Sometimes trying to remember your accomplishments as you write your resume is so darn arduous. With the experts reminding you to tailor your resume to each specific position, it can get tiring and overwhelming. You’ll need to create a general, “template” and from that you can design your tailored, job-specific resumes. Here are some tips to help you create both types.
1. Create a resume template. This is your general resume and one that you can keep in your car or briefcase. It is the resume that you can handily pull out if someone asks for a copy.
2. Create your template and your tailored resumes by writing down your accomplishments. I created a tool just for this or you can make up your own.
3. For your template, draw a two-column chart listing the tasks associates with your former position or volunteer activities and the accomplishments that you have made towards achieving these tasks. Use measurable wording and verbs (created, designed, implemented, wrote, interacted, led, etc.). If it helps, ask yourself, who, what, when, where, why and how.
4. For your tailored resume, add a third column to that chart and list the tasks or requirements required of the new position. Match your accomplishments to these. As you review the “Requirements/Job Functions” of an open position, imagine that you are on an interview where the hiring manager will ask you specific, behavioral STAR questions. Write down your responses and from these you will get specific, measurable data to include in your resume.
5. If you are feeling industrious, create a Word document of all of your tasks and measurable accomplishments for the past ten- fifteen years. Spell and grammar check this document and have someone else scan it for typos and wording. When creating your template or tailoring your resume for a specific position, it’s easy to pull the information from this document rather than recreate it.
These tips will help you craft both a general template resume and tailored versions. While it can be time consuming to tailor your resume for each open position, it has become the norm. Once you get the hang of copy and pasting, it does get a bit easier to pull it off.
