Tailoring Your Resume to Different Jobs (Part 1)

From www.linkedin.com

Let us begin this blog by asking "What is the purpose of a resume?" before jumping to the meat of the matter. Some people think it is mainly for getting a job and the answer is no as the job of the resume is to get you a job interview not a job. If the answer was a job, then there should not be an interview. However, you could get a job without an interview, in some cases, such as my first internship that I got did not even require a phone interview.

Should I have one resume for all jobs that I want to apply for or one tailored resume for each job? The answer is one tailored resume for every job you are interested in because companies are looking for an applicant who puts a considerable effort into customizing the resume to fit the job description and to show that you are qualified for the job. So, if you do not customize your resume, it is undoubtedly hard to tell the company that you have what they are looking for. More importantly, most companies have a tracking system that only allows resumes that match the job description to appear in front of HR staff. Therefore, if you do tailor your resume, you will have a high likelihood of getting a job interview as you showed the company what they indeed need to see; that is, a better match between their job description and your resume.

Does that mean I have to lie in order to modify my resume for each job? Well you could lie, but this will not get you a job as this lie or lies might be uncovered during the HR process. So, please do not lie as people do not like people who lie and it makes you regretful and immoral. Alternatively, you should ask yourself which of the job description bullet points you experienced in your professional work or during college is relevant. From there, fit what in the job description that you have already experienced or known to make your resume more appealing and related to the job that you are applying for. You can also do this by including specific words such as a particular software or skill that is in the job description. I think, in these cases, it is recommended to be fairly redundant in your resume by repeating, for example, that you used Pivot tables in Excel several times especially if the job requires this skill.

Customizing your resume does not only relate to your work experience, but also to your academic experience. Include any projects you worked on in college that you think will be well-received and include any classes that directly relate to the job. If the project was published, mention that and where to find it.

In summary, customizing your resume makes you stand out among many other applicants because it shows that you are highly serious, and you put the time and effort into reading and matching their job description with your resume. Customizing your resume will also show your resume in front of HR employees as the tracking system will do the job.

You can also visit my blog: How to land a job while lying on bed to optimize your online presence.