Do you need to maintain a resume if you are running your own show? After all, you are now your own boss, so why would you need a resume? Those are really for careerists. Or perhaps not.
There are several reasons why I think it is important keep an up-to-date business owner’s resume.
Opportunity Eye-Opener
Having an updated resume can shake you out of complacency by highlighting where you could be taking advantage of other opportunities that are usually the preserve of careerists. For example, consider professional association memberships. While anyone in a corporate environment can clearly see the advantages of being a member of a professional association, it can often be overlooked by small business owners.
Failure Buffer
Resumes can also be part of a Plan B. As entrepreneurs, we don’t like to think this way, but in the current economic climate, your business has the potential to fail. Then what? Having a resume that is already current and updated can make it easier to pick up where you left off, if you decide to get another full-time job.
Morale Booster
On a less gloomy note, maintaining a resume makes you think about all that you do and have done as a business owner. When you list out those skills and achievements on your resume, it can help you track your victories, and give you a boost when you need it.
Horizon Broadener
Another element of resume-building is taking on roles outside of work. Again, this is a fairly common experience for those working in the corporate environment because being involved in organizations that are connected with either the local community or the broader business community does, in fact, enhance your business resume. But it doesn’t hurt to have this experience as a business owner, either. With the amount of choice your prospects are faced with, providing them with just one more reason to choose to work with you is never a bad thing.
So, taking the time to keep a current resume can have a number of useful side-effects. What are you doing to build your resume?
If you are ready to create a resume to reflect your experience as a small business owner, start with this self-employed resume template (a free, downloadable, editable Word doc).
Image credit: biitli
