More Than 1 Resume

Do You Need More Than One Resume?

Stacks of paperThe short answer to this question – is yes.

Yes you need more than just one resume.

In all honesty you should have a different resume for every job you apply for. Gasp, really? Yup. Hereโ€™s why:

One single stagnant resume cannot possibly speak to and address the needs of every job application that you come across.

“But I’m applying for similar jobs.ย  I’m not changing careers or looking for roles outside my realm of expertise. Can’t I use just one resume?!”

If your job target is clear and precise then consider developing a stellar base document โ€“ a starter resume โ€“ย  that you can draw from for every application. BUT you still need to customize content for each application.

Customizing content ensures that you cover off unique role requirements. It means peppering in appropriate keywords, key phrases, and related achievements. Thatโ€™s right โ€“ related. If a few points in your starter resume do not address the job requirements, donโ€™t use them. Swap in bullet points that do. Massage wording to โ€˜speakโ€™ the same language as the posting.

Why? Because everyone likes reading things they can relate to; employers included.

Another important reason to customize your resume is because of the pesky ATS. If you aren’t familiar with the challenges of online applications; you should be. Read more on ATS here.

Ultimately, every ATS is programmed to search for very specific requirements. If your resume does not match the role requirements it could be virtually snuffed out. Where does ATS get those specific details? From the job posting! So read every job posting carefully, note the language, phrases, skill sets, and keywordsโ€ฆand then c u s t o m i z e.

Just don’t let content customizing overwhelm or consume you. Some job seekers take customizing too far and completely re-write their resume from scratch every time they apply for a job.ย  This is laborious and unnecessary.ย  If you’ve had help developing aย  stellar starter resume then only minor content tweaks should be required. Keep the resume format and strategy the same, for similar applications, but ask yourself: โ€œdoes my resume address THIS employerโ€™s needs?โ€ Maybe it does, but if it doesnโ€™t โ€“ adjust.

 

Adrienne Tom

Looking to get noticed for top jobs? I can help. Visit me online at CareerImpressions.ca to learn more about my award-winning resume and LinkedIn writing services that helped C-suite executives, VPs, and directors land top jobs at billion-dollar companies, start-ups, and everything in between. โšœ ๐—ฌ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐˜€๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜† ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ผ๐—น๐—ฑ. Everyone has value to offer employers. But conveying this story in a modern, succinct executive resume isnโ€™t easy. I can do this for you. โšœ ๐—œ ๐—ผ๐—ณ๐—ณ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—บ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—ท๐˜‚๐˜€๐˜ โ€˜๐—ฎ ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜‚๐—บ๐—ฒโ€™. I'm often told that my process is as valuable as the final documents. People feel more empowered and confident after our work together. โšœ ๐— ๐˜† ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜‚๐—บ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐˜„๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ธ. I hear amazing success stories from my clients. For 15+ years, I have written hundreds of executive resumes and LinkedIn profiles that generated increased recognition and escalated earning power for my clients.
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