Resume Tailoring 101

As a career coach, I hear from clients all the time who have applied to many jobs without a single call back. My first question is always the same: Are you tailoring your resume?

Most of the time, the client has been sending the exact same resume to every position, and other times, the client is making minor changes but not properly tailoring. Unfortunately, changing up a single word here and there in your resume is not tailoring.

Here are some tips below get you started on a path to a well-tailored and successful resume:

1. Not tailoring your resume is a surefire way to get minimal results. 

Yes, I know it would be so much easier if you could submit the same resume each time, and yes, I know resume tailoring feels incredibly time-consuming. However, throughout your job search, you’re essentially wasting all your time if you’re submitting a resume that doesn’t accurately align with the key points of each individual job description. If your highlighted skills and accomplishments don’t parallel the job requirements, your chances of getting a call back are unlikely.

2. Understanding the Applicant Tracking Systems is half the battle.

One of the most common (and mystifying) terms in the world of job applications is Applicant Tracking Systems, also referred to as ATS. When you apply via an online application process, your resume will likely be screened by an applicant tracking system. According to an article by Jobscan.co, 98.8% of Fortune 500 companies and a growing number of small and mid-sized businesses sort and filter resumes through an applicant tracking system. These databases can be filtered by keywords in the job description to make sure that you’re a good match. The closer your resume matches the experience in the job description (without copying the exact language, which is a red flag), the more likely your application will progress.

3. Almost everything you need to know about the job is written into the job description. 

You should never apply to an open position without looking over the job description and tailoring your resume to match it. A detailed job description is the company’s way of laying out the key components of the job and the requirements for their ideal candidate. This is your opportunity to play that role. You won’t look like the ideal candidate when you apply to positions with a generic resume that you’re sending to multiple different companies and positions.

When tailoring your resume, focus on including your skills and accomplishments that match the job description while effectively highlighting relevant keywords in your resume. There are also tools out there such as jobscan.co that can assist you with the tailoring process.

Knowing how to tailor your resume is a vital skill to keep in your toolkit to ensure you are successful in your job search moving forward!

Kelly Grivner-Kelly is the Serving Spouses Program manager at Hire Heroes USA. She’s married to an active-duty airman and leverages more than eight years of professional experience in the Human Resources and business management field. She’s earned her Bachelor’s in Human Resources Management and Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). She’s also a career coach and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW). 

As a military spouse, Kelly has experienced the hardships that come along with finding meaningful employment. She found her permanent home when she joined the Hire Heroes USA team and has been fully committed to its mission, especially tailoring its services to help milspouses. 

Kelly focuses on providing personalized career coaching and resource sharing to active-duty service members, veterans, and military spouses. Since starting with Hire Heroes USA  in September 2016, she has helped more than 1,000 veterans and military spouses find employment.