When you get to the end of a job or internship, your first order of business should be to update your resume. It is so much easier to do this while the experience is fresh in your mind versus if you wait a few weeks, months, or longer.

While writing great resume bullets is going to be a lot easier if you do it right away, people often get a strong dose of writers block during this task. It’s daunting to sum up a summer or few years of your professional life in just a few bullets.

by Dave Carpenter

I know what that’s like. In fact, I am overdue for a resume update myself!

If you’ve been keeping a master resume or accomplishment list (which I totally recommend – more about that here) you’ll likely have some things to pull from, but if you’re really stuck, here’s a super easy trick to get you started.

QUICK TIP: FIND A JOB DESCRIPTION FOR YOUR JOB OR A SIMILAR ROLE, AND USE IT TO GET IDEAS

Given that job descriptions are written to resemble real life on the job, they can be an amazing resource. Even better, those who write them have a lot of experience doing it, so they are generally clear and well-written (something you should also be aiming for with your resume).

Best case scenario, you have the ability to dig up the original job description for your exact role (probably unlikely, but worth a shot). If you’ve recently left a company, there is also a chance that the company is now recruiting for your role, so it’s a good idea to check their website.

That being said, related jobs at different companies can also be quite helpful.

I recently suggested this to a client who had a summer internship in a planning department at a fashion company. After writing about her 2 main responsibilities she became stuck. I did a quick search on Indeed.com for “Planning Intern” and also “Planning and Allocations Intern” and came across a number of job descriptions from similar companies.

While I don’t encourage plagiarizing a job description (at all!) I would encourage you to use them to get ideas. Perhaps you’ll find something you did a while ago so it wasn’t top of mind. Maybe you’ll come across something you actually did quite often but overlooked.

Use job descriptions as part of your brainstorming process, take notes on certain responsibilities that resonate with you, and then sit back down with your resume and start again. I bet you’ll be ready to write in no time! Remember that the best resumes show results and accomplishments, so while you can get inspiration from job postings, make sure you add more depth and detail that is specific to your experience.

Need some one-on-one help with your resume? Email me anytime!