Engineering Careers

I agree entirely and completely. I am volunteering as a coordinator of a job search group through a local Church in Ft. Myers, Florida. One of the hardest hit areas for unemployment. A number of people in the support group have been good about developing an updated resume and contact list. These folks have been able to get work as general labor to specialty areas based on each individual's skills. We have reviewed resumes and have helped to bring the old formats and thoughts up to date for this century's standards. A lot of the people who have been out of the job search world for 1-3 decades are lost. To get them up to speed, we have brought in guest speakers to discus resume writing, interview grooming expectations and performed mock interviews to help prevent "freeze-up" problems during an interview. Your words of "stay active" and "stay current" are right on.

This is a very good point. I know many people that change their email addresses more often than they update their anti-virus software on their computers. I have one personal email for my play around stuff and one for my personal/professional stuff. I've had both since I started using a computer on a regular basis. I never could understand why people change their contact info. so often. These days you can usually even keep your phone #s.

OK now for a question. I've worked at the same civil engineering company far 21 years. How often should I update my resume? Other than software upgrades and whatever classes I take to keep up with the new software and hardware. My resume doesn't really change that much.

We have very little turn over. Guess this could be considered a good thing. But short of someone passing away or retiring, there are many in the company past retirement age but stay on far their own reasons, there isn't much room for advancement around here. So my resume will not show much difference from year to year.

So again how often and in what ways should the resume be up-dated?

Don't change a thing about yourself mate, just stay the way you are! Least of all change your avatar picture. It looks so b....good that anyone would remember you in the next century even nd no bull....s

Have you done the same job for 21 years? I work for a large consulting engineering company. We are encouraged to keep our resume up to date because the company gets jobs based on the expertise it has to do the jobs. Our resume would list the experience that we have, mining, blast furnaces, electric furnaces, pulp and paper, power generating, material handling etc. There are many different types of civil engineering projects, roads, water mains, power lines, etc. In 21 years your job description must have changed. You might have started out doing the drawings and now you manage projects or you are doing estimations and sales. Your resume should reflect your career growth.

Your resume should always be up to date. There is no such thing as job security.

Our Head Engineers & Surveyors are the ones that have to keep their resumes updated far marketing purposes. We update them 3 times a year with the most recent projects that we've completed.

BTW I'm not an Engineer. I have the experience & MOST but not nearly All of the know how after all this time. But very little of the official schooling, thus no degree. I'm only considered a designer/project manager. So the clients would never see my resume.

I do keep my resume updated as far as my growth within the company. This doesn't change much since very few ever leave our company. I've worked hard to get from the print room/records researcher to the civil designer stage.

I keep some sort of records of most of my clients. Especially the ones that have requested me far a particular job and any correspondence that this any client may have given our company praising our work on a project that I was involved in. Though as most of you know, very few ever send correspondence complementing work. But when you screw up the letters come pouring in.

I also list the various disciplines that I'm involved in with our company. I do work for all the various departments including but not limited to Survey, Sewer Design & Small & Large Commercial Projects, and once in a while I even help develop our software package updates. Most of our software is designed in-house. But I also keep a list of the commercial software packages we use and any certifications that go along with these.

Yes I know I should go back to school and get the degree. But I was never really any good at the parts I considered non-essential to a degree. Things like English Literature and those other courses that your required to take, so that you have a well rounded education. I learn better by hands on than through books. And I've always HATED doing HOMEWORK.

I've only used a professional recruiter once when my wife & I were considering moving to another state. If I'm not particularly looking for a new place of employment. Should I keep my resume with them updated? Or should I just keep my personal copy of my resume updated just in case something unexpected happens?

Its always best to be proactive not reactive. Feel free to submit it to recruiters to keep on file for future opportunities.

I would highly recommend keeping your project list updated on your resume. When a hiring manager reviews your resume, they will be familiar with your most updated projects.

This is excellent ... ya we need to update the contact details ...

while busy with work, we forget or we may have no time to c the old CV....thanks