How to Fix an Outdated Resume in 4 Steps — Without Starting From Scratch

What to Do If You Haven’t Touched Your Resume in Years (and Don’t Know Where to Start)

The first draft of your resume isn’t supposed to be perfect.
It’s supposed to get you moving.

But too many people stall out trying to write a “perfect” resume — especially if it’s been years since their last update.
They overthink the format, agonize over every bullet, and talk themselves out of applying altogether.

Here’s the truth: You don’t need to rewrite everything.
You need to reposition what already works.

😖 The Problem

Most people treat resume updates like reinventions.
They try to sound impressive instead of relevant. They write for every job they’ve had instead of the one they want next.
And they forget who’s reading it — a human being who’s skimming for signs you’re the right fit.

This leads to one of two outcomes:
→ You submit a document that’s technically accurate… but strategically weak.
→ Or you never hit send at all, because you’re stuck in rewrite hell.

Help a Sam out: If this helpful, tap the ❤️ to let me know!

💡 Where I See People Get Stuck

Exhausted. Overwhelmed. Stuck. — that’s how I find a lot of mid-career pros who are staring at their outdated resume. And I get it — going back years and getting everything put together in a coherent manner feels like a lot of work… and a lot of pressure.

But you’re missing something.

The point of your resume is to get you an interview for a specific job.
It’s not a reading assignment.
It’s not the history of your career.

It is a strategic doc that says, “Hey, I am the person you need for this role.”

We’re around the corner from football season and already the analysts are talking about how they think teams are going to perform this fall/winter. An in those reports, they don’t talk about the 75 year history of the team and every record they’ve ever had.

No, they talk about the future and how the present and relevant bits from the past impact the job the team has to do.

Think about your resume like those analyst reports — framing how you are the winning candidate for the job you want.
Focus forward, it makes a moving much easier.

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📋 The Play to Run:

Here’s how I coach clients to update a long-dormant resume — fast, clear, and without the overwhelm.

1. Pick your target role, not just your next job.
   Don’t write a general resume. Write one aligned to a specific future. Even if you’re still exploring, choose a direction.
   Clarity starts with declaring the game you want to play.
   This step is critical.

2. Build your resume forward, not backward.
   Start with your most recent role and write it for the job you want.
   What accomplishments, projects, or results translate? Which experiences prove you’re ready to level up?

3. Cut what doesn’t serve your story.
   Old roles don’t need a bunch of bullet points. List the job, add a line or two of context, and move on.
   The past supports your case. It doesn’t need to carry it.

4. Make your Executive Summary forward-facing.
   Your summary shouldn’t rehash the past — it should preview who you are becoming. Write it as if the job you’re applying for is already yours.
   Label yourself with the title you’re targeting, then back it up with 2–3 core strengths or proof points that show you’re ready.

Example:
Senior Marketing Manager with a track record of driving 7-figure campaign growth, leading cross-functional creative teams, and building performance systems in both startup and enterprise environments.

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🏅 Get In the Game This Week

Open your resume, and instead of rewriting everything, just do this:
▪️Write your Executive Summary for the kind of job you want now.
▪️Let it lead your update, guide your bullet points, and shape your story.
That one shift can move you from ghosted to interview-ready.

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Ready for a New Job?
➡️ Want a system and support to make it happen by the end of the year?

If your resume’s been collecting dust for years, now’s the time to fix it — without the guesswork. We’ll tackle that and everything else you need to land a new role in the Career Reboot Bootcamp that kicks off in September.

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🔐 For Paid Subscribers:

✅ Get access to my Resume Template and Executive Summary Playbook — the exact tools I use with coaching clients to reposition their story and move faster on a resume that actually works.
They’re both inside The Playbook Vault , exclusive to Locker Room subscribers.

🔑 Links at the bottom of this post — scroll down to access.

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💌 Know someone stuck in the same loop? Send this their way.

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