When to create a new resume version
Rules for deciding when a CV should be duplicated, renamed, or kept as the same base file.
Versioning only works if the rule is simple enough to remember. Create a new copy when the role changes enough to justify a different angle, not just because the wording feels slightly different.
- Create a new version when the job family changes, not for every single posting.
- Keep the base version stable so you have a trustworthy starting point.
- Use names that help you find the right file quickly.
Create a new version for real shifts
A new version makes sense when the role family changes, the seniority changes, the language changes, or the industry context changes enough that the same proof points need a different order.
- Product design versus growth design.
- Junior roles versus lead roles.
- French applications versus English applications.
- Agency work versus in-house product work.
Keep the naming convention boring
The best naming system is the one you can scan in one second. Include the role family, the company or context, and a short cue about the focus.
- Product-designer-saas-onboarding.pdf
- Growth-cv-b2b-activation.pdf
- French-product-role-reference.pdf
Preserve the reason the version exists
A version should answer a question. If you cannot explain why it was created, it is probably just another duplicate.
Keep one short note with the role, the changes, and the date. That makes the history useful later.
Use the version history to move faster
Once the logic is clear, you can reuse the right starting point instead of editing the latest file by habit.
That is the hidden value of version history: less searching, less second-guessing, and faster tailoring for the next application.
Practical payoff
A good version system makes the next edit much shorter.
ExactMatchCV keeps each version tied to the application that used it, so you can move from one role to the next without losing the thread.