Step-by-Step: Tailoring Your Resume to a Job

If you are sending out the same CV to every job, you are likely missing out on interviews. Employers want to see that you understand their specific needs. This doesn’t mean rewriting your CV from scratch every time, but your CV requires tailoring to a job ad.

Think of your CV as a marketing document. The product is you and the goal is to show that you fit that specific job. Here’s a step-by-step guide on what to do

1. Analyse the Job Posting/Job Description

• Read it carefully to understand what the company truly wants.
• Highlight key skills, responsibilities, tools mentioned more than once.
• Identify the top 3 requirements and keep them central as you tailor your resume.

2. Mirror the Job Title and Rewrite Your Summary

• Use the exact job title in your CV headline if it aligns with your experience
• Customise your professional summary to focus on how you meet the employer’s key needs.
• Mention results or skills in your summary that directly reflect the job post.

3. Tailor the Skills Section

• List 6–10 relevant skills from the job posting using their exact wording.
• Prioritise technical tools, platforms or certifications that are must-haves for the role.
• Remove any skills that do not relate directly to the position.

4. Customise Bullet Points Under Work Experience

• Edit the first 2–3 bullet points under each job to align with the employer’s priorities.
• Highlight tasks or achievements that are similar to what the new job requires.
• Use action verbs and measurable results

5. Emphasise Relevant Achievements

• Move the most aligned accomplishments to the top of each role or create a “Selected Achievements” section.
• Quantify your impact where possible to show results.
• Focus on achievements that solve the same problems the new employer is facing.

6. Update Your Education and Certifications

• Highlight degrees, training or certifications that are listed as requirements or preferred qualifications.
• Include course names or project topics if they align closely with the job.
• Add in-progress training to show continuous learning.

7. Match the Employer’s Language and Culture

• Reflect the tone of the job post - is it formal, energetic, technical or a bit more easy?
• Use industry-specific terms they use to show you understand their world.
• Avoid overly generic language or buzzwords especially if they don’t relate directly to their company culture.

8. Optimise for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

• Naturally include keywords from the job posting in your CV especially in the skills and experience sections.
• Use standard section headings like “Professional Experience” and “Education” to avoid confusion.
• Avoid images, tables or graphics that might interfere with ATS parsing.

9. Refine Formatting for Readability

• Use clean fonts, consistent formatting and enough white space to make your CV easy to read and navigate.
• Stick to bullet points and short sentences for clarity.
• Avoid long texts and descriptions.

10. Final Check and Save Professionally

• Proofread carefully for typos, formatting issues and missing details.
• Double-check that your contact information and LinkedIn URL are current.
• Save the file as a PDF named like Firstname_Lastname_CV_JobTitle.pdf for a professional touch and accessibility

CV polished and ready to go — but what’s next? Did you know that sending it over the weekend might actually hurt your chances with HR. Here’s why and much more: [Advice: When Is the Best Time to Apply?]