Who is my resumé for?

Even though all portfolios have something to gain from including a resumé, your particular resumé should be designed to correspond with your particular goals. Spend some time reflecting on what you are trying to accomplish with your resumé. Are you actively looking for a job? Are you looking to add a professional element to your online presence?

Then, consider how you might tailor your resumé to meet those goals. A powerful example of this is the objective statement that many people (though not all) choose to include on their resumé. If you’re actively looking for a job, this objective statement might include the words “to obtain a position…” because that’s a good way of signaling that you’re available for hire. However, if you love your job and the purpose of your resumé is to demonstrate what you’ve learned in that job, using those same words might send mixed messages (and cause your boss to worry!). In this case, you might want to say something like “to continue to develop my expertise in…” or highlight a goal that you and your administrator or supervisor have chosen for you to focus on this year.