Create a Master Resume

By now, you know how important it is to tailor your resumes and cover letters to each position you apply for. As part of this process, you may choose to omit some information, such as certain certifications, extracurricular activities and even work experiences that are not relevant to the position you are applying for. But what if the information you omit for one application is beneficial and relevant for a future job application? Add it all to a master resume!

A master resume contains everything you have ever done in your career to-date, including all education, certifications, workshops and seminars, work and volunteer experiences and even extracurricular activities! Your master resume can be as long as you’d like, so don’t leave anything out! 

Why is this helpful? A master resume is a great place to add and keep track of specialized training, workshops, classes, etc., so you won’t forget anything that may be relevant to a future job opportunity. It will also make tailoring your 2-page resume quick and easy. You can simply copy the most relevant experiences from your master resume and paste them into your tailored 2-page resume. Then you can tweak the wording to speak directly to the job posting, and voila, you have sped up the process for applying for a job! Don’t start from scratch every time! Your master resume will be a job application lifesaver and also contain some great examples you could add to your tailored cover letter.

Don’t you remember that Community Helpers training you completed two years ago? How about the date that you completed the Indigenous Canada MOOC? You will never be scrambling to remember these great experiences if you add them to your master resume!