The Master Resume

I just checked, and my 2024 resume just crept onto a 7^th page!

And I’m OK with this!!

Here’s why this isn’t giving me heartburn.

The Master

I have something I refer to as my “Master Resume.” I’ve had many jobs throughout my career. Many have been in significantly different industries (ex. teaching workout classes for the YMCA and writing STEM curriculum for PBS Learning Media). On top of that, now that I’m a freelancer, I’m regularly adding new clients/projects to this document.

But I would NEVER submit this master resume when applying for a job. Instead, I use this as a starting point or reference.

For example, when my husband and I moved to Tucson, AZ for his new job at IBM, I was looking for work broadly. I applied for communications role with NASA’s OSIRIS-REx project, an editing position with Arizona Public Media, and a job running summer camps at the Flandrau Science Center (the gig I ended up getting). For each position, I needed to highlight different aspects of my background to demonstrate why I’d be the right fit.

Time to get picky

The greater the variety of experience you have had in the past, the more you need to narrow down what makes the cut for your resume. This is especially true if you’re applying for a job in a field that is substantially different from what you are currently doing.

Here’s the two steps I go through every time I need to submit a resume.

Step 1: Don’t Reinventing the Wheel

• I check to see if I’ve already created a resume for a similar type of position and start with that.

• I rename the document using the same naming convention, “Sara Kobilka Resume (Year) (Title of Organization) (Job Title). This helps me quickly find resumes to modify in the future.

• I copy and paste updated items from the Master Resume into this renamed document.

Step 2: Chop, Chop, Chopping

•  If I do NOT have a similar resume, I start with the Master Resume and rename it (as discussed above).

• I change the heading “Professional Experience” to “Relevant Professional Experience.” That way, people are less likely to wonder about gaps in my employment.

• I remove all positions and sections that are not relevant to this specific opportunity or are old (i.e. most people don’t care about my work study job in the UW-Madison ESL Office).

• I check to see if I’m at 2 pages or less (full disclosure, usually the answer is no).

• I do another round of cutting, starting with older positions and positions that are similar/lasted a shorter time. 

• I shorten descriptions of positions to only include relevant details.

Depending on the length of your resume, this can be challenging. You may need to bring in backup. Ask a trusted friend or family member to read through the job description and your resume to help you decide what to cut.

And if you’re still struggling, remember that you can include ALL of your past positions in your LinkedIn profile and have a link to that in your resume. Recruiters and hiring managers are more frequently looking at LinkedIn profiles of potential candidates, so it is worth spending time updating your “Experience” section.

Looking for a job can be extremely time consuming, so use this strategy to save time and create tailored resumes that quickly highlight why you’re the best person for the job.

Get Your LinkedIn Profile Active

If you’re worried that a potential employer might get to your LinkedIn profile and find it unnervingly quiet, join my FREE LinkedIn Sprint for Job Seekers next month!

This will be my last free LinkedIn sprint (after this, there will be a small cost to participate). It’s open to ALL job seekers. If you’d like to up your LinkedIn networking game with accountability and a supportive community, sign up for more details.

Hi! I’m Sara Kobilka, owner of Renaissance Woman Consulting.

I am a Renaissance Woman and part of my wide-ranging background includes time as a TV meteorologist/reporter, non-profit leader, higher education program coordinator, and now, business owner. During each leg of this journey, I gained new skills that I was able take with me in my next step. Now, I work remotely with clients to help them confidently tell their story and navigate the transition to their next step on their career journey.

Take the Next Step

• Follow me on LinkedIn where I actively cross-pollinate impactful ideas across industries and disciplines (and regularly share job opportunities I come across)

• Check out my one-on-one career coaching program or join a cohort of job seekers for small group coaching

• Sign up to be the first to know when I offer my workshops: Using LinkedIn to be a Powerhouse Networker and How TV News Pros Can Land a Remote Job.

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