a big publication? Write it down.
An updated healthcare resume is like a brag book to track your biggest achievements and ensure that nothing gets left behind. That way, you can put your best foot forward as you enter the healthcare job market.
Related: How to Track Your Work Accomplishments Throughout the Year
You never know when opportunity will knock
Sure, you'll need an updated resume for your next healthcare job search, but what if opportunities arise unexpectedly? You want to have your best resume ready at all times, just in case something exciting crosses your path. Perhaps you make a new connection who can help you get your foot in the door of your dream company. Maybe there are rumors of a promotion floating around and you want your name in the mix. All of these scenarios mean you will need an up-to-date resume, and fast.
Just like you aren't static in your healthcare career, your resume isn't a static document. Instead, it should change and grow as you do. Keeping this essential document updated will ensure that you are ready to put your best foot forward at a moment's notice, so don't ignore this opportunity to rise to the top of the pack.
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