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I update my resume every time there is a significant accomplishment. Updating your resume is not just for when you are job-hunting. I enjoy my job and I have no short- or long-term plans to send my resume anywhere, but you never know. Keep it up to date at ALL times, no excuses.
At each job, I keep a document that lists the months of the year on the left and the key accomplishments on the right. At the end of each month I reflect on what I'm most proud of and make sure I have at least two major accomplishments documented. (If I don't have two, I know I need to step up my game!) It also makes writing my self-assessment a breeze at the end of the year, and those small victories back in February aren't forgotten when December rolls around.
It's not difficult to recall accomplishments. What is difficult is to describe them quantitatively, when there is the tendency to remember them qualitatively. Employers want to see measurable results on resumes, and you can describe the qualitative and subjective in the interview. Of course, therein lies the difficulty in getting to the interview because your resume has to be top notch.
What I do is write down everything I've done-- and I mean everything, even if it seems minor. Then I look at the list and place everything into categories and go through each one and redefine what I did into an accomplishment where I could measure it. What I did was keep track of reports, anything I drafted, email, etc. I used all of these to come up with a number or a way to use numbers to describe what I achieved. It's a good habit to take a look at your resume once a month, even if you're employed and add anything new.
The rule of thumb I give out is this:
When you start a job, keep a notebook handy.
Keep track of what you do daily for the first few/several weeks.
After a month or so, keep track weekly.
After a few months, keep track monthly.
I agree, except I would keep doing the weekly.
It is easy to throw away data.
It is not easy to remember an accomplishment from 2 years ago.
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Bingo!
