What is a master resume, and why do I need one?

A master resume is a private, complete record of everything you could put on a resume: every job, all your bullets, projects, training, certifications, awards and numbers. You never send it. You copy from it when making tailored versions.

Why it helps:

• You do not forget good achievements when tailoring under time pressure.
• You can pick the right bullets for each job quickly.
• Facts such as dates and titles stay consistent across versions.

What to include:

• All roles, with five to ten bullets each, even minor ones.
• Results and figures, with notes on where they came from.
• Every course, certificate and tool you have used, with dates.
• Variations of your summary for different role types.

It can be as long as needed, since nobody else reads it. Update it whenever you finish a project, earn a certificate or get a result worth remembering. Then each tailored resume becomes a matter of selection, not writing from scratch.