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Even Entrepreneurs Need a Resume — Here Are 7 Reasons Why

After years of running the rat race, you are now a thriving, self-made entrepreneur. As your own boss, your days of writing and sending resumes are all behind you, right?

Though it’s only natural for business owners to think that the need to have a resume ready and up-to-date no longer applies, there are certainly plenty of situations that call for one. Can’t imagine what they are? Let Resumeble enlighten you on seven of them.

1. Potential customers and clients may ask you for it

A resume, by definition, is a document that lets an individual showcase his or her background, work experience and skill sets.

Some customers will want to know your background before they do business with you, so it’s perfectly understandable for them to ask you your resume—there’s no need to be offended by it. If you feel uncomfortable, you can simply direct them to your LinkedIn page or provide samples of your work that provides them a good idea of what you’re capable of.

2.As marketing collateral

Executive biographies are often required for promoting a business and resumes usually serve as the foundation for the information that these biographies contain.

There are times when an entrepreneur must support the sales of a product or service, such as sell sheets, business cards, and another type of print materials. A resume can be used as part of these sales support tools.

3.Taking out a loan

Your business is booming, and you need to take out a loan to sustain its growth. Naturally, when applying for a loan, lenders will want to have proof that you can repay the debt.

As such, they will require you to submit a personal resume along with your business plan and application.

4.You are about to be bestowed an award or some other form of recognition

The local chamber of commerce has just recognized you as its Businessman of the Year. Or perhaps your alma mater has requested that you be the keynote speaker for this year’s graduation ceremonies.

Maybe a prestigious organization shortlisted you as a VIP in an upcoming event. When you are invited to present, give a speech, or even participate in a formal event, organizers will likely ask for a copy your resume so they can craft a factual and compelling introduction speech for you.

5.Pitching a business proposal

Business owners who want to compete in a bidding process are required to submit formal business proposals along with their background information, which can come in the form of a resume.

For projects that demand domain expertise, key service players may want to see a resume to ensure they are working with people who have the right technical experience.

6.Re-entering the workforce

Life can take unexpected twists, and no matter how successful your business may be, there’s always the possibility that you may have to go back to a regular paycheck.

Perhaps you’re starting to feel that managing a business is not really your thing and you want a real job instead.

Going back to job hunting can be overwhelming for anyone, most especially if you’ve been out of circulation for so long. To prepare yourself for these unfortunate scenarios, you need to keep your resume updated and on hand.

7.You need to supplement your business with other work

It’s not unusual for a business to run short on funds, especially one that’s just starting. In this case, you may need to get some work on the side, which is when a resume will come in handy.

Who knows? Maybe these side projects can land you your most important clients that put your business on track to achieve the growth you need to prosper.

Aside from the possibilities listed above, keeping your resume up-to-date is a great way to remind yourself of what you’ve accomplished in life so far.

If your business eats into your life to the point that you’re buried deep in the daily grind, an updated resume can help you appreciate where you are in life and how you got there.

Speaking of updating your resume, here are ways to ensure your resume looks sharp and worthy of submission.

Use smart formatting choices

Even if you’re only using a black single-type font, there are a variety of stylistic choices that can help ensure your resume gets noticed.

Highlighting keywords, using special bullets, employing different font sizes, and effectively using white spaces, are just some of the ways you can generate an attractive-looking resume.

Optimize your headline and core competency section

It only takes six seconds for recruiters and hiring managers to decide whether to keep your resume or toss it. To prevent the latter from happening, your headline and core competency section must contain information that immediately lets them understand what you’re all about.

Use active verbs when describing your roles and responsibilities and back it up with measurable results when you can.

Keep it short

One page is usually enough to make a good resume. Two pages is pushing it, and is generally reserved for those applying for managerial and technical job positions. Keep your resume looking concise and uncluttered by limiting it to just one page if possible.

Give it a strong focus

Your resume needs to answer the vital questions of who you are, what you can do, and why you’re the right candidate for the position.

On top of that, you need to make sure the information is applicable to the job you’re applying for, because not everything about your resume is useful for every occasion. Tailor your resume according to the requirements of the job, whittling and adding information as necessary.

Update it every three months

Even when you’re not actively looking for a job, set aside 30 minutes of your time every three months to detail your latest achievements in quantifiable terms, then add them to your resume.

Apart from being a great way to track your professional and personal success, this exercise can be the pat on the back you need to remind you of worth, which can be vital to your happiness.