THE APPRAISAL WAS ON MONDAY. THE REDUNDANCY MEETING WAS ON FRIDAY.

 Let me tell you about 2 clients I will never forget. The first had been with his company for 23 years. 

TWENTY-THREE!!! 

He had just received a glowing appraisal. The following week, he was called into a meeting. His role was being moved to the US headquarters. A replacement had already been identified. His career with the company was over.

 The second client had spent 6 years with her organisation. She went on maternity leave. Returned excited to restart her career. 

3 weeks later, she was told she was no longer a good fit under the new leadership structure. Just like that. 

I share these stories to create awareness.

Because if there is one thing I have learned after years as a recruiter, career coach, and someone who has worked with thousands of professionals, it is this: 

Loyalty is valuable, but loyalty is not a career strategy.

Companies restructure. Leaders change. Strategies shift. Markets evolve. And sometimes decisions are made that have absolutely nothing to do with your performance.

This is where many professionals get caught off guard. They assume that because they are doing great work, their career is automatically progressing.

But being good at your job and managing your career are two different things.

That's why I always say:

Be the CEO of your Career.

Because nobody else can do that job for you. One of the simplest habits I recommend? Update your resume every six months.

Every SIX months. Here's why.

1. It keeps you ready

Opportunities rarely arrive with a warning. A recruiter calls. An internal role opens. A former colleague reaches out. A competitor starts hiring. 

If your resume hasn't been touched in years, you are already behind. The professionals who move fastest are usually the ones who prepared before they needed to.

2. It forces honest reflection

This is the more important reason. When you sit down to update your resume, ask yourself:

What have I achieved in the last 6 months that deserves a place here? 

Can you point to:

• A measurable business impact?
• A project you led?
• A team you developed?
• A process you improved?
• A problem you solved?

If the answer is yes, fantastic. If the answer is no, don't panic. But don't ignore it either. One of the exercises I often do with coaching clients is to review their resume as if we were preparing for a job search. 

It shows whether they are growing, their scope is expanding, they are building new skills, or creating stories worth telling. 

The goal is to live with confidence that your career can withstand change. That confidence comes from preparation, visibility, and growth. And it comes from refusing to put your career on autopilot.

So here's my challenge for you:

Open your resume this week and look at the last six months. 

What would you add? And if the answer is "not much"... then ask yourself what needs to change in the next six? It doesn't have to be a new job. 

Always Be Career-ing.

You've got this!

Shub (Your Career Growth Partner)