After several days of swapping skills, tweaking, and selecting fonts, you finally create the perfect résumé. In its resplendent glory, you attach it to numerous job applications.
Then, you find yourself checking your inbox and hovering over the phone, waiting for interview requests to roll in. Sweating, you come up with nothing.
Here's the thing, you really should tailor your resume to each application. Here's why:
Customization Helps to Focus on Employers' Needs
A company hires because they need to solve a problem. As a jobseeker, ensuring your resume addresses an employer's specific pain points and needs is critical. Otherwise, you're selling solutions that the organization doesn't require. Dig deep into the company's website, job announcement, and other sources to determine the specific issues the firm is looking to address. Then frame your education and relevant experience as a tool to help you solve the critical pain points.
It Shows You're Invested
It's easy and fast to shoot off a generic cover letter and résumé, especially with tools like Apply4Me or Easy Apply. But, the reality is, although customizing your résumé around the specific job is a project that could last about one hour, you'll make that time up in the impact, as the hard work will show.
It Helps Pass an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Increasingly, employers use ATS in their hiring process. On average, the systems screen out 70% of the applications without human review. If you need to survive the automated culling, ensure your résumé has phrases and keywords aligning with the job posting. ATS is generally based on keywords, so the more they are in your résumé, specific to the posting, the better your chances of success. In addition, remember to copy words verbatim, as small changes in word order or verb tense can impact your score negatively.
A well-written and customized résumé demonstrates a commitment to a job opening. It shows hiring managers that you understand the company and know how to put the sweat equity to make a contribution as an employee.
If your résumé needs some work, contact your Career Ranger for a free consultation. We'll be glad to help you out.
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