The Benefits of Having Multiple Resumes

The job market can be highly competitive, and a well-crafted resume is essential for making a good impression on potential employers. Sometimes this means making adjustments to your resume, so it doesn’t come off as “generic” to hiring managers. In fact, job seekers will often create multiple versions of their resume for a variety of reasons, and today we’re going to talk about some situations in which you might want to tailor your resume to give yourself a competitive edge and increase your chances at landing a job. Let’s begin.

Tailoring for Specific Roles

Perhaps the most common reason why job seekers have multiple resumes is to tailor each one to specific roles or positions they’re applying for. Different companies have different ideas about which skills are most important for any given role, and depending on the company’s preferences a generic resume might not showcase your skills and experience effectively.

Tailoring your resume to be specific to a job description might help you get past a company’s automated resume screening software. This is because a tailored resume includes information and keywords that are directly relevant to the job description. A tailored resume will also demonstrate to the hiring manager that you’ve done your homework, and that you’re not just blindly applying to many jobs in quick succession.

Highlighting Diverse Skillsets

Most professionals develop diverse skillsets through various experiences during their career. For example, your job title could be “Marketing Associate,” but you may have learned project management skills along the way. Having multiple resumes allows you to place emphasis on different aspects of your skillset depending on the job requirements.

Using the above example, let’s say you’re a marketing associate and the job you’re applying for requires skills in project management. Here, you should highlight your leadership abilities, organizational skills, and experience with any project management tools you might have used. Depending on how many transferable skills you’ve learned, there’s virtually no limit to the way you can customize your resume to showcase your diverse set of skills.

Targeting Different Industries

Depending on your role, you may find job opportunities in a wide variety of industries. For example, web developers can find work almost anywhere, as all companies have websites and want to provide their customers with a streamlined, user-friendly experience. The key to maximizing your opportunities in different industries is learning how to “talk the talk,” as they say.

When creating multiple resumes targeted at different industries, research job descriptions and the websites and social media platforms of various companies. Then, take note of any industry-specific language, trends, and job requirements that you find. Next, customize your resume and cover letter to align with the specific needs and expectations of each industry. By doing this, you’ll position yourself as a qualified candidate who has knowledge of the nuances of a specific industry.

Career Transitions

Having multiple resumes will help you cast a wide net and will open the door to a broad range of job opportunities—this is particularly important during a career transition. Whether you’re switching industries, changing roles, or pursuing an entirely new career path, you’ll be challenged with reframing your resume to showcase the transferable skills or relevant experience required to make the transition.

In order to do this effectively, you’ll have to conduct research into the new industry, role, or career you’re looking to get into. Similar to tailoring your resume to a specific industry, you’re looking for unique language, trends, or job requirements you can use to position yourself as a qualified candidate. You can get as creative as you’d like, but it’s important to remain honest about your experience. In other words, if you lack the transferable skills or experience necessary to make a particular career transition, you may want to rethink your plan.

Networking

Your professional network is one of the greatest job search tools you have at your disposal. When networking with professionals in different industries or attending industry-specific events, having multiple resumes allows you to quickly adapt your opening pitch and materials to better suit the situation.

Of course, this will require some planning and research leading up to the event. First, you’ll want to go through the process of tailoring your resume to be specific to the event you’re attending. Then, spend some time becoming familiar with this new version of your resume so you can be conversational about it when speaking with potential network connections. Lastly, if you’re bringing several different resumes, ensure that you’re aware of which ones you’re handing out so you can make a memorable impression during the event.

When it comes to your resume, don’t limit yourself. By customizing multiple versions of your resume to highlight relevant qualifications, experiences, and achievements for each new opportunity, you can establish yourself as an ideal candidate in a variety of situations, greatly increasing your chances for success.