Want to Build Self Confidence? Write a New Resume

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Why it’s Time To Update Your Résumé

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Written by Coach Tina

Last Updated: 04/17/2024

“Is this really me? This can’t be my résumé. I didn’t do all of this. Did I?”

Cue the surprised smiles of pride...

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve experienced this when I’ve handed clients their newly updated résumé. Clients who are the backbone of their entire company, who achieve incredible wins for their department, and lead their team with compassion and heart.

But who have no idea how fantastic they really are!

I often wonder - Why don’t they see what I see? It’s so obvious they are highly talented, skilled, and able to motivate and empower their teams deeply. Why don’t they see this too?

The answer of course is just as deep as their impact- their beliefs won’t let them see.

The beliefs we have about our capabilities, strengths, and significance to others can keep us from accepting our greatness:

Sometimes this is because we are in a position we have outgrown, and those beliefs chafe us like a pair of two small shoes.

Sometimes our beliefs keep us small because it feels safer this way. We know how to handle our world in the little box, so why would we want to venture outside of it?

Sometimes our beliefs limit us because they match a version of ourselves who’s not currently leading us, only we haven’t realized it yet.

Finally, sometimes our beliefs are shaped by those near us- who may prefer the old version of us. The tricky part? Updating our beliefs means updating those relationships also.

How A Résumé Builds Your Confidence

The beliefs we carry about ourselves guide our actions (or lack of actions) and have a direct connection to the level of confidence we have in ourselves.

So, capturing evidence of how we perform in the world, not connected to our beliefs, gives us a very accurate and true perspective of our real impact, and starts the path of rewriting these beliefs. A bit like holding a mirror up to our life and career, we get a moment to be objective with what we see. Doing this shows us our true potential, and builds the self-confidence to wonder

what else is possible?

It all begins with making your impact tangible - by updating your Résumé!

How to Update Your Résumé

If you haven’t updated your résumés in a while, you might be surprised to see how they have evolved. There are some helpful guides here and here on current best practices.

The biggest shift I see is away from listing responsibilities of the job (hiring managers know these anyways) and towards the accomplishments you have earned over your time in that position. Now if you are someone who has low belief in your abilities, you might say “I haven’t done anything!” But I encourage you to challenge that belief and look deeper:

Cue the research montage, get your yellow legal pads ready: Dig through old notes, emails, project files, work and task schedulers, client and team communications. Collect all evidence you can find of your positive impact on projects, results, and people.

Collect your proudest moments: The places where you were in flow, combining multiple skills, connecting on a deep level to other humans, or leading a change or positive result. These proud moments are often clues to your truest self and your direction.

Consider what happened because you showed up: If you didn’t go to work that certain day, what would have happened? If you weren’t there to offer your special blend of skills, would the outcome have been as profound? What outcomes lead back to you?

Get hard data: Reread company, project, and financial reports, past performance evaluations, and department reports. Collect all the numbers and metrics that you can, and notice how your efforts contributed to the overall wins.

Now sit down with all of your data and reflect on how these outcomes are because of you. Claim your wins by reading them, saying them out loud, and explaining them in depth first to yourself, then to others. They exist because they are your impact, and because they are true. Like a scientist, you must accept the evidence!

A Résumé is Evidence of Your Truth

It feels a bit dramatic to say it, and it is a surprise to me that I now feel so strongly about Résumés, but it is true, they really are evidence of your career truth, the pieces of your life that were notable, presented in a way that’s objective and quantifiable.

I see real power in this- of course for you to own the evidence of your impact on paper- but also to reclaim your career story as your own:

Nefarious colleagues and/or leaders taking credit for your work? Add it to your résumé - that is one place where your story can remain yours. Sticky fingers have no power there.

Proud of your work, but it was never acknowledged? Your résumé wants it, add it. Just because your work wasn’t appreciated, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. It is crucial to you.

Always overlooked, misread, or interrupted? Your Résumé wants to hear about your creative ideas, innovative solutions, and unique skill set. Add that award- it’s not bragging.

Now that you’ve updated your career story to match your truth, you must sit down with the new story and embrace it. This is you, the real you, the you that brings your ideas, efforts, solutions, compassion, and professionalism to the world each day. You will walk taller now that you have claimed your story.

A Résumé For Your Life?

Why not create a résumé for your life? If you are in a place of transition, what a perfect time to review your life so far - and highlight the moments of strength, compassion, and courage:

Completed my Master's Degree in Education, while working full time, parenting two toddlers, and caring for my aging parents; optimized personal efficiency by 330% on two hours of sleep.

Successfully changed careers at 55; navigated a full career switch, moved to a different state, ran first marathon, and learned to bake sourdough bread in only 3 years.

Why not write future accomplishments you want to achieve as well? You can make a 5-year Vision Résumé- what better way to envision the direction you want to take? What is possible for you now?

It’s Time To Update Your Story

If you’ve read this far, you are probably ready to rewrite your story. It is a natural part of being human, changing your view of yourself and your world. It’s also healthy - it means you are growing and broadening your idea of who you are, and what is possible for you.

Every important transition we go through begins with this understanding.

Congratulations on taking the first step to your new beginning.

Want Support?

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Coach Tina offers Résumé Writing, LinkedIn Profile Writing, Career Coaching, and Life/Mindset Coaching, all through the lens of strengthening self-belief and courage. Want your résumé written professionally? Click HERE to get started. Interested in Career Coaching? Check out my new Offers HERE. in Life & Mindset Coaching? Click HERE.