There is no single ideal resume. Each application requires a specialized resume curtailed to the job at hand, highlighting those experiences relevant to the position. Each bullet should pop with key words from the job description. And ideally the resume should be on one page.

This article, by one of my favorite career coaches, talks about what I call the master resume. It is a key to easily specializing your resume to the job at hand.

What is a master resume? The master resume lists everything you have ever done and accomplished from as early as you can remember. It is as long as you want. This is a resume just for you. It allows you to see all that you have ever done. And when it becomes time to create that one page resume, it allows you to quickly scan the bullets and cut those that are not relevant.

The master resume also has an additional bonus. It creates a roadmap of all the places you have worked and things you have accomplished. The master resume is a self-reflective tool. Looking over it, you can see patterns of skills, interests and experience. For those that are wondering about their next step, there are likely clues if you go far enough back that are good indicators of early passions.

When transitioning to a new practice area or out of the law, a coach can assist you in growing your master resume by flushing out new relevant bullets from past experiences. For more information, please contact me to set up a complimentary consultation.