Updating your Resumé / LinkedIn bi-annually
I firmly believe in updating your resume and LinkedIn on a bi-annual basis. Even though I teach this stuff, I always find something new to tweak, add or fine-tune. Even though I'm self-employed, I still correct mine the Monday after my birthday and easter (about 6mo. apart). It's been on my calendar for years now. Today, Sep 26 is my birthday🥳
Whether you are ready to apply for a new job or not, updating your resumé regularly to reflect the progression of your skills, responsibilities, and successes is a sensible long-term career management policy. After all, you service your car at least once a year, so why not update your resumé and online profiles at least as often?
A resumé is a constant work in progress. And, just like your car, if you don't service it regularly, it won't perform as well as it could. Even if you've been in the same role for years or aren't ready to apply for new jobs, you regularly gain new skills, experiences, and successes that should be reflected in your resumé and online profiles.
Other advantages of regularly updating your resumé and online profiles include quickly applying for your dream job if it becomes available and projecting an accurate representation of your abilities to hiring managers and colleagues online. Regular updates also ensure you have pertinent details fresh in your mind when writing.
Questions to ask yourself
When it comes time for your resumé service, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, what new technology, digital or technical skills have you developed over the past year?
Is there a project you've worked on that you're proud of? Is this project a better example of your abilities than an older project on your resumé and social media? If so, swap it out.
Have you completed courses, won awards, or been recognized for a well-done job? If so, add these details.
Can you quantify your accomplishments? Hiring managers and recruiters love to see hard evidence of your success, such as how many views your blogs regularly receive or the percentage by which you exceeded a recent target.
Have your duties and responsibilities increased? If so, summarise these responsibilities and the outcomes you've achieved.
Ongoing skills development
An annual service also forces you to review your overall offering to a potential employer. If your resumé shows that you are falling behind on skills employers now need, it's time to do some education. Today, there isn't an industry or sector experiencing change.
Not sure how to develop your skills? Ongoing skills development can be achieved in many ways, from formal courses to volunteering to take on additional responsibilities in your current job. You could seek a mentor, ask your boss for stretch opportunities, or become involved in a project.
Remember, your dream job could be out there now. An annual service of your resumé and online profiles will ensure they represent your exact skill base and abilities, making them current and practical resources.
Keeping your "Rolodex"
It's time to explore perhaps an essential part of a Salesperson's profession—their Rolodex. You are the value of your network! Your LinkedIn contacts' quality and professional network depth will directly affect your income. By nature, Salespeople are migratory. Most constantly look for more money, better companies, more robust tech to sell, etc. So, how do you stay connected to potential buyers? Your Rolodex. This is no longer a flip book on your desk. Instead, it is a spreadsheet, a CRM, or a contact list that can travel with you.
Make clear notes on the relationships to avoid stumbling blocks. I'm talking about Non-compete agreements. This contract between you and your employer prohibits you from directly competing with the former business. Just don't do it! Do nurture your business relationships, but don't sell to them until clear of any non-compete. As a lawyer told me, you can't sell directly to that company/person, but you can still work in the industry.
This is why you need to implement a contact management system. Doing so gives you a single resource to house your contact information so you can easily segment your list and prioritize marketing efforts. Notes on recent encounters will provide information to help make your follow-up calls more successful.
But there's a bit of a catch-22 with contact databases. While you don't want to spend much money on a customer relationship management (CRM) system too soon, you need a contact database's functionality to grow significantly.
Keep reading to discover how to create a simple yet effective contact management database without spending a cent.
Build your database:
If you're creating your database from scratch, you'll want to include columns for basic contact information, such as:
First name
Last name
Their company & title
Street address
City
State
Zip code
Phone number
Email address
Important dates
Notes on the previous encounter
Even if you don't have all this information, you'll want to record what you have—the blank fields will serve as a reminder to gather the information when you can.
