IU #022: 'Should I Tailor My Resume For Every Job?'

I’ve done hundreds of career coaching sessions in 2023, and there’s one question that I get asked more than any other.

** Imagine the sound of a drumroll…

It’s 'Should I tailor my resume for every job?'

** Cue dramatic drum solo.

So many people are stuck at their desk, late at night, staring at their resume... agaaaaain…

Rewriting.

Adjusting.

Tailoring it for yet another job application.

There is no worse feeling than putting in that effort to realize it was a waste of time.

So, do all these tweaks make any difference? Are you wasting your time?

Today, I’ll share the advice I give my coaching clients.

1) It's Not Always About Being the Best, But Selling the Best

I talk about this in almost every newsletter.

Job hunting is less about your actual skills and experience, and more about how you can talk about them.

So, if you send 5 resumes to 5 different jobs, if they are ‘sort of for everyone’, they are really for no one.

By tailoring your resume for the job role, you’re telling the hiring manager, ‘I’m the one for you.’

2) Tailoring for Role vs. Tailoring for Every Job

Are you tailoring it for each individual job?

I personally think that is too much.

But I would tailor it for each job role.

For example, if it’s a data analyst role or data engineer, then that’s totally fine to change it each time.

But if you’re applying for 5 similar data analyst roles in the marketing sector, I would use the same resume each time.

Key takeaway: There's a big difference between tailoring your resume for every job role and tailoring it for every individual job.

3) Are You Asking the Right Question?

If tailoring your resume feels like a lot of work, maybe you're asking yourself the wrong question.

Instead of thinking, should I tailor my resume for these job roles…

Are you applying for too many different job roles?

It may be best to pick 2-3 job roles you are most suitable for and go with them.

Hope this helps!

If you think it is time for a coaching session, I'm here to help. You can book your career coaching (and resume reviews) here. 

For more resources to help you land a job, check out my e-books here.

If you need more help improving your SQL skills, find a great resource here.