When was the last time you updated your resume?

If your answer is “when I needed it,” you are already behind.

In sports, opportunities often come fast and unexpectedly. A new position opens. A mentor makes a recommendation. Someone you met at a conference calls about an opening. The people who move quickly are the ones who are ready.

A Resume Is a Living Document

Your resume should evolve as you do. Every project, volunteer experience, and new skill is part of your story. If you wait until you are job hunting to update it, you will forget the details that make you stand out.

Set aside time every few months to review it. Add what you have accomplished recently. Remove what no longer fits. Keep it current so you are ready when the phone rings.

What Makes a Resume Stand Out in Sports

1. Relevance Tailor it to the role. Highlight experience that connects directly to the opportunity, even if it was volunteer or part-time work.

2. Clarity Use clear job titles and bullet points that show what you actually did. The best resumes read like a story of growth and initiative.

3. Accuracy Double-check every date, title, and contact detail. I cannot tell you how many calls I have made to numbers that were no longer in service.

4. Brevity Two pages at most. If you cannot summarize what makes you valuable in that space, your resume may be trying to do too much.

Preparation Creates Opportunity

Think of your resume as your highlight reel. You would not wait until game day to practice, and you should not wait until an application is due to prepare.

So before you close your laptop tonight, ask yourself: If someone from the sports industry asked for my resume right now, would I be proud to send it?

— Dr. Lynn Lashbrook President, Sports Management Worldwide