How to Update Your Resume After Divorce: 6 Key Steps

It’s common to experience a significant drop in household income after divorce. Even if you’ll be getting alimony or child support, you may still need a good-paying job in order to get by. To help you get started, here are some pointers on how to update your resume so you stand a better chance of getting a job interview.

By Tracy Achen

1. Review Your Existing Resume

Your resume is the first thing hiring managers use to determine if you are qualified for a job or not. So, it’s important to have an up-to-date and well-crafted resume.

The first step in updating your resume is to review it for outdated information or skills that are no longer relevant. Doing this will help you identify areas that need improvement and set the foundation for creating a standout resume. 

2. Update Basic Information

If you reverted to your maiden name after getting divorced, you’ll need to update your name. You might want to consider listing both names like this example: Jane Smith (formerly known as Jane Johnson). Listing both your former and current names will make it easier for potential employers to do a background check. Be sure to update your address, phone number, and email address if they’ve changed. You can also add the URL for your LinkedIn profile if you have one. 

3. Dealing with Employment Gaps 

If you’re worried about gaps in your work history, there are ways to address this. Consider including any volunteer work you did, freelance projects you worked on, or skills you developed during those periods when you weren’t officially employed. You might also consider a functional resume format that emphasizes your skills and abilities instead of specific dates.

If you're not sure what kind of format to choose for your resume here's a guide that explains the various types of resume formats.

4. Highlight Your Skills 

It's important to emphasize your skills and achievements when presenting yourself in a professional setting! Just listing your job responsibilities alone can be pretty vague. Focusing on tangible results using data and numbers is more effective. For example, instead of saying you "Handled the household finances," you could say you "Managed monthly budgets totaling over $5,000 and successfully reduced expenses by 20%." Providing these details enhances your accomplishments and will increase your credibility with potential employers.

When discussing your accomplishments on your resume, focus on using action verbs like 'managed,' 'developed,' and 'initiated' highlight leadership and proactive qualities. These verbs show your initiative and leaderships skills by highlighting your approach to work responsibilities.

5. Tailor Your Resume for Today’s Job Market 

Having just one resume to submit for all your job applications just won’t cut it anymore. You need to customize your resume for each job listing to improve your chances of getting an interview. For example, if you are applying for a project management position, emphasize your organizational skills and your track record of meeting project deadlines.

Here are some tips for tailoring your resume to specific job applications: 

  • Review the job listing and tailor your resume to match their wording. This will boost your chances of passing the initial online screening. 
  • Use bullet points to showcase your achievements that align with the requirements of the position. 
  • Revise your summary to create an engaging statement that emphasizes your ambitions and expertise as it relates to the job posting.

6. Polish Your Resume for Maximum Impact 

Creating a standout resume is essential for making an impression. Check out these pointers to make sure yours truly shines:

Make it visually appealing: You want the layout of your resume to look professional and organized. It's important to keep consistent formatting throughout your resume, including using clear headings for each section, bullet points for your work experience, and professional fonts for your content. Consider using easy to read fonts like Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Garamond, Georgia, Trebuchet MS, or Times New Roman. To ensure optimal readability, consider using a font size ranging from 10 to 12 points for the body text, 14 to 16 points for section headings, and 28 to 35 points for the main heading.

Ensure it is ATS-friendly: In today's job market, where technology plays a key part in the hiring process, it's crucial to tailor your resume for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). These systems scan and automatically sort numerous resumes, so it's important to format your resume in a way that ensures it can be easily read by the ATS software. Avoid using images or complex tables and columns, as they may impede readability and potentially result in your resume being rejected.

Make sure to structure your resume with organized sections like Experience, Education, and Skills, and use headings for easy reference. Lastly, save your file as a PDF or Word document to ensure it's compatible with the ATS system.

Keep it Concise and Error-free: Limit your resume to one or two pages at most! Hiring managers prefer a format that gets straight to the point and avoids unnecessary extras, like "References available upon request." You can share those specifics during an interview if needed.

Be sure to review your resume to correct spelling errors or awkward wording that could turn off hiring managers. You should consider using editing tools or asking a trusted friend to review your resume and give you feedback. Sometimes an outside perspective can catch errors that you might miss and offer tips for improving your resume. 

One way to make sure your resume is polished and ready for submission is to hire a professional. Here is a list of top companies that offer resume writing services.

Final Thoughts 

Understanding how to update your resume so it highlights your skills and achievements is a good move to get back on track with your career path. And taking the time to make sure your resume is visually appealing, cleanly formatted, and tailored to each specific job listing will be time well spent. Take the first step today and embrace the fresh start you deserve.

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