Four Effective Ways To Tweak Your Résumé for a Job

What can you do to improve your chances of landing an interview? There are a few, key ways professionals can improve their odds of getting a job interview. Including a customized cover letter for a position and having a compelling social media profile can be helpful. Networking with someone within your targeted organization, having them submit you, or taking part in an employee referral program, is also ideal. When a current employee of the company shows their confidence in you and your résumé speaks volumes, this can help you fast track the interviewing process.

Tweaking your résumé to meet requirements of the specific job being applied for, is another effective way to stand out from other candidates. Today, most mid-sized to enterprise organizations use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to keep track of job candidates. These systems tend to rank individuals based on how their résumé compares to the job criteria and skills of the position being applied for. Customizing a résumé yourself can be a time consuming process, that often doesn’t lead to more interview requests, because it isn’t done properly. Here are four effective ways to tweak your résumé for a job!

Understand What They Are Looking For

Many professionals assume that they know what an organization is looking for based on the job title. Unfortunately, this can be a false assumption as many companies use the similar wording and phrases, which can mean something different from one company to the next. Initially, scan the job description to locate the requirements, ie. education and credentials, the organization is seeking for someone in this position. After that, you want to make sure you’re competent in the job duties and responsibilities. In the past, we’ve covered how to get clear on job targets and requirements when seeking a new career.

Research Similar Job Posts

Now that you have an idea what an organization may looking for, it’s a good idea to do a little more research. Look up at least three or four more similar job posts online. Try searching for the exact same position title, or changing a minor word here or there in the title. Are all of the job descriptions basically looking for the same experience and qualities? Do they seem vastly different in their preferred candidate and job requirements? Take note of any similarities and inconsistencies between your first job description and the new research.

Identify Relevant Keywords

During your analysis of job posts, did you notice any similar wording? If so, it’s likely that you have identified some common keywords based on your job target. For example, some common keywords could be: research, data collection, quality, and quality assurance. Make sure your résumé includes the keywords you isolated within your research. Can you find places to include those words in multiple areas of your résumé? The specific job title can also be a keyword, so be sure to add that if you’ve had the same position or a similar one in the past.  

Include significant accomplishments

Based on all that you now know about the targeted job, consider any past accomplishments or contributions you’ve had that clearly relate to the position itself. Did you receive special honors, awards, or recognition that show your skill or knowledge in an area? If that is the case, in key places on your résumé, highlight those achievements. This can be with your other professional experience or in a new section. Make these accomplishments stick out so they are hard to miss when someone is doing a quick scan of your résumé.

Tweaking your résumé or customizing it, is a great strategy when trying to land more job interviews. First, be sure you completely understand what the organization is looking for in the job description. Then, it’s a good idea to research multiple job posts with a similar position to get more insights on the role. After that, identify any relevant keywords that showed up frequently across the job postings. Include those words into your current résumé. Finally, adding specific achievements that emphasize your skills and knowledge can be beneficial. Where can you make the first tweaks to your résumé?

At Fly High Coaching, we know a quality résumé can help you secure an interview and land the career of your dreams. We are dedicated to providing high quality, resume services and career coaching to help professionals. Reach out to us today to get started on your resume makeover. Do you already have an interview scheduled? Check out our Ace the Interview Guide to make sure you’re prepared!