Finding the perfect job often means competing with hundreds, if not thousands, of applicants. In such a saturated environment, you must take every opportunity to stand out from the crowd. One key approach to increase your odds of landing an interview is to tailor your CV to each specific job application. But how do you modify your CV to resonate with various roles? Here's a step-by-step guide to help you master the art of CV customisation.
Understanding the Job Description
Before diving into modifications, it's essential to grasp the job's core requirements. A thorough understanding of the job description helps you identify the keywords, skills, and experiences that must be emphasised in your CV.
Highlight Key Skills: Note the primary skills and qualifications mentioned in the job posting.
Identify Relevant Experiences: Recognise the specific experiences and achievements that align with the job requirements.
Make a note of the following:
Keywords (skills/tools/technologies) that are mentioned in the job description that an Ideal candidate should have in their CV
Evidence that would convince the recruiter that you are an ideal candidate for the role
Gaps in your profile in context of the role
Researching on Linkedin
Sometimes, the job description doesn't paint the full picture. Researching the profile of people who are working in the target roles as well as the roles of the hiring manager can give you additional perspective on how you can add value to their team.
Try to make a note of:
What are some of the problems their team is working on
What is your experience in working on these problems, how could you contribute
What are some of the tools and technologies that they use - have you too used them in your past roles?
Modify your professional summary or headline
Start with a compelling profile statement or summary that clearly aligns with the job role. It sets the tone for the rest of the CV. If it's a role you have done in the past, the headline should be enough. If the role is slightly different, you could add a detailed summary which highlights your transferrable skills and achievements in context of the target role.
Add a skills section that is relevant to the role
Go back to the keywords, skills, and tools that we had noted in step 1 and 2 - create a skills section that mentions technical/business, soft skills, and tools/technologies (if required) - that are mentioned in the job description.
Rewrite your experience to naturally include keywords
Think about the following questions to rephrase your experience, if needed:
Does this sell you as the perfect candidate for the types of roles you're seeking?
Can you add some credentials/projects to address the gaps between your experience and the experience required for the job?
What makes your experience stand out among other, similar candidates
Does the top third of your resume serve as a hook to get the hiring manager to read more?
Is there anything on your resume that can be removed?
Avoiding Over-Customisation
While tailoring your CV is beneficial, overdoing it can be counterproductive. Here's what to avoid:
Don't Be Dishonest: Never exaggerate or falsify information. Maintain integrity in all you say.
Avoid Unnecessary Complexity: Keep your CV clear and concise. Over-complicating things can confuse the recruiter.
Be Consistent with Your Brand: Your CV should still reflect who you are. Don't lose your personal brand in an effort to align with the job description.
Utilising Tools
You can upload your CV and the job description to Careermocha to refine your CV for a role
Remember, your CV is your opportunity to get a foot in the door, so make it count! By following these guidelines, you'll be well on your way to securing that coveted interview, one tailored CV at a time.
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