Tailoring Your Resume-How To Tailor Your Resume/CV For A Specific Job Interview

Tailoring Your Resume -How To Tailor Your Resume/CV For A Specific Job Interview

Hiring managers often skim resumes rather than reading them word for word to save time. Tailoring your resume to the employer’s job description or for a specific job interview is a surefire way to get your application noticed.

To highlight your most relevant qualifications, you can use their keywords (the organisation/company) and phrasings. This article will explain why it is important to tailor your resume to specific job postings, as well as a few guidelines and an example to get you started.

What does tailoring a resume mean?

When a company advertises a job opening online, they typically detail the position’s duties and the skills and experiences the successful candidate must have. To prove that you meet these requirements, you’ll insert them into your resume in the form of language or keywords.

A resume specifically written for a job demonstrates that the applicant possesses the desirable qualifications and has successfully applied them to achieve desired outcomes.

A well-tailored resume can open doors for you.

A well-crafted resume can set you apart from the competition and increase your odds of being invited for an interview. This is so for a few reasons you should tailor your resume to fit a specific job interview; other benefits include;

Tailoring your resume makes it evident that you’re a good fit for the position.

Recruiters will look for evidence of how well you meet their needs as they peruse your application materials. By elaborating on how you have used your most relevant experiences and skills, you show that you can perform the duties associated with the position.

It demonstrates that you care about the subject.

Taking the time to craft a resume highlighting your strongest qualifications is a great way to demonstrate your interest in the position for which you are applying. Hiring managers will have a better impression of a candidate who puts in the extra effort to show enthusiasm for the position.

The requirements of the business are emphasized.

Interviewers seek evidence that a candidate can help them achieve their objectives. Demonstrating that you are interested in more than just what the position can offer you by highlighting your most relevant skills and achievements is a surefire way to get hired.

It increases your chances of getting past automated application systems.

Nowadays, many human resource departments use software that automatically sorts resumes based on criteria taken directly from the posted position. It is more likely that your resume will be read if you tailor it to the job description.

Now you know the benefits let’s get you started on how to tailor your resume to meet specific job interviews with the following steps;

Read and understand the job description.

You should start by learning the expectations of the company and the skills needed for the position. Take note of, or highlight in the description, any skills-related terms that stand out to you. These could be terms that appear only in this posting or ones that pop up multiple times.

Check each other’s application materials.

You can begin adapting your generic resume to the position’s needs by reviewing it in light of the employer’s stated requirements. Ensure the hiring manager sees your qualifications immediately by putting the most important information in the summary and experience sections in the top half of the page.

Revise the overview.

One of the first things a potential employer will see is your resume’s summary, which is why it should be written in bold and placed at the top. Put your highlighted skills and accomplishments front and centre in a resume. To further demonstrate that this is a tailored resume, you should also include the name of the position for which you are applying.

Tailor your work History.

The hiring manager should be able to tell that you have relevant experience within seconds of scanning your resume, and your work history is the next most prominent section.

This may require you to downplay or eliminate non-conforming positions from your extensive work history. There should be consistent use of keywords from the position descriptions in the bulleted lists below each opening.

Include quantifiable outcomes.

Including metrics in your experience, section will help you stand out as a qualified candidate. Determine where you can insert numbers into your bullet points to illustrate your impact on previous employers if you haven’t already done so.

Review your qualifications summary.

Your most relevant abilities may not have been highlighted in your summary and work experience; if this is the case, you should highlight them in the skills section. Skills most important to the employer should be listed first, just as they are in the other sections.

A few examples include having technical and soft skills and expertise in a particular technology. Next, list any other important abilities of the job that help you stand out from the competition.

Make sure your resume is error-free!

Check for the aforementioned, but ensure you’ve included the company’s preferred keywords and phrases throughout the resume. Check if the details you included in your summary section match those in the job description.

Then, check to see that your past experiences align with what is needed for the position. Another option is to have a trusted friend or colleague look it over and give you their opinion on whether or not they see any consistency.

You should tailor your language to attract the hiring manager’s attention and ensure that it gets past any applicant tracking systems that might be in use. You can show your comprehension of their needs and ability to carry out your job’s duties using key phrases or words.