If there is one single thing – a single item – that represents a professional in this fast paced world, it definitely is his resume. A resume is the paper version of you – it contains every nook and cranny of your career – your achievements, your rise to success. Simply put, your resume is you. Resumes are so carefully written, properly formatted, and repeatedly changed, but many of them still end up unnoticed by recruiters. Some are read only up to the first few lines while some head to the Trash Mail the instant they’re viewed.

The important question now is this: how do updated resumes help candidates in their job search? The reasons are obvious, but sometimes their importance is neglected. For one, an updated resume shows that the candidate read the job description. Recruiters loathe at applicants who simply submit their CVs without reading what the job is about. Having your resume updated sends the message that you cared enough to go through the job write up.

Next, an updated resume allows you to add experience that is related to the job, and remove experience that doesn’t. In short, relevant skills and training are retained in the CV while those irrelevant ones are simply deleted. That way, your chances of landing the job are greater since your skills match the demands of the job.

Most importantly, a resume makes you rehearse your interview on paper. The facts stated in your CV are the ones you will talk about in interview, if not you should get one. Your updated resume will help you construct an organized delivery of your credentials. In the end, always have this simple thought in your head: your resume is there to help you land an interview. An updated resume, on the other hand, helps you land A JOB.