This time of year, much may change in the parish.

Sometimes things change simply because it's time. Some music ministers enjoy the challenge of starting from scratch and building a program from the ground up, but may be getting to the point of having done everything that can be done and now it's time to move on. Others enjoy seeing a music program continue to grow from year to year, and don't really want to start over somewhere else.

If there is new leadership, it may be difficult to work with, or may be looking to do a clean sweep of personnel. Budget cuts may mean cutbacks in hours and pay, often with little notice.

In today's climate, wise musicians keep their résumés buffed up just in case. It's not a bad idea to take a yearly look at one's résumé and see what needs to be included. Has the number of volunteers in the music ministry increased? By how much? (Quantify as much as you can.) Have there been trips to nursing homes? Choir trips to Rome? Did you reorganize the music library to reduce deadwood? Have you taken continuing education courses, or worked on an advanced degree? Have you written articles for professional journals? Have you presented workshops, or hosted them, or been involved in the NPM chapter? Crank it all into your résumé.

We're not used to tooting our own horns, but it's necessary in order to give a prospective new employer an accurate look at our skills and vision. (Even when you're not changing jobs, the same information can be useful for performance reviews.)

Always, always, have someone competent proofread it.

Mind you, in 40 years, I never got a job from a résumé, but a well-crafted résumé can get one's foot in the door.

M.D. Ridge