5 Tips On How To Tailor Your CV To Get More Interviews

‘Tailor your CV to the role you are applying for!’

This is a phrase you might have come across if you have read CV articles advising you to customize your CV.

You’re possibly wondering- Is it really necessary?

Many job seekers might be tempted to skip it because it takes time and to those who don’t know how to do it then it would be more frustrating.

Truth is, the majority of the candidates I interact with only have one CV that they use to apply for all job openings. You could be missing out on interviews because of not taking the time to write your CV to fit a specific role. Your CV should act as a marketing tool. It should provide answers as to why you are a suitable candidate for the role.

Tailoring a CV is not as hard as it sounds. It makes a huge difference because it shows your alignment with the job, proves your interest, helps your CV pass the ATS system, and emphasizes the employer’s needs.

So, how can you tailor your CV and set your foot in the interview door?

Here are 5 tips:

1. Review The Job Description.

Understand what the employer wants and the essential qualifications. Go through the job description and highlight relevant keywords to skills. Note specific requirements like years of experience and education.

Mirror the employer’s priorities, figure out then organize your CV based on what’s most important to the company and make your CV mirror that.

2. Fine-Tune Your Keywords

A lot of companies use tracking systems, which mine data from your resume by looking for relevant keywords or phrases. You will have to make small modifications to your resume to ensure the applicant tracking system identifies your resume for further inspection.

Highlight the keywords in a job description that interests you. Next, tweak your resume so it contains keywords that correspond with the description in the job posting, especially if they’re industry jargon i.e. social media strategist.

3. Match Your CV Content With The Job Description

If you are tailoring your CV to the job, match the most important things on the job description with the most visible areas on your CV.

The first bullet points should be as relevant as possible. Employment history is the first place employers look when selecting the candidates hence this is the first place to tailor.

If the job description emphasizes leadership, don’t focus much on individual responsibilities, focus on accomplishments you achieved by leading.

With your career profile, look at how the company describes the overall role and match it to that description.

4. Reorder, Add, Remove

Reorder the bullet points and info by putting the most relevant experience at the beginning of each section and moving other less-relevant pieces lower down.

If you realize something in the job description is not in your CV yet related to what you have done, then add it.

Finally, remove the information that is not relevant to the job. To do this, ask if the information will help you achieve the company’s goals.

5. Proofread

When you are comfortable that you have included the required information, review your CV to ensure that everything makes sense. Check beyond grammatical and spelling errors and ensure the keywords and phrases are represented.

Key Take Away

Tailoring your resume is one of the best ways to show prospective employers that not only do you have the skills and experience they’re seeking; you’re the right candidate for the job. They’re likely to see you as more qualified when everything on your resume is relevant.

Did you know that you can alternatively get your CV professionally written by experts? Yes, contact professional CV writing services here today!

Good luck!