6 Strategies to Future-Proof Your Resume For 2019 and Beyond

Posted November 22, 2018, by Jenny

It’s not just you who is noticing that the world moves faster and faster each year.

The speed of change in today’s business world is unrivalled, though they shouldn’t be too concerning if you keep your resume future-proofed. Without the correct preemptive action and additions to your resume, you could really be left behind in your career.

The business and technology industries are changing the way we work, talk to our colleagues and the way we do business with clients in international markets. These changes are so large that industry heads and unions have pointed out that without continuous additions to resumes and skillsets, thousands could be jobless in fields they once excelled in.

With all of that said, we’ve listed six great strategies and tips to future-proof your resume for 2019 and the years to come. Take a look below.

Update Every Skill You Have

This might not come as a surprise, though continuous enhancement of existing skills is essential for future-proofing your resume. Employers have now begun looking beyond bachelors degrees gained a few years prior to your application, as they’ll now be perceived as out of date. It’s unfortunate, but the rapid development of industries has rendered older degrees almost entirely irrelevant unless they’re paired with an updated short or developmental course.

A few great platforms you can take advantage of to develop your skillset and future-proof your resume include online training organisations like Upskilled or sites like ShortCourseFinder as they give you access to hundreds of courses that are relevant, up to date and are sure to impress potential employers.

If you’re interested in sticking to one industry, then it would be best to keep well up to date with all of the latest skills and requirements. You should check with role descriptions and outlines to make sure the skills you’re investing in are relevant to your future career.

Take Advantage of Opportunities

It’s always best to have an open mind, especially when business is concerned. If you’re offered a job or see an opportunity to do some volunteer work, then certainly consider doing so as these openings will give you additional skills and make you a more attractive employee.

For younger, soon-to-be employees, it can be beneficial to take advantage of online tutoring services, like Cluey Learning. This will show future employees you are serious about learning and developing your skills. Online learning programs give you access to course materials and tutors who can assist, so no matter what skills you’re looking to build, you’ll have plenty of help.

Better Understand Technology

An understanding of technology is now a requirement for almost every role you’ll be stepping into. A few years ago the saying ‘every business works in technology,’ was just an exaggeration. Today, not so much. Every employee, regardless of their experience or age, is expected to know the ins and outs of software, cross-device collaboration and even some minor understanding of AI and IoT devices.

Spend some time on your breaks or after work to brush up on your knowledge around all things techy, and by adding these to your resume you’ll become a highly desirable employee for many businesses.

Note: Be sure not to bluff here and actually put in the effort to learn the technology, because the truth will prevail and there’s nothing more awkward than pretending to know your way around a piece of software and failing miserably in your first week.  

Learn to Adapt to Change

Gone are the days of learning a skill once. Today, fundamental processes are even up for major change and that means, as an employee, you must be able to show that you’re adaptable.

Recent studies have shown that employees are finding it more and more difficult to stay in their jobs as their industries change, and employers don’t want to lose you in the coming months because your skillset is out of date.

A great way to future-proof your resume for an adaptable world is showing that you’re able to thrive in different workplaces. You can do this by learning fundamentals in more than one industry. Take science and business for example. You could have a business degree, though taking on a STEM degree or short course is going to make you a far more desirable employee for businesses of the future.

If you’re considering adding multiple different skillsets to your resume it would be wise to consult or work with an online tutor to assist you in understanding certain tasks you might not be familiar with. If you’re a business major, then science or engineering might not come as naturally to you.

Enhance Communication Skills

Although artificial intelligence and other technologies threaten to take over, there is one thing they’re not able to grasp just yet: human emotion. To succeed in this area, you need to be a great communicator. Working well as a team leader, or in a team is essential and will ultimately determine whether you’re suitable for a role or not.

These skills can be learned in a theoretical sense, though they can also be learned by taking advantage of opportunities like volunteering. Showcase your ability to work as a team on your resume and employers will be more enticed to add an educated, versatile new team member.

Showcase Yourself Online

Lastly, use the Internet to your advantage. When you apply for a job or want to be promoted, you’ll want a Google search of your name to show off some impressive results. Create online portfolios, link back to yourself and connect as many of your professional social media accounts (things like Google+ and LinkedIn) to your resume as possible. This way when an employer searches your name, they’ll find all of your work immediately and understand why you’re a great fit for a role.

Future-proofing your resume is an important part of your professional development. In today’s fast-paced business world employees have to remain agile and motivated. Improving current skills and taking opportunities to learn new ones will help you remain a sought-after employee into 2019 and beyond.

This article was produced for Career FAQs by Upskilled. Check out more from Upskilled and their range of online courses, here.