By Chelsea Babin

Most people only think about their resume when they’re ready to start searching for a new job. This is fine but, if you want the best resume possible, you can do a few things to strengthen your resume while you’re at a job you like and not searching for a new one. Interested in this method? Follow these steps!

1. Track the Results You Have a Hand in: Are you a part of a super successful app launch? Did you have a hand in doubling your current company’s revenue? Keep track of the results you’ve had a hand in on this job so you can add them to your resume! This will catch a future employer’s eye because they’ll be able to see how you created value through your tenure at your previous jobs and making it easy to see will differentiate your resume from others in the best way!

2. Strengthen Skills in a Quantifiable Way: Any time you use a skill you’re strengthening it and, while some employers are just happy to see that you have 7 years of a technology like C#.Net, your resume could be improved if you’re strengthening your skills in a quantifiable way. The best way to represent this on your resume is, when you’re listing out specific tasks and duties that you performed in your job, you can mention the ways your skills advanced by phrasing it like “started by doing this…transitioned into this format of development once my skills were stronger and did it that way for X amount of years”.

3. Aim for a Promotion: Most companies fear frequent turnover and want to look for people who will stay at a company for a decent amount of time. That being said, they don’t necessarily want to hire someone whose skills and value has stagnated. The best way to appeal to the positives of staying at a company for a long time and avoiding the negatives is to aim for a promotion at your current job! If you’re moving up in the company and creating more value this will show future employers that you have the potential to do the same at their organization.

4. Utilize Certification or Tuition Reimbursement Benefits: If your current company offers certification or tuition reimbursement don’t hesitate to take advantage of it! Whether there’s a degree you think might help further your future career or a certification that’s sometimes required but always nice to have, make sure you’re taking advantage of these opportunities while you have them. While degrees and certifications don’t dazzle every employer in the same way they never count against you so why shouldn’t you pursue them when you don’t have to pay for them?

5. Keep Tabs on All Awards and Accolades: If you’re earning awards or accolades at your company or at an organization outside of your company make sure to write down what they are and when you earned them. These can be great little resume boosters that help employers know you’re not only competent at what you do but you excel in key areas. You can even add them to your resume as you get them so you won’t have to try to remember the specifics down the line!

Your future job search may be years away or just around the corner but, in the meantime, there are plenty of things you can do and keep track of at your current job to improve your resume in the future. This will help you get hired faster when you do start your job search and you’ll have to put very little effort into sprucing up your resume because you’ll have been working on it all along!