Do I really need multiple resumes?
One of the most common questions we receive from job seekers is “Do I need more than one resume?” The answer is yes. Absolutely! There is no question about it. Multiple resumes are needed! If you have sent in 10 resumes and haven’t received any response, your resume isn’t showing the manager you were qualified. The hiring manager isn’t seeing exactly what they are looking for. Ask any professional recruiter and they will tell you that you should submit a modified resume for every position you apply for. Don’t worry. You won’t be creating a new resume from scratch for every position you are applying for. Career Tracker.co is here to explain why you need multiple resumes and the differences between them. Of course, we have our free Resume Creator that makes tailoring and keeping track of your multiple resumes a snap.
Jobs are not created equal
No two jobs are the same and no two job descriptions are the same. This is why hiring managers are looking for different qualifications. Even if you are applying for two bank teller jobs or two customer service representative positions, the two positions are going to be different. To guarantee we are matching our qualifications in the job description, we need multiple resumes.
Customer Service Example
Let’s say you are looking for a job in customer service. If you are applying to 3 different customer service jobs, each of these customer service jobs could be in 3 different industries. These three positions will most likely be in three different companies. The three industries could be in hotel management, retail, and a call center. Because of this diversity, each of these hiring managers is going to want something different. This is why the job descriptions will list different qualifications and require different areas and levels of experience.
Years of experience doesn’t matter
If you have recently graduated from school and just entering the workforce, you are probably applying for a mixed bag of jobs. You may be applying for an account manager one week, a customer service representative the next, and an entry-level analyst the next. Using the same resume to apply for these three positions isn’t going to work.
If you have 5 or more years of experience, you are established in a field or industry. But within a field or industry the company cultures, processes, and lexicon are still different. A Sr. Analyst at Acme Publishing isn’t a Sr. Analyst at Smith and Jones Publishing. A Sr. Analyst at a small company is not going to be the same as a Sr. Analyst at a Fortune 100 company. Using the same resume to apply for both positions isn’t the way to land an interview. Multiple resumes are a must.
Hiring managers see 100’s of resumes
Hiring managers are reviewing dozens if not hundreds of resumes for their position. 99% of the applicants are using the same resume for all of their job applications and they will need to be Lotto-lucky if their resume matches what the hiring manager is looking for. The only way their experience will be the perfect match is if they worked for the hiring manager, quit the advertised job and are reapplying for the same job. Outside of this, the resume may be close, but it won’t match.
Remember, the hiring manager didn’t create the job description with your resume in mind. The hiring manager of all three of our customer services positions created their job descriptions with their specific needs in mind. We can not expect that all customer service hiring managers have the exact same needs. Our resume isn’t going to be enough for two different job descriptions. Consequently, we should not expect that the job description and our resume, both separately created are going to match up. The odds are against us. Unfortunately, this is where most candidates make the critical mistake. One resume for all of their job applications.
How to generate a call from the hiring manager
To generate a call back from a hiring manager, list qualifications on your resume that match the job description as closely as possible. The language in your resume should match the language used in the job description. If the job description is looking for a customer service rep, we list customer service experience. If the resume is looking for a customer success representative, we change the language to customer success representative.
Here are a few examples of when you need multiple resumes:
- If you are slightly overqualified for one job and slightly under qualified for the next, you need multiple resumes.
- Entry level customer service vs. entry-level account manager? You need multiple resumes.
- Large company analyst looking to work across multiple teams vs. a small company analyst looking to work with Senior Management? Multiple resumes my friend.
What we ask for when we create resumes
When we help folks with their resumes we always ask for the specific job description of interest. We ask for this so that we can tailor the resume. We also go stratight to the following:
- The first 3-4 bullet points listed in the job description?
- The first 3-4 points listed in the job requirements?
Dial in your resume
The answers to these requirements are going to tailor your resume to the specific job. The first few bullets are the most important. These are what separates different job descriptions. Bullets number 4 or 5 through the end are usually very generic. These latter bullets are transferable from one job description to the next. Echoing the first few bullets in the job description with your accomplishments on the resume and cover letter is the customization you need.
This is where the Resume Creator comes into play. Our Resume Creator makes it a snap to create a new version of your resume for every application. Career Tracker also helps you track that individual resume and set follow-ups. Your first resume can be created in as little as 20 minutes! Your subsequent resumes, requiring only minor language tweaks will be much quicker. Check it out and start sending in resumes that have the relevance needed to land that interview!
Key Takeaway: If you aren’t using multiple resumes in your job search, you are sending in a resume that doesn’t match the job posting. Create multiple resumes with Career Trackers Resume Creator and perfectly match the job description.
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