When you match your resume to the job (description), you are giving yourself the best chance of being seen as a great fit. Competition is stiff and you want to make it as easy as possible for the resume screener. And I say this having been a screener for many years as part of my hiring manager responsibilities.
So let me say this loud and clear: PLEASE customize your resume to the job you’re applying for, as best you can. Despite claims that the resume is dead, resumes are still one of your strongest marketing tools. Even in this ill-designed, ridiculously frustrating hiring process. And its job continues long AFTER an initial screener sees it.
Tips for matching resume to job
Now for those steps I promised to help you match your resume to the job description:
- Get the job description and put it in front of you.
- Circle the key skills & experience the company is looking for.
- Make a list of all the things you’ve actually done in your career that make you a good fit. (Remember to think about your transferable skills, too.)
- Now go get your resume and put that in front of you also.
- Look to see where your already-listed experiences might match with elements in the job description.
- Circle those matching experiences, so you can go back to them later. And decide which ones you’ll give more emphasis and/or a higher position in your bullet lists.
- Now think about things you’ve done in other jobs or elsewhere (volunteer, special projects, freelance). Things that are NOT yet on your resume. Add the strongest ones that show why you would be an asset (match) to the new job.
- Next go through your resume, editing and adding where needed to give more weight to your strongest matching items (including keywords and key phrases). But also mentioning something even from years back if it might help. (This is a good time to get rid of items that don’t help and may lead you back to things you don’t ever want to do again.)
Example of reviving an old skill
If you used Microsoft Excel in 2010, but haven’t touched it since then, and IF the job description specifically mentions it, clearly let them know you have the skill both in your resume and cover letter. Just don’t lie about how good you are.
Bonus points
Go ahead and brush up your skills ahead of time just in case. This shows initiative and the ability to easily pick up the skill again. Also makes great talking points in an interview or phone screen.
- If you use a Summary of Qualifications or similar section to lead off your resume (these are very useful), this is a great place to emphasize your strongest skills that match the job’s key requirements. (Also useful for your cover letter.)
- Read the job description again. Now look at your entire resume. Have you made it easy for the screener to see the match? If not, give it another shot and make sure to focus in on the strongest matching points, giving them extra emphasis.
Once you’re happy with what you have, of course now go back and check for typos, grammar, overall appearance, etc. And voila! You now have a customized resume that has a better chance of getting you that all-important first interview.
Match resume, but keep it real!
While I strongly suggest you take the time to tailor each resume to the job you’re applying for, the customization has to be REAL. And it needs to be reasonably IN PROPORTION to the rest of your resume — or it will look like you’re trying to snow them.
So by all means keep it real. But make sure they get the strongest picture of how well you do fit THIS job and the company. That’s the whole point.
Of course, if you don’t really fit…
You can customize your resume until the cows come home, and you won’t get the job. You just need to make sure you maximize their understanding of what a great match for them you could be. (Helps to believe it!)
Plus, all this effort will help you create a good cover letter and — added benefit — help you focus your interview answers and stories. If you clearly know all the ways you match, not only will you be able to create a stronger resume and cover letter, you’ll have an easier time telling your story to your future employer!
About the author…
Ronnie Ann, founder of Work Coach Cafe and Work To the Wise, bases her real-world advice on many years as an organizational consultant where she helped interview and hire people, added to a certificate from NYU in Career Planning & Development and her own adventures as a serial job seeker and career blogger.
More posts to help
10 Resume Writing Tips for Stronger Resumes!
10 Things I Look for When I Screen Resumes and Cover Letters
How Is a Job Application Different from a Resume?
What Is a Targeted Resume or Cover Letter?
Exactly What Is Branding for Job Search or Career?
Why a Resume Gets Rejected — Even Good Ones!
What Is a Resume Screener?
What are Automated Resume Screeners?
Using Keywords and Keyword Phrases on Resumes
Thank you, this was very helpful information.
Hi NonCustomizer!
Glad you brought this up since maybe I wasn’t clear enough.
Please read the article again carefully. This is not about lying at all. In fact I strongly advise against lying. This is about helping the screener (I’ve been one many times) quickly see all the things you’ve really done that match the new position.
