Do I Need to Update My Résumé for Every Job Posting?

Dear Deb:

My current process is to add a line at the top of my résumé (just before my summary of qualifications) that is the job title for the job I am applying for.  Is that the right way to do it?  My wife tells me that I need to create a new résumé for every company.  That seems pretty time consuming.  Also, all of the jobs are either systems or network administrator jobs.

What’s the right way of handling this without make résumé writing my new full time occupation?Thank you,

Ray G.

Dear Ray:

Relax, Ray!  You don’t have to write an entirely new résumé for each job opportunity. In your case, you just need to make some minor tweaks to your résumé before you send it to a new potential employer. This should take you 5 to 10 minutes per résumé. The areas to update are as follows:

Profile (AKA Summary of Qualifications):

Look at the job posting and make sure your résumé profile highlights the values, experience, and knowledge requirements.

Core Competencies

The core competencies area is a section often used just below the profile, generally a two- or three-column, two- or three-row chart with the top six or nine functional skills required for the job.  For example:  “Budgeting,” “Needs Analysis,” or “Software Implementation.”  This serves as a check list for the employer as they read your résumé. 

Technical Skills Inventory

This is a section labeled, “Technical Expertise” or “Technical Skills.” Update this section to reflect the skills desired by the potential employer – provided, of course, you possess those skills.

That is all you need to do in most cases.  It may require an extra few minutes of your time, but the reward will be worth the effort.

All the best!

Deb