Find a web site about resumés or a book (or service) about resumés that you like, possess it, and stick with it. (Purchase, library, friend, school, job service, etc)

Why do we say “rez’ oo may”?  In English we don’t have little marks over any of our letters. The word résumé (with the little marks) has its history in the 19^th century. Around 1804, in French, it meant “summary.” In the 1940s it morphed into English as “biographical summary of a person’s career.” For unknown reasons, the French pronunciation stayed with the word. I think that it might be part of a conspiracy to keep job seekers a little confused.

Everyone should have a comprehensive master resume. A simple way to start is with a paper form similar to “Work History on Paper.” (Make copies as required and fill in information about your past jobs as you remember them). Exact order of old job duties is not so important. Later on, these entries will be entered into a database and manipulated as needed. Dates are important. Names of past supervisors are good when known.

Your master résumé will never be used for a job application. It is a detailed listing of all your jobs and education and job-related accomplishments. You refer to and copy from the master résumé when you are making a specialized résumé .

The master résumé is a comprehensive, exhaustive, complete, over-the-top resume for reference. The quickest way to build a good vocabulary for the resume is to cut and paste directly from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), a comprehensive list of job titles being developed under the sponsorship of the US Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA) through a grant to the North Carolina Employment Security Commission.

Enter the titles of jobs you have done in the past and select the closest match that comes up. When tasks for that job are displayed, copy and paste them to you master resume.

Later: Make a “carry around” list of references and “skills.txt”, also from O*Net.