If I get your resume, I don’t care about every single thing you’ve done in every single job. Take the time to pull out the most relevant skills and accomplishments and highlight them for me.
But of course still include other accomplishments that show things you made happen, or improved, or money you helped the company make or save – your strengths. And if some of those especially relate to the job you’re applying for, please help me know about it. Screeners may only look at your resume for about 8 seconds on average. You can help them by highlighting the matches – and get a better response to boot!
I’ve seen it work for others as well as myself – and it only resulted in a better match. No lying necessary!
Thanks for adding to the conversation. I wish you much luck whatever method you choose.
~ Ronnie Ann
Bad advice. DO NOT customize your resume to a job, this is like lying, the cover letter is there to do the match, the resume is the experience, you cannot change your experience
PS: Let go is better than fired. 😉 In your case, you can just say something like you made a mistake and have totally learned from it…and want with all your heart to prove what a great asset you could be to the new company.
I wish you all the best. ~ RA
Hi Tina!
Sorry I wasn’t able to answer sooner. I’m so sorry you have to deal with this. You might find some helpful answers HERE.
You don’t have to tell the details, although it could come out at some point during reference checking. Lucky for you many companies are reluctant to share exact details nowadays for legal reasons. The main thing is to show you learned from the lesson (good to remember for the rest of your career) and move on to showing what a great job you could do for them. We all screw up. I sure have. 😉 Now it’s time to start fresh.
Good luck, Tina!
~ Ronnie Ann
Hi Ronnie!
This might not be the best place to ask this, but I’m desperate!
I was fired from my very first job in 2003. I won’t go into the gory details (because it’s embarrassing), but basically I said something to my co-worker–assuming it would be kept between us–about other co-workers. She told our superior what I said and was fired the next day. What I said was fairly severe and the fact that I was only fired and not questioned by the police is pretty incredible (although what I said was meant as a joke, it was violent).
Anyway, how do I answer potential employers when they ask me why I was fired? Should I mention it at all? Should I lie? Should I not hand over contact/reference information? I’m at a total loss, and I would hate to be passed over for a job because of this mistake–to which I copped instantly and did not make a scene or try to lie to my then-employers.
Please help!!
I meant to say, how do I answer potential employers when they ask me why I left that job. Should I tell them I was fired and why, or should I lie?
Thanks so much everyone. So nice to get feedback like this from such talented folks!
Tom: Thank you so much for seconding my words. And you’re right about the disconnect between taking the time to craft a targeted cover letter but using the same old resume. Of course, a good resume that already stresses the strengths you want to continue to use can do pretty well with a strong cover, but why cut back on tweaking the resume just to save a few minutes?
Rick: Glad you pointed that out. The last thing I want to do is suggest people create a resume based on a job description and not what they actually have done!
Terry: Appreciate your strong reminder about cover letters, especially since marketing is how you earn a living. And after all, a well-executed job search is all about targeted marketing.
Melissa: Thanks for stopping by, Melissa. Great tips. I would expect no less. 😉
Absolutely, Ronnie Ann! Even doing something like rearranging the accomplishments to bring the ones that are good match to the top will make it easier for a hiring manager to see the connection.
Another place to get ideas for customizing the resume is the company’s website. Taking a look at what they talk about in terms of what they value can help shape what gets emphasized on the resume.
Great advice, Ronnie Ann! If you don’t customize your resume to fit the job description, not only are you not putting your best foot forward—you’re also sending subtle signals that you were either too clueless or lazy to send more than the equivalent of a form letter. And I’m so glad you brought up the cover letter. That’s another strong self-marketing tool whose death has been pronounced many times, always falsely.
Great advice Ronnie! I especially like the point about “real” customization: If you think you have to stretch the truth (even if you would NOT be lying) to meet some of the qualifications, don’t consider the job and just look for something else that’s more suitable for your skills and level of experience.
This advice is spot on! I preach the very same things to job candidates all the time. If it’s not obvious that your skills and background fit the job, you will not get the interview.
Many people spend a lot of time crafting individual cover letters but send along the same resume. Every job you apply for should be crafted for that particular opportunity.
Folow the advice in this article and you will greatly improve your chances of getting the interview!
Tom Hogan
Principal
Level 1 Resources