Personilize your resume

Personalize your resume

You’ve written the perfect resume . It represents your skills and experience, has lots of action verbs, and has been proofread by no fewer than eight people. The hard work is over; now you can send it out over and over and over again, right?

Sadly, wrong.

Even if you’re applying to similar positions, you should customize your resume for each job at each company. We’re not advocating creating falsehoods (you’ll hear this repeatedly from the Fits Bits team), but understanding what the employer values and how to best present your information is an important skill for every job-seeker. Here’s how to do it:

1.  Read the job description

You probably read the job description. But did you really, you know, read it? Take a good look at the job description again. Are there repeated traits? Emphasized skills? In what order did they appear? What’s listed as “required” and what is “desired”? These are all clues to what the employer values. Construct your resume accordingly.

2. Learn the language

Every company has their own jargon and job titles. If your current job is similar to theirs in duties and experience but has a different job title, be sure to weave in their job title  in your description (again, as long as it’s appropriate). For example, if your job title is “technical support director,” and their title is “service desk analyst,” include in your job description, “Managed all service desk analyst duties.”

3. Spotlight what’s important

Cookie-cutter, old-school resume don’t work for every position at every company. Even if all the (dust-collecting) books tell you to format your resume in a specific way, make your resume stand out by putting important information up front. For instance, a lot of start ups these days aren’t impressed by college degrees. They want to know what you’ve done, and what you know. Rearrange your resume to make sure the most relevant information is right where they can see it.

4. Delete what’s not

I know, it’s hard to delete information, skills, or experience from your resume . It’s like deleting a part of your past. But think of it this way: Your resume should be laser-focused on the position, and extra information will only serve to distract the recruiter. Of course, don’t delete entire jobs and create gaps in your employment record, but if the experience doesn’t directly relate to the job you’re applying for, de-emphasize it.

5.  Use the Fits resume scan

The free Fits resume scan can help you identify exactly what’s important for the job and company you want. With over 15,000,000 successful resume in our system, we know what will get you through the door. We’ll help you identify skills, traits, and experience specifically tailored for your dream job. Upload your resume , and we’ll tell you how to improve it.

Ready to get your foot in the door? Try the free Fits resume scan now!

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