There are several job seekers today who have knowledge or experience when it comes to taking up different roles, and they want to include all that in a single resume. For example, you can find some job applicants who have worked in human resources, communications, and event planning. Is it wise to cover all three of these sections in a single resume? The answer, of course, is no. You need to create multiple resumes. In today’s job hunt scenario, the “one size fits all” resume mantra just does not pay off. You need to focus only on one specialization, because it keeps the resume simple, but effective. However, does this mean you have to keep modifying a major chunk of your resume, including its focus, each time you apply for a job posting? The answer, once again, is no. If you have interest or experience in different job functions or capacities, then you need to completely rethink your resume writing strategy and look at it as an asset with varying themes. This is an important issue to discuss because a lot of people tend to develop a background in at least three, or even more, thematic work areas as time and their careers progress. However, that does not mean you should put everything in a single resume. The biggest reason against dumping all this information in a single resume is that an employer cannot digest all of it. There is too much going on, and it would be difficult for recruiters to judge whether you are actually good at the role they want you to perform. So you cannot add all the information together, and it is not feasible to change a major part of your resume for every application. The only option left is to get you grounded. Think carefully about the areas of work or the corporate functions in which you are most likely to achieve success. This can narrow down your list considerably. Take your time and do your research. Once you have done this, you can focus on your efforts on the areas that have been shortlisted. If you have just one area, then you are lucky. At most, you should have three areas or functions by the end of this step. Once you have shortlisted your areas of interest according to the rate of success, it is time to make completely separate resumes that target each of them. Instead of covering your entire work history, make a section on each resume called “Relevant Work History,” and then go on to fill it with the jobs that are most relevant to the position or function of interest. Check out resume examples for the particular job you are applying for help in figuring out what is relevant if you are lost. Summarize any non-relevant ones if required, but keep them very short to avoid distracting the recruiter. A good idea would be to add a summary of any necessary history in an ‘Additional History’ section. By following this simple process, you are conveying to the recruiter all the information that is relevant for what he or she is hiring. If the recruiter is worried about any gaps in work history, then the additional history covers them up. Article written by Erik Larson
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