A Resume For Every Day?

True, your qualifications and past work experience cannot be changed, but the way you present the information certainly can, and the points of emphasis can and should be driven by the description of the job you are targeting at any given moment. 

Contrary to popular myth, a resume does not have to include your entire work history.  In fact, it should only include what is pertinent to the employer or the role for which you are applying.

On the other hand, be careful not to leave any unexplained gaps in time wherein you have no stated jobs or explained sabbaticals.

In the throws of a full blown job search, you may be targeting dozens of job postings each week, in which case it is clearly not realistic or feasible to rewrite your resume for each position. But based on the types of roles you are seeking, you should be able to craft two to three resumes, one for each of the different types of roles you are going after.

Spinning your resume is not lying. In fact, it’s very wise. Your resume makes a statement.  Without embellishing or falsifying facts, you can make the statement that best positions you in the eyes of the employer.   Employers go to the trouble of clearly specifying their requirements in a job posting, and they do this in order to attract qualified candidates, and to discourage submissions from people who do not meet their minimum criteria. In contrast, they will appreciate reading resumes that clearly reflect their needs, and they don’t want to have to comb through irrelevant clutter to get to the pertinent matter. Make the employer’s job easy by blatantly demonstrating relevance.

Each employer has his own specific requirements and will look for pertinent points on your resume which suit his particular needs.  For instance, if you have a sales and marketing background, and you are applying for a position as a Marketing Director, you can structure the information in such a way that favors the marketing side of your background.  Use examples of achievements that were beneficial to the overall marketing structure of the organization, and save your high impact sales figures for the resume which is targeted to a Sales Director position.

Every job is different, and the way you present yourself and your skill set should reflect your ability to identify the requirements of the role you are targeting.  Your candidature should be geared and targeted to each job individually.  Crafting your presentation and candidature toward a specific job shows that you have done your homework and that you are adaptable.  These are attributes that any employer would appreciate.