Once you have some information, you should attempt to segment or group your contacts meaningfully. For example:
First-class: These contacts are your raving fans. They hear from her at least once every one to two weeks. They receive invitations to the best client events. Referrals from this segment don't require a listing presentation because these clients have already sold her as the best agent for the job.
Business class: Clients in this segment share much in common with those in first class, but the relationship might not be as close. They'll get invitations to the client's holiday party but may not get an invitation to a private dinner party. Please make a point of being in frequent contact with these contacts, perhaps once a month, because they actively connect her to new leads.
Economy: This group comprises people who know and like you. They may hear from you once per quarter.
Stand-by: The people in this group are past clients.
Other ways to identify and segment your contacts include:
Their value (for example, their potential for referrals or estimated lifetime value).
The length of the relationship.
Are there any other criteria you find helpful when identifying sales opportunities?
Remember: 80 percent of your business comes from 20 percent of your clients, so you'll need to know who.
Here are some additional fields you may want to include:
Important dates: You must know the last time you worked with or spoke to a contact and your goals for a follow-up call. You can use this information to ensure you aren't going too long without keeping in touch.
Type of contact: Whether you're speaking over the phone, sending email, or planning a direct mail effort, you must communicate differently with different audiences. What you say to clients will not necessarily be the same as what you say to prospects. Similarly, preferred communication channels vary across generations. By categorizing your contacts for more targeted marketing opportunities, you can quickly segment them.
Notes about recent conversations or encounters: This information is invaluable when following up, and it's too important to trust in memory—record notes about what you discussed during a recent conversation. Make reminders to follow up on specific topics or personal information about the contact, such as birthdays, hobbies, and pets.
Social media accounts: Not only can you use social media to communicate with clients, prospects, and influencers, but you can also take some time to glean information from your clients' accounts that will help you build and strengthen relationships.
Enter the information
Begin by gathering your contact data from your address book, recent sales transaction documents, your email list, and even your good ol' Rolodex (is that still a thing?) Spend time entering as much information as you have, and make it a goal to call contacts to fill in any gaps. (This is an excellent excuse for a follow-up call!)
Ensure you include everyone you have contact with—clients, business partners, prospects, acquaintances, etc. This will likely be the most time-consuming part of the process, but trust us—it is well worth the effort.
Commit
Your contact database is a living, breathing object. It is only as good as the data it contains, so it needs to be kept up-to-date for it to be effective.
If you're reviewing the database as frequently as you should be, this will become one of your most accessed documents. Remember to update the notes section after every encounter with a client or prospect. As mentioned before, you'll want to document events, actions you need to take, and other important information from your conversations. Make it a part of your routine to add information as you receive it, rather than waiting until you have every detail you may eventually want.
Regardless of your chosen system, remember how essential a clean, updated contact management database is to your business. So, stop sabotaging your relationships and prioritize more meaningful connections.
Article by Eric Palmer
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Passionate Sales Recruitment Expert
With nearly ten years of experience connecting top salespeople with the perfect opportunities, I’m driven by the challenge of finding the ideal fit for both companies and candidates. At MySalesRecruiter.co, I leverage my industry knowledge to streamline your hiring process and ensure you attract high-performing talent that aligns with your team’s goals. I believe in a personal approach, understanding that each company and candidate is unique, and I strive to find the perfect match for both, making you feel valued and understood in the process.
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I understand that your resume is more than just a piece of paper; it’s a compelling narrative that showcases your unique value proposition. That’s why I offer highly valued personalized resume consulting services, guiding you in crafting a document that effectively highlights your skills and experience. A well-crafted resume can be the key to unlocking exciting career possibilities and instilling a sense of hope and optimism in your professional journey.
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When I’m not helping individuals and businesses achieve their goals, I enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the Columbia Gorge in Washington State with my family. This personal connection to the Pacific Northwest fuels my passion for helping others succeed, providing a visual image and making the personal connection more tangible to you.
