Setting out on a job hunt can be daunting. Depending on how widely you cast your net, you may find hundreds of job opportunities that each have different application requirements. For that you have to make sure that your CV match the Job description. The following are seven (7) Ways to customize your CV to match the job description;
7 Ways to customize your CV to match the job description
1. Review the job description.
First, you need to review job descriptions and to understand what the employer wants and the qualifications required to perform the specific job. Read its description carefully and write down or highlight any significant keywords related to skills. These may be words or phrases that seem unique to the job or reoccur throughout the posting.
Then take note of all specific requirements, such as necessary education or training and years of experience. Also, look at the order of the which responsibilities listed for a specific job, as those mentioned first may be more of a priority for the employer. You will want to mirror the employer’s priorities when organizing your resume — the first items they mention should be some of the first items you mention.
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2. Compare your resume.
Now after review the Job descriptions, you will know what the employer is seeking from candidates, you can review your general resume to start customize it to their needs. Edit your key qualifications in the top half of the page using your summary and experience sections, which will ensure that the hiring manager sees that you fit the role right away.
Look at the your experiences section on your resume and determine which previous experiences are most relevant. If they are your most recent jobs, use a reverse-chronological format. However, you may want to use a functional or combination format if your most relevant job was further back in your history. By using those formats, you can steer the focus toward your most relevant skills rather than your work timeline.
3. Update your summary.
The summary section mostly found at the top of your resume, so it is one of the first things a hiring manager sees when start to read your CV. If you have one, use it to showcase your most relevant skills and accomplishments based on the keywords you highlighted. You should also include the title of the job to which you are applying, proving that this is a personalized resume.
For example, say you were applying for a social media marketing position seeking candidates that take the initiative on projects, have at least two years of experience and are proficient in web marketing and SEO. Your summary might look like this:
Self-motivated social media marketing specialist with over three years of experience in web marketing and social media campaign management. Developed SEO strategies for clients that increased organic traffic, including a 25% boost for a local restaurant group.
4. Customize your Relevant Experiences.
Your work history (Relevant experiences) section is the another important section on your resume. Everyone has past experience that doesn’t always make the resume, so the hiring manager should immediately be able to tell that you have relevant experience. If you have a long work history, this may mean you need to minimize or remove other positions which are not align. Or if your most relevant jobs were further back, you may split this section into two for further tailoring: an “[industry] experience” section and an “Other work experience” section.
The bulleted lists under each position should always utilize the job description’s keywords. This specific language shows that you will start the job with the required skills and experience. Keep in mind that your first bullet points should represent the most relevant responsibilities or tasks.
For example, if the description emphasizes leadership abilities, start each list with examples of how you led a team, trained peers or other similar tasks. Even if those were not your main responsibilities, those responsibilities best match what the hiring manager wants.
5. Include measurable results.
To further prove yourself as a qualified candidate, use quantifiable data in your experience section. If you do not already have numbers in your bulleted list, determine where you can add them to demonstrate your impact at previous companies. Hiring managers will be impressed by such achievements because they present the value you provide.
An example of a compelling achievement would be: “developed an email marketing campaign that increased monthly sales by 10%.” Hiring managers will be more interested to see your specific results, rather than a sentence such as “created successful marketing campaigns.” Here, they do not get details on how significant of an impact you made on your clients.
6. Update your skills section.
Your summary and work history may not include all the most relevant skills you have, so add any remaining to your skills section. Like those sections, list the employer’s most prioritized skills first using exact keywords from the job description. Take a few minutes to read these requirements and pull out keywords and skills that are listed. For example, if a listing includes “must be proficient in Microsoft word,” note the words “proficient” and “Microsoft word” and work them into your skills list. For best results, make an effort to include the exact name of every skill on the job listing that’s relevant to you.
7. Re-read your resume.
Beyond grammatical and spelling errors, review your resume to ensure you used the employer’s keywords and phrases. You should compare your summary section to the overall job description and evaluate whether they match. Next, ensure that each bullet point in your work history is relevant to the job’s responsibilities and requirements. You can also ask a friend or colleague to review it and provide feedback on whether they see alignment.
Aside from passing potential applicant tracking systems, you want to ensure that your language is specific enough to catch the hiring manager’s attention. Seeing familiar words or phrases will demonstrate that you understand their needs and can execute the job’s responsibilities.
Did you Know?
Almost 39 percent of hiring managers look at a resume for less than a minute and 23 percent spend less than 30 seconds so the layout of a resume is crucial. The most important sections should have a hierarchy, so you have to make sure that you list skills and experience sections at the top.